Fount is a minimal, distraction-free Fountain screenplay editor built for writers who live in the terminal. It blends the raw efficiency of Rust with a "Zen Studio" aesthetic, providing a writing experience that feels professional, focused, and deeply personal.
- Arch Linux (AUR):
yay -S fount-bin
- Debian / Ubuntu: Download the latest
.debpackage from the Releases page. - Fedora / RHEL: Download the latest
.rpmpackage from the Releases page.
cargo install fount-
MSI Installer (Primary Method for Casual Users): Download the latest
.msipackage from the Releases page.[!IMPORTANT] Windows SmartScreen will block the installation because the executable is not digitally signed. You must turn off SmartScreen completely in Windows Security settings before running the installer.
-
Cargo (For Advanced Users):
cargo install fount(requires Rust)[!TIP] Cargo provides a seamless, source-based installation that ensures you stay on the bleeding edge of Fount's development with immediate access to the latest features and performance improvements.
-
Winget:
winget install BeetleBot.Fount
[!NOTE] Winget versions usually receive updates later than the official releases.
- Cargo:
cargo install fount(for best results, use a terminal with Truecolor support like iTerm2 or Ghostty)
Note
A Letter from the Creator
As a credited Tamil/Indian screenwriter—writing predominantly in English and Tanglish—I found myself at a crossroads when I transitioned to Linux. I deeply missed Beat, my long-time companion for storytelling, and couldn't find a minimalist alternative that felt "right" in the terminal.
My search led me to Lottie, whose elegance immediately captivated me. I cloned the project and began shaping it into the tool I needed. While I possess a moderate grasp of Rust, this journey was significantly smoothed by the partnership of AI Agents like Claude and Gemini.
AI was instrumental in helping me overcome technical hurdles, complicated logic, and the often frustrating nuances of software release workflows. Fount is the result of my creative vision and little bit of coding background, the open-source code that inspired me, and the intelligence of the agents that helped me build it. It is a tool I use daily, and I hope it serves you just as well.
Fount is a dedicated writing environment designed to disappear while you work.
Cycle through curated themes like Catppuccin, Nord, Everforest, and the new Lilac to suit your mood.
Toggle the Scene Navigator (Ctrl+H) or Character Sidebar (Ctrl+L) to jump through your screenplay's structure or analyze character presence.
Visualize your screenplay's pacing, character frequency, and scene length distribution in real-time using X-Ray (/xray) mode
Plot your story at a high level using the grid-based Index Cards (/ic) mode.
Stay productive with built-in Writing Sprints (/sprint) and track your session history.
A powerful find-and-replace workflow with interactive highlighting.
Fount stands on the shoulders of giants. This project would not have been possible without the inspiration and foundational work of the following:
- Lottie: My immediate inspiration. Fount began as a fork and evolution of this beautiful terminal editor.
- Beat: The gold standard for minimalist screenwriting software. Fount is my attempt to bring the spirit of Beat to the Linux terminal.
- Fountain.io: The universal screenplay format that powers modern independent screenwriting.
Important
A massive thank you to the creators of these tools. Their commitment to the craft of writing and software design continues to inspire creators worldwide.