Conf-fu NPM | npm.io

conf-fu

Simple configuration module to handle complex problems

Install

npm install -g conf-fu

Synopsis

var ConfFu = require ('conf-fu');

// init from files
var config = new ConfFu ({
   configFile: path.join (configDir, 'index.json'),
   fixupFile:  path.join (configDir, 'fixup.json')
});

config.verbose = globalVerbose || false;

config.on ('ready', function () {
   done();
});

config.on ('error', function (eOrigin, eType, eData, eFile) {
   assert (false, 'wrong config');
});

// init from structures
var config = new ConfFu ({
   config: {a: {b: {c: "<#who knows>"}}, x: true}
});

Goals

Easy to use
Common formats, you can set up a location of configuration files. If you already have one, you do not need to change files location for each project, you can just point this location (set up environment) for all needed projects.
Scalable
Hierarchical, any section can live in a separate file, easy access to frequently changing sections.
Easy deployment
Configuration is actually is splitted to the project configuration and the instance fixup. You can have as many fixups as you want, not only development and production.
Persistent
Current configuration snapshot is always on disk and in vcs. No code allowed within configuration. Tools never change project config, only fixup allowed to change.

Those is not acceptable:

require ('config.json') — 1, 2, 3;
nconf - 4 (require code to load includes)
node-convict - 2 (no access to frequently changing sections), 3 (no separation beween project config and instance fixup)
dotenv - 2, 4 (recommended not to commit config)
node-config - 1 (cannot change location), 4 (instance name not stored on disk)

Configuration file

Configuration format when parsed must be presented with tree or key-value structure.

Each string can be basic or enchanted. conf-fu supports those enchantments:

variables
examples:
- <$db.mongo.collection> — linked to the other value in configuration
- <$bool(on|off):db_unix_sock=on> — variable with type and default value
- <$http_domain>:<$http_port> — string concatenation
placeholders
examples:
- <#placeholder> — just a placeholder, need to be fullfilled
- <#optional:placeholder> — you can omit this value in fixup
- <#default:127.0.0.1> — you can omit this value in fixup and default value will be used
includes
examples:
- <<filename>> — parsed content from filename need to be inserted into that node

Usage

You can use conf-fu standalone, integrate within project or use it in browser.

####node.js in standalone mode

conf-fu configuration is located within .conf-fu directory in project root. Main configuration file named project.json, fixup directories located at same level as the project.json file.

project.json file is loaded and parsed. json, ini and yaml formats supported, new formats can be added easily;
project.json contents is scanned for includes in form "<include-file-name>";
when all includes is loaded, config tree is scanned for variables ("<$config.path.variable>") and placeholders ("<#please fix me>", "<#optional:please fix me>", "<#default:127.0.0.1>");
fixup.json file loaded and checked, whether all variables and placeholders fulfilled;
if resulting config is fulfilled, conf-fu emits ready event; otherwise, error event emitted.

#####Environment variables to drive config

required:

CONF_FU core file path, parent directory is assumed as config location
CONF_FU_FIXUP fixup file path
INSTANCE or CONF_FU_INSTANCE instance name

optional:

CONF_FU_PROJECT (relative to project root, dir name to search for project.json file)

Integration to the existing project

You have two options to integrate conf-fu to existing projects:

Use as configuration management script
For example, one part of your project written on php and you want to add conf-fu. You'll need to install conf-fu from npm, then just use it from command line to edit configuration, validate it, fullfill variables and placeholders. Then, just ask conf-fu to store configuration artifact in place where you can read it with php.