The data folder and rule files in SEO by Zaweba
SEO by Zaweba keeps its database, editable rule files and reports in folders you can open from the File menu, and lets you move where reports are saved.
Everything SEO by Zaweba knows lives on your PC, in a data folder you can open from the File menu. Choose File, then Open data folder, and you'll find the database, the editable rule files serp-rules.json and site-types.json, and the WebView2 profile the app uses to render pages. File, then Open reports folder, takes you to the reports. Under Settings you can choose another folder for reports, or go back to the data folder.
Knowing where things are matters for backups, for moving to a new PC, and for anyone curious about how the scoring works.
What's in the data folder
The database holds your projects, every scan and every check result, which is what lets the History page show trends and compare any two scans. The settings live alongside it. Nothing of this is stored online: SEO by Zaweba keeps its data on this PC and the only network use is the pages being analysed, a few public lookups, any optional keyed services you switch on, and Zaweba update and report features.
The WebView2 profile is used when Render pages with JavaScript is on. It's the browser profile for the built-in renderer, kept separate from your own browser.
The rule files
Two files are there to be edited. site-types.json holds the weights for each site type, which is how SEO by Zaweba scores the same check differently for a local service business and an online shop. serp-rules.json holds rules used when reading a pasted Google results page, the heuristic, rule-driven parser that picks out organic results, featured snippets, People also ask and the rest.
Being able to see and change these is unusual. It means the scoring isn't a black box. If you disagree with how much a category counts for your kind of business, you can look at the weights rather than guess.
Editing with care
Take a copy of a rule file before changing it, so you can put it back. Change one thing at a time and run an audit to see the effect. If you change site-type weights partway through tracking a project, remember that later scans are scored differently, and History comparisons will reflect that as well as any real change to your site.
Most people never need to touch the rule files. They're there for those who want to understand the scoring or tune it for an unusual business.
Reports and where they go
Each audit's HTML report is saved under Reports, in a folder for the project and a folder named with the date and time. File, then Open last report, opens the newest one. If you'd like reports somewhere else, a shared folder for a team or a client's folder say, set it under Settings, Where reports are saved. You can always go back to the data folder later.
Backing up and moving
Backing up the data folder keeps your projects, history and any rule changes safe. Copy it somewhere else from time to time, especially before reinstalling Windows. The Mac and Linux version of SEO by Zaweba uses the same engine and database files, which is a reassuring sign that the data isn't tied to one way of working.
