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+<!--
+title: "Netdata ini config files"
+custom_edit_url: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/libnetdata/config/README.md
+sidebar_label: "Netdata ini config files"
+learn_status: "Published"
+learn_topic_type: "Tasks"
+learn_rel_path: "Developers/libnetdata"
+-->
+
+# Netdata ini config files
+
+Configuration files `netdata.conf` and `stream.conf` are Netdata ini files.
+
+## Motivation
+
+The whole idea came up when we were evaluating the documentation involved
+in maintaining a complex configuration system. Our intention was to give
+configuration options for everything imaginable. But then, documenting all
+these options would require a tremendous amount of time, users would have
+to search through endless pages for the option they need, etc.
+
+We concluded then that **configuring software like that is a waste of time
+and effort**. Of course there must be plenty of configuration options, but
+the implementation itself should require a lot less effort for both the
+developers and the users.
+
+So, we did this:
+
+1.  No configuration is required to run Netdata
+2.  There are plenty of options to tweak
+3.  There is minimal documentation (or no at all)
+
+## Why this works?
+
+The configuration file is a `name = value` dictionary with `[sections]`.
+Write whatever you like there as long as it follows this simple format.
+
+Netdata loads this dictionary and then when the code needs a value from
+it, it just looks up the `name` in the dictionary at the proper `section`.
+In all places, in the code, there are both the `names` and their
+`default values`, so if something is not found in the configuration
+file, the default is used. The lookup is made using B-Trees and hashes
+(no string comparisons), so they are super fast. Also the `names` of the
+settings can be `my super duper setting that once set to yes, will turn the world upside down = no`
+
+-   so goodbye to most of the documentation involved.
+
+Next, Netdata can generate a valid configuration for the user to edit.
+No need to remember anything or copy and paste settings. Just get the
+configuration from the server (`/netdata.conf` on your Netdata server),
+edit it and save it.
+
+Last, what about options you believe you have set, but you misspelled?
+When you get the configuration file from the server, there will be a
+comment above all `name = value` pairs the server does not use.
+So you know that whatever you wrote there, is not used.
+
+