character-sheet-app: a browser-based character sheet that works offline, but only if you host it yourself

A character sheet for people who hate fillable PDFs

The README is blunt about the problem. The author wanted a sharp pencil, found fillable PDFs unusable, and wanted to use an iPad. character-sheet-app is that answer: a responsive web app that acts as a character sheet for tabletop RPGs, mostly D&D 5e. It is built for a person who wants a modern, touch-friendly sheet without fighting with PDF forms. The target user is someone comfortable running a local server or putting files on a remote server, because the app does not work from a plain file:// URL. It is not a polished commercial product; it is a personal tool that the author thought others might want too.

How the app works: static files, a service worker, and optional Firebase

The repository is a JavaScript project built with esbuild. The README describes the production output as a dist directory containing index.html. You point a web server at that directory and the app loads. Offline mode relies on a service worker, which the README says handles caching. For remote saving, you add your own Firebase configs to ./src/config/firebase.js and rebuild. That means the core app is a static front end, and persistence is delegated to Firebase. The architecture is simple: no backend of its own, just a build step and a service worker. The trade-off is that offline mode requires HTTPS, as the README notes, because service workers only work on secure contexts.

Getting it running: from http-server to nginx

The simplest path is to install http-server globally with npm: npm i -g http-server, then run http-server ./dist/ -a localhost from the repository. The app appears at http://localhost:8080. For development, you run npm install and npm run start, which starts the esbuild dev server, also on port 8080. The README gives a concrete nginx server block for production: set index to index.html, enable gzip, and add location / with expires -1. The expires -1 is important because the service worker handles caching, so you do not want the server to cache files. If you skip HTTPS, offline mode will not work. This is a real constraint, not a setup detail.

The game support is narrow, and that is a limitation

The README says the app supports a limited number of games, mostly D&D 5e, but it is coded so more can be added. That means if you play a system outside that narrow set, you will likely need to modify the code. The repository does not document how to add a game, so the extension path is not clear. For a group that plays multiple systems, this app is the wrong tool unless you are willing to fork and write your own game definitions. The author's motivation is personal, and the scope reflects that. Do not expect a plugin ecosystem or a configuration file for new games.

The hosted version is going away: a hard deadline

The README states that as of Jan 1 2027 the hosted version will go away, and the repository will be archived. That is a hard fact with a date. If you have been using the hosted app, you have a migration deadline. If you are evaluating the project now, you cannot rely on a public instance. Self-hosting is the only path forward. The author is explicit about archiving, which means no future releases after that date. This is not a project with an active roadmap; it is a project reaching its end. For an engineer deciding whether to adopt, this is the most important fact.

Alternatives: fillable PDFs and dedicated VTT character sheets

The obvious alternative is the fillable PDF that the author rejected. Those have a different trade-off: they work offline without any server, they are ubiquitous, and they do not require HTTPS. But they are static and often awkward on a tablet. Another alternative is a character sheet built into a virtual tabletop like Roll20 or Foundry, which handle game rules and character data centrally. Those differ in approach: they are full platforms with accounts, chat, and dice rolling, whereas character-sheet-app is a single-page form with no rules engine. If you need automatic calculations or digital dice, this app will not match that. If you only need a clean editable sheet, it might.

Maintenance and license: GPL-3.0 with a clear end date

The project is licensed under GPL-3.0. That means if you fork it, your fork must also be GPL-3.0, and you must make source available when you distribute. That is a real consideration for a company that wants to embed this in a proprietary product; GPL-3.0 is not permissive. The repository has had recent releases, with v4.6.0 in June 2026, so the code is actively maintained until the archive date. But maintenance stops after that. The README does not mention any upgrade path or migration tool. If you adopt it, you are taking on the maintenance yourself. The service worker and Firebase config are where you will spend effort, because those are the parts tied to a specific deployment.

Editorial conclusion

Adopt character-sheet-app if you want a self-hosted, browser-based character sheet for D&D 5e and can accept its narrow game support. Do not adopt it if you need a tool that works without a server, or if you rely on the hosted version, which ends on Jan 1 2027. Before committing, verify that your browser supports the modern features the app uses, and plan your own Firebase config if you need remote saving. The repository will be archived after that date, so expect no further updates.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. Official README
2. Project repository
3. Release notes