conf

conf reads and edits simple .conf, .cfg and .env files made of key/value pairs and sections. Writes are atomic, and dump returns a normalized configuration.

DataVersion 1.1.6Stable
lil-terminal

Overview

conf treats simple configuration files as structured path–value data: inspect, search, update or remove a setting directly, validate the supported syntax, and fall back to dump for the complete normalized text.

Configuration without a format-specific editor

database.host means the host key inside the database section. Read or search first, then change only the required path with -w; use edit or code when comments and exact source formatting must stay untouched.

Syntax

lil-terminal
conf <file> [key|options] · conf dump <file>

Reference

conf <file>

show configuration data

conf <file> <key>

show one exact path or value

conf dump <file>

show normalized source text

-f <text|mask> [-k|-v]

find matching keys, paths or values

-w <key> : <value>

write a value directly to the file

-w <key> < <file>

write a value read from another file

-d <key>

delete a value or path

-c

validate the file

Active file

With the current core, a successfully opened file is immediately available as $. If this module is the highest-priority installed handler for the file extension, typing the filename by itself opens it through this command. These are core conveniences; conf <file> remains the explicit form.

Search

-f searches paths and values. Add -k for keys only or -v for values only. Queries containing * or ? are treated as masks.

Direct editing

-w writes immediately to the file. Use : for an inline value or < <file> to read a value from another file. -d deletes one dotted path.

Format scope

This module intentionally implements the common configuration subset used on shared hosting. Advanced format features should be edited textually with edit or code rather than silently reinterpreted.

This is not a general Nginx, Apache or all-purpose .env parser. Advanced directives and quoting may not be understood. Repeated keys and sections are rejected; comments and original layout are lost on rewrite. Prefer edit or code when those details matter. Minimum supports inspection; advanced features require Base.

Interactive sandbox preview

Run the prepared examples directly on the page. Their results are prebuilt and shown in the browser; no terminal command is executed on the server.

Open the file and reuse it with $

Install and manage

Install the current compatible version. Choose Base for the complete feature set or Minimum for the reduced package; use upgrade to update a module that is already installed.

Base and Minimum are two packages of the same current module release, not separate command versions.

Base package

Install the complete package with local command reference and every published mode.

install conf
Minimum package

Install the reduced package. Local reference is omitted; help <cmd> -i opens the current server reference.

install conf -m
Exact public version

Install exactly this published version.

install conf -v 1.1.6
Check or update

Ask upgrade to check compatibility and replace the installed block only when needed.

upgrade conf
Remove module

Remove the extension block while leaving the core and unrelated modules intact.

install conf -u

Examples

Examples are copyable command lines, not actions executed by this website. Review paths, permissions and destructive flags before running them on a real project.

Open the file and reuse it with $
cd \sandbox\config | conf app.conf
application    shop
production     true
database.host  localhost
database.port  3306
Show configuration data
cd \sandbox\config | app.conf
application    shop
production     true
database.host  localhost
database.port  3306
Show one exact path or value
conf config/app.conf database.host
localhost
Find matching keys, paths or values
conf config/app.conf -f "database.*" -k
database.host  localhost
database.port  3306
Find matching keys, paths or values
conf config/app.conf -f "shop" -v
application  shop
Find matching keys, paths or values
conf config/app.conf -f "production"
production  true
Write a value directly to the file
conf config/app.conf -w database.port : 3307
database.port  3307
Write a value read from another file
conf config/app.conf -w application < config/plain-value.txt
application  demo-site
Delete a value or path
conf config/app.conf -d database.port
application    shop
production     true
database.host  localhost
Handle a missing file
conf config/app.conf -c
Valid configuration
Show normalized source text
conf dump config/app.conf
application=shop
production=true

[database]
host=localhost
port=3306
Show one exact path or value
conf config/app.conf missing.key
Path not found
Write a value read from another file
conf config/app.conf -w database.extra < config/value.json
Nested configuration sections are not supported
Validate the file
conf config/duplicate.conf -c
Duplicate configuration key
Show configuration data
conf config/missing.conf
File not found
Write a value directly to the file
conf config/app.conf -w database.port
Value required after : or

File used in this example: sandbox/config/app.conf

The example uses a file or directory from the protected /sandbox/ documentation workspace.

# common key/value configuration
application=shop
production=true

[database]
host=localhost
port=3306

Related documentation

How do I install a module? →Why does a command say “command not found”? →

Current public release

v1.1.62026-11-01

Production refinement

Current stable release of conf. conf reads and edits simple `.

# Version history