Stable Diffusion is an open source AI art generator that creates unique artwork based on text input.
If you are completely new to Stable Diffusion, this is the guide for you, and will explain the basics in plain, simple language, and if you like it, do check out the other links on our site to learn more.
QUICK TIP: Wherever you see SD referred to on this site, it means Stable Diffusion.
What is stable diffusion used for?
Stable Diffusion lets you create incredible graphics using an artificial intelligence model which creates unique images from a prompt that you give it. Let’s say for example you wanted an image of a fox wearing human clothing – this is exactly the sort of image you can create in seconds with SD:
Yes, all of the above images were created in a few seconds just using Stable Diffusion.
Stable Diffusion will do its best to render you an image (or number of images) of the text prompt you give it. The trick with it is to try to give SD as much information as to what you’re after in your prompt as possible.
SD has been trained to work on natural language processing (NLP), and attempts to interpret whatever you give it, and return results it thinks you want.
It doesn’t always get it right, and you need to learn to use it well to ensure you get best results, but it’s not too complicated, and on this site, we have everything you need to get going and using Stable Diffusion like a pro.
What’s different about Stable Diffusion?
What is Stable Diffusion’s key differences to other AI art generators? Well, there are 2 main differences between Stable Diffusion and similar AI models such as Dall-E or Midjourney.
Firstly, Stable Diffusion is designed so that you don’t need a ridiculously super-powered computer to run it on. It’s low-computational resources mean that there isn’t a huge barrier to entry for artists who want to create stunning AI generated art.
Sure, you still need a decent machine with certain components, but these are affordable, and many existing computers used for gaming or graphic design have sufficient specs to run the application.
And secondly, Stable Diffusion is open source, and free to use for everyone. This is what makes it so very different from all the other AI art generators out there, and why we think it’s going to explode!
How do I use Stable Diffusion?
There are a few ways in which you can use Stable Diffusion, but if you’re brand new to it, we recommend trying out one of the online generators first just to get an idea of how cool SD really is.
Here are your basic options for using Stable Diffusion:
- Use a free, online Stable Diffusion web app – best for starting out and learning the basics. All you need to do is enter a prompt and that’s it, but be aware that most free online generators are limited in functionality, and normally only provide small renders. They can also be slow, as you almost always have to queue!
Check out our list of Stable Diffusion web apps you can try for free! - Use a premium Stable Diffusion web app – good for occasional users who don’t want to install their own copy but want a few more advanced features.
There’s some great web apps, and most give you a few credits for free to try them out, although they will quickly run out, and you’ll need to keep on purchasing more if you want to use them.
See a full list of Stable Diffusion web apps. - Set up your own Stable Diffusion environment in a virtual space – use ever more advanced features without having to build or maintain your own computer.
Learn how to set up Stable Diffusion virtually - Install and run Stable Diffusion on your own computer – in our opinion, the best option, but you need a pretty reasonable machine, as it’s unlikely to work on your Dad’s old Windows 95 PC.
Learn how to install Stable Diffusion on your own computer
Each of these methods of using SD has it’s pro’s and con’s, but if you’re really serious about making AI art, whether to enhance your content or to use to create images you can sell, we recommend having your own installation.
Are there any restrictions on using Stable Diffusion?
It works on a Creative ML OpenRAIL-M license, which basically means that anyone can use it free of charge for pretty much any purpose – There are some exceptions (to stop people using it to make illegal or harmful material) but for the most part you can do what you wish with it.
Stable Diffusion claims no rights on any of the images that are generated, and freely grants users the usage rights to any generated images from the model provided that the image content is not illegal or harmful to individuals.
However, you should be aware that if you generated images in Stable Diffusion which depict individuals, recognisable brands or other intellectual property that’s protected by, for example, trademark law, you may still find yourself at the wrong end of a copyright challenge, so do be careful that you don’t generate anything which could land you in a very expensive court case.
What do I need to run my own copy of Stable Diffusion?
Stable Diffusion is an application written in the Python programming language, and was first released in August 2022. It runs on pretty much any system which supports CUDA Kernels, and, at the time of writing is basically Windows and Linux operating systems.
Whilst Stable Diffusion can run purely on a CPU, it is highly recommended that you have a system with a powerful graphics card (GPU). If you wish to find out more about the specifications you need to run Stable Diffusion on your own computer, you can find them here.
If you wish to upgrade or buy a new computer which will work well for running Stable Diffusion, we strongly recommend checking out stablediffusionpc.com.
Is Stable Diffusion hard to learn?
I’s unbelievably easy to get started, but it’s highly recommended to do some learning on how to get the best out of Stable Diffusion, and this is why this website exists! It’s our intention that this site become the number #1 resource for, and the best place to learn Stable Diffusion.
Who developed Stable Diffusion?
Stable Diffusion was created by Stability AI in collaboration with the CompVis group at the public research university LMU Munich. It was released in a collaboration which included Runway, a multimodal AI systems developer, and support from EleutherAI and LAION.
Stability AI was founded by a former hedge fund manager Emad Mostaque, who was born in Bangladesh and grew up in the United Kingdom.
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