Start here if Chronal is new to you.
Plain answers about what Chronal does, what stays local, and where optional AI belongs.
What does Chronal help me do?
Chronal helps you answer questions that ordinary notes make difficult: what was true at a particular time, what changed it, who knew about it, and which source supports the answer. It is useful for continuity-heavy writing, research, and records that change over time.
What is the difference between Chronal Studio and Chronal Engine?
Chronal is the product family. Chronal Studio is the desktop app you use. Chronal Engine is the time-aware logic underneath it: the part that works out which facts applied at a chosen time and explains where the answer came from.
Is Chronal Studio a note-taking app?
It includes a writing workspace, but it is designed for projects where facts, events, knowledge, and cause and effect need to stay consistent across time. You can write normally, then choose which details Chronal should track.
What does local-first mean?
Your project is an ordinary folder on storage you control. You can open, back up, or version those files without a Chronal account or hosted workspace. Chronal does not require you to move the project into its cloud.
Do I need to know Markdown or JSON?
No. Markdown is a plain-text format that adds simple marks for headings, links, and emphasis. JSON is a widely used text format for structured data. Chronal Studio gives you visual tools for both, while keeping the files readable outside the app.
What is a source trace or provenance?
They mean the history behind an answer: which source established it, when it applied, and which earlier information it replaced. The website usually says source trace first; provenance is the technical name.
Does AI write project facts automatically?
No. Local AI is always local, always reviewable, and always optional. It can suggest facts or events from your prose, but you decide whether to accept, revise, or reject every suggestion. Chronal remains useful with AI turned off.
Can I bring my own AI agent?
Yes, optionally. Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standard way for an agent such as Codex or Claude Desktop to use Chronal project tools. A connected agent uses Chronal Engine operations instead of guessing how the files work. This connection is separate from the built-in local AI.
Does a connected agent stay local?
Not necessarily. Chronal's built-in local AI runs on your device, but an outside agent may send content to its own provider. Review that agent's privacy terms before connecting it. You never need an agent or an MCP connection to use Chronal Studio.
Does Chronal Studio require the cloud?
No. Writing, timelines, relationship maps, point-in-time views, questions, project checks, and source tracing work with your local project. A service you choose independently, such as file sync or an outside AI agent, may have its own network behavior.
Can I download it now?
Not yet. Chronal Studio is coming soon. The availability page will publish installation guidance and release notes when the first public build is ready.
How will I know when it is ready?
The availability and release pages will be updated when a verified public build exists. Until then, you can follow development on GitHub and explore the product guide on this site.