Getting Started with Configuration

Welcome to the configuration guide for your new application framework! This document will walk you through the essential steps to set up and customize your project's behavior.

Understanding Configuration Files

Our framework uses a hierarchical configuration system. The primary configuration file is typically named config.yaml or config.json and is located at the root of your project directory. This file allows you to define settings for various aspects of your application, such as database connections, logging levels, API keys, and feature flags.

Common Configuration Options

Database: Specify connection strings, pool sizes, and dialect.
Logging: Set the logging level (e.g., debug, info, warn, error) and output format.
Server: Configure the port, host, and other server-related settings.
Features: Enable or disable specific features using boolean flags.

            Configuration is loaded in a specific order. Settings defined in environment variables or command-line arguments will override those in configuration files, allowing for easy deployment across different environments.
        

Example Configuration (YAML)


database:
  type: postgresql
  host: localhost
  port: 5432
  username: app_user
  password: ${DB_PASSWORD} # Reads from environment variable
  database: my_app_db
  pool_size: 10

logging:
  level: info
  format: json

server:
  host: 0.0.0.0
  port: 8080

features:
  new_dashboard: true
  beta_feature_x: false

Loading Configuration

The framework provides built-in utilities to load and access your configuration settings. In your application code, you can typically access configuration values like this:

Example (conceptual code):


// Assuming a hypothetical configuration object 'config'
const dbHost = config.get('database.host');
const logLevel = config.get('logging.level', 'warn'); // 'warn' is the default if not found

console.log(`Connecting to database at: ${dbHost}`);
console.log(`Logging level set to: ${logLevel}`);

Always use configuration parameters for sensitive information like passwords and API keys. Avoid hardcoding them directly into your source code. Utilize environment variables or secure secret management solutions.

Environment-Specific Configurations

For managing different settings across development, staging, and production environments, you can create environment-specific configuration files. For example:

config.development.yaml
config.production.yaml

The framework will automatically load the correct file based on the NODE_ENV or a similar environment variable.

Tips for Effective Configuration

Keep your configuration files clean and well-organized.
Use descriptive names for your configuration keys.
Leverage environment variables for sensitive data and environment-specific overrides.
Validate your configuration upon application startup to catch errors early.

Be cautious when modifying production configurations. Incorrect settings can lead to application downtime or security vulnerabilities. Always test changes in a staging environment first.