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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/vufind-org/vufind/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

VuFind stores all of its configuration in plain INI files located under config/vufind/. Every aspect of the system — from the site title and session storage to which ILS driver is loaded and how searches are ranked — is controlled by one of these files. You never edit the defaults in place; instead, you copy individual files into a local/ directory where your changes are isolated from upstream updates and survive version upgrades intact.

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How the configuration system works

VuFind resolves configuration files through a layered override chain. When the application needs a setting it looks, in order, at:
  1. $VUFIND_LOCAL_DIR/config/vufind/<file>.ini — your local overrides (highest priority)
  2. $VUFIND_HOME/config/vufind/<file>.ini — the distribution defaults (fallback)
Only copy the sections you want to change into your local file. VuFind merges the two files at runtime, so any section or key absent from your local copy falls back to the distribution default automatically.
The environment variable VUFIND_LOCAL_DIR defaults to $VUFIND_HOME/local. You can point it to a different path — for example, a directory outside the VuFind source tree — to keep your configuration entirely separate from the application code.

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Overriding a configuration file

1

Locate the default file

Find the file you want to customize in $VUFIND_HOME/config/vufind/. For example, to change search settings, the file is searches.ini.
2

Copy it to your local directory

cp $VUFIND_HOME/config/vufind/searches.ini \
   $VUFIND_LOCAL_DIR/config/vufind/searches.ini
3

Edit only the sections you need

Open the local copy and modify the relevant keys. You can safely delete sections you are not changing — they will be inherited from the distribution defaults.
4

Verify the change

Load a VuFind page in your browser. If debug = true is set in config.ini [System], you will see active configuration values in the debug output.

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Key configuration files

The table below maps each major configuration file to the area it controls.
FileControls
config.iniSite identity, session, authentication method, Solr connection, ILS driver, mail, database
searches.iniSearch handlers, sorting, results per page, recommendations, spelling
searchspecs.yamlField weights, Dismax/eDismax parameters, munge rules for each search type
facets.iniFacet fields, facet labels, date-range facets, hierarchical facets
permissions.iniRole-based access control — IP ranges, Shibboleth attributes, named roles
RecordTabs.iniWhich tabs appear on the full record view and in what order
KohaRest.ini / Folio.ini / Alma.iniDriver-specific settings for the respective ILS
Shibboleth.iniPer-IdP attribute overrides for federated login
NoILS.iniBehaviour when no ILS is connected or the ILS is in maintenance mode
sms.iniSMS carrier gateway configuration for the “Text this” feature
CookieConsent.yamlCookie consent categories, GDPR compliance settings

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config.ini — the main configuration file

config.ini is the first file to customize for any new installation. Its most commonly edited sections are: [Site] — Sets the public-facing URL, site title, default theme, language, timezone, and display date/time formats. 
[Site]
url             = https://catalog.myuniversity.edu/vufind
email           = support@myuniversity.edu
title           = "University Library Catalog"
theme           = sandal5
language        = en
locale          = en_US
timezone        = "America/New_York"
displayDateFormat = "m-d-Y"
[Index] — Points VuFind at its Solr instance and sets the default bibliographic core. 
[Index]
url             = http://localhost:8983/solr
default_core    = biblio
timeout         = 30
default_dismax_handler = dismax
[Authentication] — Selects the login mechanism. See Authentication for all options. 
[Authentication]
method = Database
[Catalog] — Selects the ILS driver. See ILS Drivers for all options. 
[Catalog]
driver          = Sample
holds_mode      = "all"
renewals_enabled = false
[Database] — Database connection string used by VuFind’s own user database. 
[Database]
database = mysql://root@localhost/vufind
[Mail] — SMTP settings for outbound email (password resets, saved-search notifications, etc.). 
[Mail]
host = localhost
port = 25
After initial installation, set autoConfigure = false in [System] to prevent the auto-configuration wizard from interfering with your production settings.

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Explore configuration areas

Search Configuration

Configure Solr backends, search handlers, sorting options, results per page, field boosting, and faceted navigation.

Authentication

Set up Database, LDAP, Shibboleth, CAS, ILS-native, or OpenID Connect login methods — including multi-auth setups.

ILS Drivers

Connect VuFind to Koha, FOLIO, Alma, Sierra, Voyager, Symphony, and many more integrated library systems.

Permissions

Control access to admin panels, staff views, and gated content using IP ranges, roles, and Shibboleth attributes.

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