Configuration

the config file is like the genome of a computer app
- it stores parameters that define the system's critical settings
config file is easily editable
it is a set of parameters or constants that are critical to a system
configuration is typically written in JSON or YAML
- can be either static (hard-coded) and shipped with the system's application code (like frontend code)
  - code review and tests can be conducted before merging the changes to the source code
  - this is safer but also makes it slower to see changes related to the configuration
    - because we would have to wait for the entire app to be redeployed
- or dynamic, living outside of the system's application code
  - this means that the configuration can be changed and the effect will take effect and have ramifications on the system
  - it has to be backed by some sort of database, as the app or system is gonna be querying to see what the current configuration is
  - however, dynamic configuration also gives you a lot of power and flexibility
    - because you can build a UI on top of the configuration
      - which allows the team, engineers, system admins to make changes to the configuration with the click of a button
      - however, no reviews or tests can be run after changes are made
  - in large tech companies
    - tools are built around the dynamic configuration to make the changes safe
      - e.g.: you might build a review system on top of the configuration user interface
      - you might implement access controls to only allow certain people in your organization to make configuration changes
      - you might build deployment systems around configuration
      - can also build complex systems such that when a configuration changes, it only gets deployed to maybe 1% or 10% of users
        by doing so, even if the configuration change has impact on the app very quickly, it only affects a few users, thus allowing you to safely roll out changes externally
most large scale distributed systems are gonna rely a lot on configuration

Terms Used

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

a file format heavily used in API's and configuration
```
{
  "version": 1.0,
  "name": "configuration"
}
```

YAML

a file format mostly used in configuration
```
version: 1.0
name: configuration
```

Configuration

Terms Used​

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)​

YAML​

Terms Used

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

YAML