> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.meilisearch.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure Meilisearch at launch

> Configure Meilisearch at launch with command-line options, environment variables, or a configuration file.

When self-hosting Meilisearch, you can configure your instance at launch with **command-line options**, **environment variables**, or a **configuration file**.

These startup options affect your entire Meilisearch instance, not just a single index. For settings that affect search within a single index, see [index settings](/reference/api/settings/list-all-settings).

## Configuration methods

Meilisearch supports three configuration methods. When used simultaneously, **command-line options** take the highest precedence, followed by **environment variables**, and finally the **configuration file**.

### Command-line options and flags

Pass command-line options and their respective values when launching a Meilisearch instance:

```bash theme={null}
./meilisearch --db-path ./meilifiles --http-addr 'localhost:7700'
```

Meilisearch also has **command-line flags** that don't take values. If a flag is given, it activates and changes default behavior:

```bash theme={null}
./meilisearch --no-analytics
```

All command-line options and flags are prepended with `--`. They take precedence over environment variables.

### Environment variables

Set environment variables prior to launching the instance:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="UNIX">
    ```sh theme={null}
    export MEILI_DB_PATH=./meilifiles
    export MEILI_HTTP_ADDR=localhost:7700
    ./meilisearch
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    ```sh theme={null}
    set MEILI_DB_PATH=./meilifiles
    set MEILI_HTTP_ADDR=127.0.0.1:7700
    ./meilisearch
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Environment variables for flags accept `n`, `no`, `f`, `false`, `off`, and `0` as `false`. An absent environment variable is also considered `false`. Any other value is considered `true`.

Environment variables are always identical to the corresponding command-line option, but prepended with `MEILI_` and written in all uppercase.

### Configuration file

Meilisearch accepts a configuration file in `.toml` format. Configuration files can be easily shared, versioned, and allow you to define multiple options.

Download a default configuration file:

```sh theme={null}
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/meilisearch/meilisearch/latest/config.toml > config.toml
```

By default, Meilisearch looks for a `config.toml` file in the working directory. You can override this with the `MEILI_CONFIG_FILE_PATH` environment variable or the `--config-file-path` CLI option:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="CLI">
    ```sh theme={null}
    ./meilisearch --config-file-path="./config.toml"
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Environment variable">
    UNIX:

    ```sh theme={null}
    export MEILI_CONFIG_FILE_PATH="./config.toml"
    ./meilisearch
    ```

    Windows:

    ```sh theme={null}
    set MEILI_CONFIG_FILE_PATH="./config.toml"
    ./meilisearch
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

In configuration files, options must be written in [snake case](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_case). For example, `--import-dump` would be written as `import_dump`.

<Warning>
  Specifying the `config_file_path` option within the configuration file will throw an error.
</Warning>

## Configuring cloud-hosted instances

To configure Meilisearch with command-line options in a cloud-hosted instance, edit its [service file](/resources/self_hosting/deployment/running_production#step-4-run-meilisearch-as-a-service). The default location of the service file is `/etc/systemd/system/meilisearch.service`.

To configure Meilisearch with environment variables in a cloud-hosted instance, modify Meilisearch's `env` file. Its default location is `/var/opt/meilisearch/env`.

After editing your configuration options, relaunch the Meilisearch service:

```sh theme={null}
systemctl restart meilisearch
```

<Tip>
  [Meilisearch Cloud](https://www.meilisearch.com/cloud?utm_campaign=oss\&utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=instance-options) offers an optimal pre-configured environment. You do not need to use any of the configuration options listed here when hosting your project on Meilisearch Cloud.
</Tip>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configuration reference" icon="list" href="/resources/self_hosting/configuration/reference">
    Complete list of all instance configuration options.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Index settings" icon="gear" href="/reference/api/settings/list-all-settings">
    Configure search behavior for individual indexes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>