musicolever/anvil-organizer-skyrim-mod-manager-for-windows-mo2-alternative-

Anvil Organizer, as described in this README, is a Windows program that helps players manage mods for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, in both the Special Edition and the newer Anniversary Edition. The author presents it as an alternative to a popular existing tool called MO2, short for Mod Organizer 2. The page emphasises that it works with the Steam, Epic, and GOG releases of the game, and that it is for Windows 10 and 11 only. The central feature highlighted is a virtual file system. The README says mods live outside the actual Skyrim folder and are presented to the game through redirection, so adding or removing a mod does not require reinstalling the game. Other features listed include drag-and-drop load order editing for .esp.esm, and .esl plugin files, automatic sorting through built-in LOOT integration, profiles that let a player keep separate mod lists and save folders per playthrough, and direct support for SKSE64 launches and ENB graphics presets. For downloading mods, the README says Anvil Organizer registers as a handler for the Nexus Mods Mod Manager Download button, so clicking that button on the Nexus website hands the file to Anvil for automatic installation. Conflict detection highlights files that are overwritten by other mods, and a one-click backup captures the current mod setup, load order, and INI tweaks. Usage steps in the README are: run the setup installer, point Anvil at the Skyrim install once detection finishes, set a folder for mod archives, drop in .7z.rar, or .zip files, activate mods with checkboxes, sort the load order with the LOOT button, then launch through SKSE64 or directly. The page tells users to add the program's folder to antivirus exclusions because its virtual file system uses symlinks that can trigger false positives. The download link points to an external website rather than a GitHub release, and the README does not include source code or a licence.