Talesmith Data
A node stores almost everything under the data/ folder next to node.php. There is no shared Talesmith cloud database for your posts. Content is JSON Feed shaped data in guarded files so typical hosts without MySQL can still run a node.
Protected *.php data files
Files use a .php extension and start with a guard so the web server does not serve raw JSON to visitors:
<?php http_response_code(403); exit; ?>
{
"name": "Example",
"title": "Writer"
}If someone requests the file URL directly, they see 403 Forbidden. On the server you can still open, back up, or copy these files—they are your data.
Main files (after setup)
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
settings.php | Profile, password hash, privacy, theme, hub registration, notifications |
posts.php | Your JSON Feed document (published posts) |
connections.php | Outbound nodes you follow (feed URLs, handshake state) |
followers.php | Inbound nodes that connected to you |
config.php | strict_integrity, optional canonical host, update channel flags |
public_interactions.php | Audit log for public comments/reactions on your posts |
pingbacks.php | Visit / pingback log |
newsletter_subscribers.php | Newsletter subscribers (when public style is newsletter) |
wall_cache.php | Cached home wall aggregation for signed-in owner |
Folders under data/
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
images/ | Avatars and images attached to posts |
plugin_cache/ | Cached hub service manifests and catalog |
plugin_data/ | Plugin field values and per-hub enable lists |
plugin_handlers/ | Plugin route code synced from the hub |
plugin_sandbox/ | Layer 3 plugin runtime (when enabled) |
restore_backup/ | Local backup zips from Settings (when used) |
Hub URLs and registration state live in settings.php, not a separate “hubs” data file.
Hub vs node data
This page describes a node. A hub uses data/hub.sqlite (SQLite) plus its own data/ trees for plugins, avatars, and broadcasts—see Host requirements for hub database requirements.
Backups
Use Settings backup/export on your node when available, and keep copies of the whole data/ directory. ## Backups and updates
Use Settings → Backup for install snapshots and zip downloads. Official releases: Settings → Social → Check for updates. See Backups and Updates.
Replacing node.php from an official update does not overwrite data/.