Backup, restore, import and export
Songcards gives you five distinct operations. They look similar but do very different things — read this before you use any of them for the first time.
| Operation | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Full JSON backup | Exports your entire library — every Songcard and field — to one JSON file. | Regularly, and always before a restore or a major app update. |
| Merge restore | Adds Songcards from a backup file into your current library, alongside what's already there. | Combining libraries, or recovering specific cards without touching the rest. |
| Replace restore | Deletes your current local library, then loads the selected backup in its place. | Only when you deliberately want to return to an earlier full state. |
| Obsidian Markdown import | Reads a Songcard written in the official Obsidian template and brings it into Songcards. | Bringing in songs you drafted in Obsidian first. |
| Obsidian Markdown export | Writes a Songcard back out as plain Markdown in the same template. | Keeping a human-readable, portable copy alongside your library. |
Replace removes the current local library before restoring the selected backup. Create a fresh backup first when uncertain.
Catalog ZIP export
A separate export that packages your library as a browsable catalog — useful for sharing a read-only snapshot outside of Songcards itself, rather than for restoring into the app.
Want the Obsidian template itself? See the Obsidian page.