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FAQ

What is StableSteering?

StableSteering is a research prototype for studying interactive prompt-embedding steering in text-to-image systems.

If you want the easiest conceptual introduction, start with student_tutorial.md.

Does it generate real AI images yet?

Yes, if you install the inference dependencies, prepare a local model snapshot, and run with the Diffusers backend enabled.

The real Diffusers path is GPU-only and explicitly requires CUDA. If a GPU is not available, the default app server does not start. It never falls back to mock automatically, and the mock generator is reserved for tests only.

Why keep a mock generator at all?

Mock renders make the core system easier to implement, debug, and test. They let us validate:

  • session creation
  • round generation
  • feedback submission
  • update logic
  • replay export

without requiring real image generation in every automated test.

What is the normal runtime path?

The normal app runtime uses the real Diffusers backend on GPU. The mock generator exists only for explicit test harnesses.

Does the user flow start from a text prompt?

Yes.

The normal workflow begins on /setup, where the user enters a text prompt and then starts a session from that prompt.

Is there a setup script for Hugging Face models?

Yes.

Run:

python scripts/setup_huggingface.py

This prepares a local model snapshot directory and writes a manifest describing what was downloaded.

Where is the session data stored?

The current MVP stores structured state in a local SQLite database:

data/stablesteering.db

Generated images, trace logs, and per-session reports are stored alongside it under data/.

Where are the generated artifacts stored?

The current generated artifacts are stored under:

data/artifacts/

Where are trace logs stored?

Trace files are stored under:

data/traces/

Per-session trace bundles are stored under:

data/traces/sessions/<session_id>/

Each session bundle contains:

  • backend-events.jsonl
  • frontend-events.jsonl
  • report.html

How do async actions work?

Round generation and feedback submission run as async jobs.

In the browser, you will see:

  • a progress bar
  • a status label
  • automatic refresh after success
  • inline error text if the job fails

Behind the scenes, the UI submits async requests and polls a job-status endpoint until the work completes.

Is there a real end-to-end example run?

Yes.

Run:

python scripts/create_real_e2e_example.py

This creates a real GPU-backed example bundle under:

output/examples/real_e2e_example_run/

That bundle includes generated images, a manifest, a standalone walkthrough HTML file, and the session trace report.

What feedback modes are supported?

The schema supports:

  • scalar rating
  • pairwise comparison
  • top-k ranking
  • winner-only selection
  • approve/reject with preferred approved winner

The current UI uses mode-specific controls for the selected feedback mode.

Are other diffusion workflows in scope?

Yes, on the roadmap.

The current implementation focuses on prompt-first text-to-image steering, but the roadmaps now also include:

  • image-prompt or image-variation steering
  • inpainting steering
  • ControlNet-guided steering

What samplers are implemented?

The current MVP includes:

  • random_local
  • exploit_orthogonal
  • uncertainty_guided
  • axis_sweep
  • incumbent_mix

What updaters are implemented?

The current MVP includes:

  • winner_copy
  • winner_average
  • linear_preference

Is the system deterministic?

The mock-generation path is deterministic for the same session state and seed logic, which is useful for tests and replay. Real generation still persists seeds and configuration for auditability, but exact image-level determinism depends on the runtime stack and model behavior.

How do I run it?

Install dependencies:

python -m pip install -e .[dev]

Start the app:

python scripts/run_dev.py

Run the tests:

python -m pytest

Run browser tests:

npm install
npm run test:e2e:chrome

Is this production-ready?

No. It is a research-oriented MVP intended to exercise the architecture described in the specification set.