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# Name
`nix.conf` - Nix configuration file
# Description
Nix supports a variety of configuration settings, which are read from configuration files or taken as command line flags.
## Configuration file
By default Nix reads settings from the following places, in that order:
1. The system-wide configuration file `sysconfdir/nix/nix.conf` (i.e. `/etc/nix/nix.conf` on most systems), or `$NIX_CONF_DIR/nix.conf` if [`NIX_CONF_DIR`](./env-common.md#env-NIX_CONF_DIR) is set.
Values loaded in this file are not forwarded to the Nix daemon.
The client assumes that the daemon has already loaded them.
1. If [`NIX_USER_CONF_FILES`](./env-common.md#env-NIX_USER_CONF_FILES) is set, then each path separated by `:` will be loaded in reverse order.
Otherwise it will look for `nix/nix.conf` files in `XDG_CONFIG_DIRS` and `XDG_CONFIG_HOME`.
If unset, `XDG_CONFIG_DIRS` defaults to `/etc/xdg`, and `XDG_CONFIG_HOME` defaults to `$HOME/.config` as per [XDG Base Directory Specification](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html).
1. If [`NIX_CONFIG`](./env-common.md#env-NIX_CONFIG) is set, its contents are treated as the contents of a configuration file.
### File format
Configuration files consist of `name = value` pairs, one per line.
Comments start with a `#` character.
Example:
```
keep-outputs = true # Nice for developers
keep-derivations = true # Idem
```
Other files can be included with a line like `include <path>`, where `<path>` is interpreted relative to the current configuration file.
A missing file is an error unless `!include` is used instead.
A configuration setting usually overrides any previous value.
However, for settings that take a list of items, you can prefix the name of the setting by `extra-` to *append* to the previous value.
For instance,
```
substituters = a b
extra-substituters = c d
```
defines the `substituters` setting to be `a b c d`.
Unknown option names are not an error, and are simply ignored with a warning.
## Command line flags
Configuration options can be set on the command line, overriding the values set in the [configuration file](#configuration-file):
- Every configuration setting has corresponding command line flag (e.g. `--max-jobs 16`).
Boolean settings do not need an argument, and can be explicitly disabled with the `no-` prefix (e.g. `--keep-failed` and `--no-keep-failed`).
Unknown option names are invalid flags (unless there is already a flag with that name), and are rejected with an error.
- The flag `--option <name> <value>` is interpreted exactly like a `<name> = <value>` in a setting file.
Unknown option names are ignored with a warning.
The `extra-` prefix is supported for settings that take a list of items (e.g. `--extra-trusted users alice` or `--option extra-trusted-users alice`).
# Available settings
{{#include @generated@/command-ref/conf-file.md}}
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