<p>The configuration file is definitely in <code>$HOME/.bitcoin/</code>. If you cannot see it, the most likely explanation is that you have not created it. Just use your favorite text editor to do so. As far as I can tell, <code>bitcoind -daemon</code> will run without <code>bitcoin.conf</code> being present and you will still get the message 'Using config file /home/user/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf' in <code>debug.log</code> even when no file exists.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-25T09:47:50.617Z
"As far as I can tell, bitcoind -daemon will run without bitcoin.conf being present" That helps; thanks for pointing this out.
cogitoergosum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-26T20:23:48.470Z
Is it possible to query the running `bitcoind` process to ask it where the `bitcoin.conf` file it's reading from is located, if any?
mecampbellsoup
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-25T09:44:57.420Z
2017-01-25T09:48:15.600Z
2017-01-25T09:48:15.600Z
Sven Williamson
<p>This is strange!</p>

<p>The <a href="https://bitcoin.org/en/developer-examples#testing-applications" rel="nofollow noreferrer">documentation</a> on running the Bitcoin daemon on a Ubuntu machine is clear. The configuration file is supposed to be at <code>$HOME/.bitcoin/</code> location. And yet, I cannot locate it! I looked for clues at <code>/etc</code>, <code>/var</code>, and <code>/tmp</code> too; nothing there. In fact, in one of my attempts to launch the daemon, the <code>debug.log</code> (created at <code>$HOME/.bitcoin/</code>) did call out the configuration file to be <code>$HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf</code> but the file itself wouldn't be listed. Permissions? - I don't know.</p>

<p>Can you please tell me where to look for this file?</p>

<p>This is on Ubuntu-16.04, 64-bit where bitcoin was installed via <a href="https://launchpad.net/~bitcoin/+archive/ubuntu/bitcoin/+packages" rel="nofollow noreferrer">PPA</a>. Yes; I am working with Bitcoin code for the first time.</p>

<bitcoind><ubuntu><bitcoin.conf>
Where is the configuration file?
cogitoergosum
# Where is the configuration file?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-25)

This is strange!

The [documentation](https://bitcoin.org/en/developer-examples#testing-applications) on running the Bitcoin daemon on a Ubuntu machine is clear. The configuration file is supposed to be at `$HOME/.bitcoin/` location. And yet, I cannot locate it! I looked for clues at `/etc`, `/var`, and `/tmp` too; nothing there. In fact, in one of my attempts to launch the daemon, the `debug.log` (created at `$HOME/.bitcoin/`) did call out the configuration file to be `$HOME/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf` but the file itself wouldn't be listed. Permissions? - I don't know.

Can you please tell me where to look for this file?

This is on Ubuntu-16.04, 64-bit where bitcoin was installed via [PPA](https://launchpad.net/~bitcoin/+archive/ubuntu/bitcoin/+packages). Yes; I am working with Bitcoin code for the first time.

**Tags:** bitcoind, ubuntu, bitcoin.conf


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-01-25. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

The configuration file is definitely in `$HOME/.bitcoin/`. If you cannot see it, the most likely explanation is that you have not created it. Just use your favorite text editor to do so. As far as I can tell, `bitcoind -daemon` will run without `bitcoin.conf` being present and you will still get the message 'Using config file /home/user/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf' in `debug.log` even when no file exists.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: "As far as I can tell, bitcoind -daemon will run without bitcoin.conf being present" That helps; thanks for pointing this out.  
> **username_2**: Is it possible to query the running `bitcoind` process to ask it where the `bitcoin.conf` file it's reading from is located, if any?  

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