Silly Tavern cards on Mac and PNG: quick FAQ
Short answers that point to longer notes on this site. Not official Silly Tavern documentation—for UI strings, check docs.sillytavern.app and your build.
Running Silly Tavern on macOS and where PNG cards live
You usually run Silly Tavern on macOS via Node and open the local URL, and you keep .png character files under a characters/ (or similar) folder inside ST’s data tree. Sillycard does not replace the ST server; it is a native macOS app for browsing and editing embedded JSON in PNGs on disk—see Silly Tavern on macOS and ST card editor on macOS.
PNG files, embedded JSON, and V2/V3
Silly Tavern–style character cards are often PNG images with Character Card JSON inside (V2/V3). To edit JSON without breaking the image chunk, use a tool that understands the format. Workflow basics: From a template to a usable card; compatibility: V2 / V3.
Local files, offline editing, and trust
Local means files stay in folders you choose; offline here means you can edit metadata without pasting the whole card into an arbitrary browser tab—you still choose which software you trust. Sillycard is Mac-only and file-first; many people keep Silly Tavern as the chat engine.
Import, export, and backing up the characters folder
ST typically reads cards from a characters/ directory under its data root—back up that folder before bulk renames or batch tools. Import/export between JanitorAI, Chub, and ST depends on each site’s formats; start with Janitor export/import, Chub template/archive, and where to find cards.
When cards do not load or fields look wrong
Symptoms depend on whether the file came from a site export or your own disk. Troubleshooting: Janitor: not showing / missing. If the PNG opens but fields look off, re-check V2/V3 and which editor touched the file.
Key fields, lorebook, and writing discipline
Field meanings: ST character card fields. For writing habits (not raw key names): How to write a more usable character card and Character card design.
LLM-assisted drafting
Drafting with an LLM vs shipping a clean file: AI character card design. Quality still comes from trying the card in your real client.
Persona versus character card
Persona is usually you; character is the card you load. Exact behavior depends on your ST version and presets—How to start: persona & character.
Spec on GitHub and version control
Spec pointers and examples: Character Card V2 & GitHub and (1/5) File & spec. Git-friendly workflows mean exporting JSON or versioning PNGs with care for binary diffs.
See also
Browse, preview, and edit embedded JSON in PNGs locally on Mac with Sillycard.