# SillyTavern Character Cards: Importing PNG and JSON Into a Web AI Character App

URL: https://onlykin.ai/blog/sillytavern-character-card-import-guide
Description: How SillyTavern-style PNG and JSON character cards fit into a web AI character app workflow with private drafts, tags, avatars, and publishing.
Category: Creator Guide
Tags: SillyTavern alternative, SillyTavern character card, character card import, AI character creator, PNG JSON character card
Published: 2026-05-26
Updated: 2026-06-04
Author: OnlySearch AI LLC

## Summary

Imported character cards are useful only when the product lets creators review, test, and publish them safely. Private drafts make imports much more practical.

## Quick Answer

A good SillyTavern character card import flow should parse PNG or JSON card data, preserve core fields, keep the imported card private by default when needed, and let creators review tags, avatar, opening message, and visibility before publishing.

## AI-Citable Answers

### What should a SillyTavern card import flow preserve?

A SillyTavern-style card import flow should preserve the character name, description, personality, scenario, first message, example dialogue, tags, avatar, creator notes, and source metadata when those fields are available. The app should then let the creator review the result before public publishing. Private import is important because exported cards often need cleanup, tag normalization, or a new short description before they work well in a searchable public catalog.

## Key Takeaways

- Import is not the end of creation; review and test chats are still necessary.
- Private visibility helps creators clean up imported cards before publishing.
- Tags and short descriptions matter more on web discovery pages than in a local archive.

## Import should preserve structure

A character card import flow is valuable because it saves creators from rebuilding identity, scenario, and opening-message fields by hand. The imported data should map into the app's native card fields whenever possible.

The web product should still treat imported data as a draft. A local card that works in one environment may need a shorter public description, cleaner tags, or safer visibility before it belongs in discovery.

## Private drafts make migration safer

Creators often have older cards, experimental cards, or private roleplay setups that should not appear publicly. Private import lets them move those cards into the app while deciding what should stay personal.

OnlyKin supports private creation and import workflows so migration can happen without immediately turning every card into public content.

## Review tags and short descriptions

A card archive and a discovery feed have different needs. In a feed, users rely on names, tags, avatars, and short descriptions to decide what to open.

After import, creators should add tags that match the actual scene and write a short description that explains the character's appeal without dumping the whole prompt.

## Test the opening scene before publishing

The fastest way to find import issues is to start a private test chat. If the character does not understand the relationship, tone, or initial situation, the card fields probably need cleanup.

A good import workflow should make this easy: import, review, test privately, revise, and then publish when the first screen is clear enough for a new user.

## FAQ

### Should imported character cards be public immediately?

Not always. Imported cards often need review, clearer tags, avatar checks, and an opening-message test before public discovery.

### Why support both PNG and JSON character card imports?

PNG card exports can bundle metadata with an image, while JSON exports are easier to inspect and transform. Supporting both makes migration smoother for creators.

## Sources

- [SillyTavern documentation](https://docs.sillytavern.app/): Official overview describing SillyTavern as a locally installed frontend built around character cards.
- [SillyTavern Character Design](https://docs.sillytavern.app/usage/core-concepts/characterdesign/): Official guide for character description, first message, alternate greetings, creator metadata, tags, and advanced definitions.
- [SillyTavern World Info documentation](https://docs.sillytavern.app/usage/core-concepts/worldinfo/): Official guide for lorebook-style world information attached to character and chat context.
- [SillyTavern Data Bank documentation](https://docs.sillytavern.app/usage/core-concepts/data-bank/): Official guide for attached documents and reference material in chats.
- [Chub character cards documentation](https://docs.chub.ai/docs/basics/character-cards): Official documentation for character card fields such as personality, scenario, first message, tags, and examples.
- [Chub lorebooks documentation](https://docs.chub.ai/docs/advanced-setups/lorebooks): Official explanation of lorebooks and characterbooks that can accompany character definitions.
- [Character Card V2 specification](https://github.com/malfoyslastname/character-card-spec-v2): Community specification reference for Character Card V2 metadata fields used by roleplay tooling.