Configuration

Shiva looks for config files in the following places:

• config/local.py relative to the directory where Shiva is installed.
• If an environment variable $SHIVA_CONFIG is set, then is assumed to be pointing to a config file.
• $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/shiva/config.py which defauls to $HOME/.config/shiva/config.py.

If all 3 files exist, then all 3 will be read and overriden in that same order, so $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/shiva/config.py will take precedence over config/local.py.

SECRET_KEY

It’s mandatory that you define a SECRET_KEY in your local configuration file, shiva-server won’t start otherwise. However, shiva will suggest you one which will be based on all printable characters, except for spaces and quotes. Read the source of shiva.utils.randstr for more information.

The key will be used to sign the authentication tokens, so make sure that it’s long, random, and securely generated. Don’t ever use any 3rd party service for this.

DEBUG mode

It’s possible to load settings specific for debugging. If you have the following in any of your config files:

DEBUG = True

Then Shiva will also try to load this configuration files:

• config/debug.py relative to the directory where Shiva is installed.
• $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/shiva/debug.py which defauls to $HOME/.config/shiva/debug.py.

In this case $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/shiva/debug.py will also have precedence over config/debug.py.