Core Configuration Guides

This section provides comprehensive guides on configuring the core components of the system. Proper configuration is essential for performance, security, and stability.

1. Application Settings

Application settings allow you to customize various aspects of the system's behavior. These are typically managed through configuration files or environment variables.

Configuration File Format

We primarily use JSON for configuration files. Here's a typical structure:


{
  "appName": "MyAwesomeApp",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "logging": {
    "level": "INFO",
    "filePath": "/var/log/myawesomeapp.log"
  },
  "database": {
    "host": "localhost",
    "port": 5432,
    "username": "admin",
    "password": "secure_password_here",
    "dbName": "app_data"
  }
}

Environment Variables

For production environments, it's highly recommended to use environment variables for sensitive information like database credentials. The application will automatically load variables prefixed with APP_.

For example, APP_DATABASE_PASSWORD will override the password set in the configuration file.

2. Feature Flags

Feature flags enable or disable specific features without requiring a code deployment. This is useful for A/B testing, gradual rollouts, or emergency disabling of features.

Managing Feature Flags

Feature flags can be managed via a dedicated configuration section or an external feature flag service. In our JSON configuration, they might look like this:


{
  "featureFlags": {
    "newUserOnboarding": true,
    "darkModeSupport": false,
    "betaFeatureX": true
  }
}

Important: Always test feature flag changes thoroughly in a staging environment before deploying to production.

3. Network Configuration

This section covers settings related to network services, including ports, timeouts, and connection pooling.

Server Ports

The default HTTP port is 8080. You can change this using the server.port setting:


{
  "server": {
    "port": 8000
  }
}

API Gateway Integration

If you are integrating with an API Gateway, ensure that request timeouts and retry mechanisms are configured appropriately. Consult your API Gateway's documentation for specific settings.

4. Performance Tuning

Optimizing the system's performance often involves fine-tuning configuration parameters. Here are some common areas:

Caching: Configure cache expiry times and sizes.
Connection Pooling: Adjust the maximum number of connections to databases or external services.
Thread Pools: Set the number of worker threads for various asynchronous operations.

Specific parameters for performance tuning are detailed in the Performance Optimization Guide.

5. Security Configuration

Security is paramount. This guide outlines essential security-related configurations.

Authentication & Authorization: Configure user roles, permissions, and authentication methods (e.g., JWT, OAuth).
TLS/SSL: Ensure that all sensitive communication is encrypted using TLS.
Rate Limiting: Protect your API endpoints from abuse by implementing rate limiting.

Refer to the Security Best Practices for detailed information.