Config values that can only be set in config/local.ini.php
==========================================================

* [Home](help)

Friendica's configuration is done in two places: in INI configuration files and in the `config` database table.
Database config values overwrite the same file config values.

## File configuration

WARNING: some characters `?{}|&~![()^"` should not be used in the keys or values. If one of those character is required put the value between double quotes (eg. password = "let&me&in")
The configuration format for file configuration is an INI string returned from a PHP file.
This prevents your webserver from displaying your private configuration it interprets the configuration files and displays nothing.

A typical configuration file looks like this:

```php
<?php return <<<INI

; Comment line

[section1]
key = value
empty_key =

[section2]
array[] = value0
array[] = value1
array[] = value2

INI;
// Keep this line
```

### Configuration location

The `config` directory holds key configuration files:

- `config.ini.php` holds the default values for all the configuration keys that can only be set in `local.ini.php`.
- `settings.ini.php` holds the default values for some configuration keys that are set through the admin settings page.
- `local.ini.php` holds the current node custom configuration.
- `addon.ini.php` is optional and holds the custom configuration for specific addons.

Addons can define their own default configuration values in `addon/[addon]/config/[addon].ini.php` which is loaded when the addon is activated.

#### Migrating from .htconfig.php to config/local.ini.php

The legacy `.htconfig.php` configuration file is still supported, but is deprecated and will be removed in a subsequent Friendica release.

The migration is pretty straightforward:
If you had any addon-specific configuration in your `.htconfig.php`, just copy `config/addon-sample.ini.php` to `config/addon.ini.php` and move your configuration values.
Afterwards, copy `config/local-sample.ini.php` to `config/local.ini.php`, move the remaining configuration values to it according to the following conversion chart, then rename your `.htconfig.php` to check your node is working as expected before deleting it.

<style>
table.config {
    margin: 1em 0;
    background-color: #f9f9f9;
    border: 1px solid #aaa;
    border-collapse: collapse;
    color: #000;
    width: 100%;
}

table.config > tr > th,
table.config > tr > td,
table.config > * > tr > th,
table.config > * > tr > td {
    border: 1px solid #aaa;
    padding: 0.2em 0.4em
}

table.config > tr > th,
table.config > * > tr > th {
    background-color: #f2f2f2;
    text-align: center;
    width: 50%
}
</style>

<table class="config">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>.htconfig.php</th>
			<th>config/local.ini.php</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$db_host = 'localhost';
$db_user = 'mysqlusername';
$db_pass = 'mysqlpassword';
$db_data = 'mysqldatabasename';
$a->config["system"]["db_charset"] = 'utf8mb4';
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[database]
hostname = localhost
username = mysqlusername
password = mysqlpassword
database = mysqldatabasename
charset = utf8mb4
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$a->config["section"]["key"] = "value";
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[section]
key = value
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$a->config["section"]["key"] = array(
	"value1",
	"value2",
	"value3"
);
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[section]
key[] = value1
key[] = value2
key[] = value3
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$a->config["key"] = "value";
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[config]
key = value
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$a->path = "value";
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[system]
urlpath = value
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$default_timezone = "value";
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[system]
default_timezone = value
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$pidfile = "value";
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[system]
pidfile = value
</pre></td>
		</tr>

		<tr>
			<td><pre>
$lang = "value";
</pre></td>
			<td><pre>
[system]
language = value
</pre></td>
		</tr>

	</tbody>
</table>


### Database Settings

The configuration variables database.hostname, database.username, database.password, database.database and database.charset are holding your credentials for the database connection.
If you need to specify a port to access the database, you can do so by appending ":portnumber" to the database.hostname variable.

    [database]
    hostname = your.mysqlhost.com:123456

If all of the following environment variables are set, Friendica will use them instead of the previously configured variables for the db:

    MYSQL_HOST
    MYSQL_PORT
    MYSQL_USERNAME
    MYSQL_PASSWORD
    MYSQL_DATABASE

## Config values that can only be set in config/local.ini.php

There are some config values that haven't found their way into the administration page.
This has several reasons.
Maybe they are part of a current development that isn't considered stable and will be added later in the administration page when it is considered safe.
Or it triggers something that isn't expected to be of public interest.
Or it is for testing purposes only.

**Attention:** Please be warned that you shouldn't use one of these values without the knowledge what it could trigger.
Especially don't do that with undocumented values.

These configurations keys and their default value are listed in `config/config.ini.php` and should be ovewritten in `config/local.ini.php`.

## Administrator Options

Enabling the admin panel for an account, and thus making the account holder admin of the node, is done by setting the variable

    [config]
    admin_email = someone@example.com

Where you have to match the email address used for the account with the one you enter to the config/local.ini.php file.
If more then one account should be able to access the admin panel, separate the email addresses with a comma.

    [config]
    admin_email = someone@example.com,someoneelse@example.com

If you want to have a more personalized closing line for the notification emails you can set a variable for the admin_name.

    [config]
    admin_name = Marvin