OPEN SOURCE · MIT · NODE 18+
CAST SPELLS
TO SHIP SOFTWARE
AI agents can write code. Arcane gives them a methodology — one opinionated Spell Loop, 19 governance standards, and 12 agent roles, installed as plain markdown in your repo. You stay in the driver's seat.
npm install -g arcane-cli01THE PROBLEM
AI agents write code. They don't ship software.
Ask an agent to "build a feature" and you get a pile of plausible code. What you don't get is a path from idea to a merged, deployed change.
THE GAP ISN'T CODE GENERATION. IT'S METHODOLOGY.
02THE SPELL LOOP
One opinionated lifecycle
Every piece of work rides the same rails. The core loops — implement, test, review — until it actually passes. Then, and only then, you ship.
Frame the objective
Pin the problem, constraints, and ship target so every spell has measurable intent.
33
Spells
Workflow commands that turn intent into shippable slices.
12
Agent Personas
Specialists that cover architecture, frontend, QA, ops, and more.
19
Governance Standards
Markdown guardrails that keep quality, security, and process visible.
1
CLI · spell
One install command to bootstrap the full Arcane workflow.
03THE SPELLBOOK
33 spells. Whole lifecycle.
Each spell is a prompt-driven workflow your AI client runs — reviewable markdown, not opaque automation.
spell open-sessionWORKFLOWStart a logged working session.
spell close-sessionWORKFLOWWrap up; journal the session.
spell commit-workWORKFLOWConventional commits, written for you.
spell create-pull-requestWORKFLOWOpen a PR with full context.
spell shipWORKFLOWMerge, version, release.
spell full-cycleWORKFLOWRun the whole loop end-to-end.
spell statusWORKFLOWWhere the work stands, at a glance.
spell todoWORKFLOWCapture and track loose ends.
spell planPLANNINGTurn intent into a reviewable PRD.
spell scopePLANNINGCut the work down to shippable size.
spell architectPLANNINGBreak the plan into stories + criteria.
spell brainstormPLANNINGStructured divergent thinking.
spell save-ideaPLANNINGBank an idea before it evaporates.
spell suggest-featurePLANNINGPropose the next thing worth building.
spell enchantPLANNINGTakes a PRD or idea and hardens it — tighter scope, security, edge cases.
spell implementBUILDBuild against stories, never freestyle.
spell bumpBUILDVersion bump + changelog entry.
spell dotnet-expertBUILDSummon deep .NET expertise.
spell bootstrap-businessBUILDStand up business scaffolding.
spell generate-bot-iconsBUILDGenerate avatars for your roster.
spell reviewREVIEW & QAAdversarial review before merge.
spell review-batchREVIEW & QAReview a stack of changes at once.
spell address-reviewREVIEW & QAResolve reviewer feedback systematically.
spell product-reviewREVIEW & QAJudge the product, not the diff.
spell security-reviewREVIEW & QAThreat-model the change.
spell feedbackREVIEW & QASend feedback upstream to Arcane.
spell testTEST & OPSProve it works; enforce thresholds.
spell bugTEST & OPSFile a reproducible bug report.
spell check-driftTEST & OPSDetect divergence from the plan.
spell documentDOCSWrite the docs that match the code.
spell explain-conceptDOCSExplain any concept, in context.
spell present-arcaneDOCSPitch Arcane to your team.
spell arcane-versionDOCSWhat is installed, what is current.
04THE ROSTER
Summon the roster
Twelve ready-made personas — every role has a code name. Summon merlin or the architect: same agent. Rename the whole universe if you like.
Kellar
the Maestro
Product Operations Manager
summon kellar · the Maestro
Merlin
the Archmage
CTO / Architecture Lead
summon merlin · the Archmage
Lafayette
the Conjuror
Full-Stack Developer
summon lafayette · the Conjuror
Adelaide
the Illusionist
Frontend Developer
summon adelaide · the Illusionist
Mercurio
the Swift
Mobile Developer
summon mercurio · the Swift
Lince
the Unmasker
QA Lead
summon lince · the Unmasker
Custodio
the Warden
Security Operations
summon custodio · the Warden
Prospero
the Stormcaller
DevOps / CI/CD Engineer
summon prospero · the Stormcaller
Circe
the Charmweaver
Marketing Strategist
summon circe · the Charmweaver
Alexander
the Man Who Knows
Research & Backlog Analyst
summon alexander · the Man Who Knows
Iris
the Emissary
External Collaboration Lead
summon iris · the Emissary
Bess
the Herald
Operations Communications
summon bess · the Herald
05GOVERNANCE
Rules your agents actually follow
Nineteen battle-tested standards installed as markdown. Agents read them. Reviews enforce them. Version them like code.
agent-policies.mdWhat agents may do — and must never do.
agent-approved-paths.mdThe registry of paths agents may touch.
agent-work-queue-model.mdHow agents pick up, hand off, and finish work.
universal-agent-rules.mdThe single source of truth every agent obeys.
git-conventions.mdBranch names, commit format, merge rules.
naming-conventions.mdOne vocabulary across code, docs, and agents.
cicd-standards.mdBuild, verify, and release gates.
testing-standards.mdCoverage thresholds and what counts as tested.
spell-authoring-standards.mdHow to write a spell that holds up.
threat-model.mdSecurity posture, attack surfaces, mitigations.
hardening-checklist.mdThe Linux hardening baseline, as a checklist.
authentication-strategy.mdHow identity and access work, end to end.
development-methodology.mdThe Spell Loop itself, as enforceable text.
decision-documentation-standard.mdADR format — every decision leaves a trace.
rca-process-standard.mdRoot cause, not blame, when things break.
poc-management-pattern.mdHow proofs of concept graduate — or get killed.
product-excellence-standards.mdThe bar a feature must clear to ship.
new-business-setup.mdStand up a new venture from zero.
portable-bootstrap.mdQuick context to brief any ad-hoc AI client.
06PROFILES
Install exactly what you need
By profile or à la carte. Start lite; spell add the rest when you're ready.
| LITEcore loop only | METHODOLOGYall spells | GOVERNANCEstandards only | FULLeverything | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Spell Loop (8 spells) | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Full spellbook (all 33) | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 19 governance standards | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Doc, PRD & ADR templates | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12 agent personas (spell agents init) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
$ spell init --profile full · exact contents are listed by the CLI before anything is written — nothing lands unreviewed
07IN ACTION
Watch a spell land
Three recordings. Each one shows a single spell landing changes in a real repo, end to end.
installs the library + governance
08 · NO LOCK-IN
MARKDOWN-NATIVE.
NOTHING OPAQUE.
Everything Arcane installs is plain, reviewable, version-controlled text. Read it. Edit it. Delete it. It's your repo.
.arcane/
governance/19 standards
agents/12 personas
templates/PRD, ADR, stories
journal/every session, logged
09 · BUILT IN PUBLIC
ARCANE IS BUILT
WITH ARCANE.
Every feature of this framework was planned, implemented, tested, reviewed, and shipped by casting its own spells. Every session is logged in the journal — in the open repo.
- MIT license — CLI + framework, free forever
- github.com/codemagicianhq/arcane
- npm · arcane-cli
Final call to action
npm install -g arcane-cli