Free, open-source screenwriting software — a modern alternative to Final Draft
Professional screenplay formatting, real-time collaboration, beat boards, and version control.
No subscription. No cloud lock-in. No tracking. Just write.
Website • Download • Features • Features • Screenshots • Compare • Contributing • Community
Get the latest version for your platform — no account required, just install and write.
| Platform | Download |
|---|---|
| macOS (Apple Silicon) | Download .dmg |
| Windows (64-bit) | Download .exe |
| Windows (MSI) | Download .msi |
| Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) | Download .deb |
| Linux (AppImage) | Download .AppImage |
| Linux (RPM/Fedora) | Download .rpm |
| Platform | Download |
|---|---|
| Android | Get it on Google Play |
After downloading, open the installer and follow the prompts. The app is fully standalone — everything you need is bundled inside.
For all versions and platforms, visit the Releases page.
OpenDraft gives you everything you need to write a screenplay — without paying $250 for Final Draft or trusting your scripts to someone else's cloud.
- Works 100% offline on your machine. No account required.
- Real-time collaboration when you want it — invite co-writers with a link.
- Free forever (MIT license). No trial, no subscription, no feature gating.
- Privacy-first — zero tracking, zero analytics, zero data collection.
- Industry-standard screenplay editor — Scene headings, action, character, dialogue, parenthetical, transition, and shot elements with proper formatting
- Beat Board & Index Cards — Visual story planning with drag-and-drop scene organization
- Scene Navigator — Jump between scenes instantly
- Character Profiles — Track characters with role types, highlight colors, and rich descriptions
- Character Autocomplete — Smart suggestions as you type character names
- Version History — Built-in version control with check-in, diff, and restore
- Project Management — Organize multiple screenplays with metadata (genre, logline, synopsis, etc.)
- Asset Management — Attach reference images, research docs, and notes to your projects
- Script Notes — Inline annotations for screenplay review and feedback
- Search & Replace — Find and replace across your screenplay
- Spell Check — Built-in spell checker with custom dictionary support
- Import/Export — Work with standard screenplay formats (PDF, FDX, Fountain)
- Real-time Collaboration — Multiple writers editing simultaneously with live cursors
- Cross-platform — Desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) and browser-based
If you prefer to run OpenDraft in your browser instead of the desktop app, use the one-line setup script:
git clone https://github.com/Proteus-Technologies-Private-Limited/OpenDraft.git
cd OpenDraft
./setup.shThat's it. The script installs dependencies, builds the app, and opens it in your browser at http://localhost:8000.
- Python 3.12+ — Download Python
- Node.js 18+ — Download Node.js
- Git — Download Git
See docs/INSTALLATION.md for detailed step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting, and manual setup.
Industry-standard screenplay formatting with scene navigator
Visual story planning with Beat Board
Real-time collaboration — multiple users editing simultaneously
Invite collaborators with granular permissions (Co-Edit / Read Only)
Built-in version history — check in drafts, view and restore any version
View any previous version in read-only mode
Manage multiple projects from the home screen
Project detail view with screenplay cards, assets, and versions
How does OpenDraft stack up against commercial screenwriting software?
| Feature | OpenDraft | Final Draft | WriterDuet | Fade In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $250 | Free / $12/mo | $80 |
| Open Source | Yes (MIT) | No | No | No |
| Offline Desktop App | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Real-time Collaboration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beat Board / Index Cards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Version History with Diff | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Self-Hostable | Yes | No | No | No |
| Linux Support | Yes | No | Yes (paid) | Yes |
| No Account Required | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Privacy-First (No Tracking) | Yes | No | No | No |
| Character Profiles | Yes | Limited | No | No |
| Casting / Reference Images | Yes | No | No | No |
| Production Tags | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Fountain Import/Export | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | No | Yes | Limited |
| Plugin Architecture | Yes | No | No | No |
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend | React 19, TypeScript, Vite, TipTap editor |
| Backend | Python 3.12, FastAPI, Uvicorn |
| Desktop | Tauri 2 (Rust) with bundled Python backend |
| Collaboration | Hocuspocus WebSocket server, Yjs CRDT |
| State Management | Zustand |
| Version Control | Git (per-project, built-in) |
OpenDraft/
├── frontend/ # React + TypeScript web UI
├── backend/ # FastAPI Python API server
├── collab-server/ # Real-time collaboration server (Node.js)
├── src-tauri/ # Tauri 2 desktop app shell (Rust)
├── docs/ # Documentation
├── images/ # Logos and assets
├── setup.sh # One-click browser setup script
├── build.sh # Web build script
└── build-desktop.sh # Desktop app build script
We welcome contributions from everyone! Whether you're fixing a typo, reporting a bug, or building a new feature — every contribution matters.
- New here? Check out issues labeled
good first issuefor beginner-friendly tasks. - Have a question? Start a Discussion.
- Found a bug? Open an issue.
- Want to contribute code? See docs/CONTRIBUTING.md for setup and guidelines.
For developers who want to work on OpenDraft:
# Clone and install
git clone https://github.com/Proteus-Technologies-Private-Limited/OpenDraft.git
cd OpenDraft
# Backend
python3.12 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r backend/requirements.txt
# Frontend
cd frontend && npm install && cd ..
# Start development servers (in separate terminals)
./start_backend.sh # API server on http://localhost:8000
./start_frontend.sh # Dev server on http://localhost:5173./build-desktop.sh
# Output: src-tauri/target/release/bundle/See docs/desktop-build.md for detailed desktop build instructions.
OpenDraft is open-source software licensed under the MIT License. Free to use, modify, and distribute.
Made with care by Proteus Technologies
If OpenDraft helps your writing, consider giving it a star on GitHub — it helps others discover the project.