= The Trac Configuration File

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Trac is configured through the **`trac.ini`** file, located in the `<projectenv>/conf` directory. The `trac.ini` configuration file and its parent directory should be writable by the web server.

Trac monitors the timestamp of the file to trigger an environment reload when the timestamp changes. Most changes to the configuration will be reflected immediately, though changes to the `[components]` or `[logging]` sections will require restarting the web server. You may also need to restart the web server after creating a [#GlobalConfiguration global configuration] file when none was previously present.

== Global Configuration

Configuration can be shared among environments using one or more global configuration files. Options in the global configuration will be merged with the environment-specific options, with local options overriding global options. The global configuration file is specified as follows:
{{{#!ini
[inherit]
file = /path/to/global/trac.ini
}}}
Multiple files can be specified using a comma-separated list.

Note that you can also specify a global option file when creating a new project, by adding the option `--inherit=/path/to/global/trac.ini` to [TracAdmin#initenv trac-admin]'s `initenv` command. If you specify `--inherit` but nevertheless intend to use a global option file with your new environment, you will have to go through the newly generated `conf/trac.ini` file and delete the entries that will otherwise override those in the global file.

There are two more options in the [[#inherit-section| [inherit] ]] section, [#inherit-templates_dir-option templates_dir] for sharing global templates and [TracIni#inherit-plugins_dir-option plugins_dir], for sharing plugins. Those options can be specified in the shared configuration file, and in fact, configuration files can even be chained if you specify another `[inherit] file` there.

Note that the templates found in the `templates/` directory of the TracEnvironment have precedence over those found in `[inherit] templates_dir`. In turn, the latter have precedence over the installed templates, so be careful about what you put there. Notably, if you override a default template, refresh your modifications when you upgrade to a new version of Trac. The preferred way to perform TracInterfaceCustomization is to write a custom plugin doing an appropriate `ITemplateStreamFilter` transformation.

== Reference for settings

This is a reference of available configuration options, and their default settings.

Documentation improvements should be discussed on the [trac:MailingList#Trac-dev trac-dev mailing list] or described in a [trac:NewTicket ticket]. Even better, [trac:TracDev/SubmittingPatches submit a patch] against the docstrings in the code.

[[TracIni]]

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See also: TracAdmin, TracEnvironment
