configuration directory

darktable stores its settings, presets, styles, library database, etc. in a default directory. This directory’s location depends on your operating system and installation method. It can be changed by using the --configdir option (see darktable invocation).

The location of the configuration directory (and of other darktable directories and files) can be found by running darktable (or darktable-cli) with the --print-paths (or --print-paths-as-flags) option.

🔗Default configuration paths

  • Linux
    • Installed via package manager or AppImage: $HOME/.config/darktable
    • Flatpak: $HOME/.var/app/org.darktable.Darktable/config/darktable
    • snap: $HOME/snap/darktable/current/
  • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\darktable
    • Typically C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\darktable
  • macOS: $HOME/.config/darktable

🔗Notable contents:

  • lua (folder): Lua scripts. Note: from 5.6 onwards Lua scripts are also bundled and this folder is not required. But it will be respected if present. Custom scripts can be added into a subfolder. See Lua: basic principles.
  • styles (folder): User created styles
  • darktablerc: Main configuration file
  • data.db and library.db: Central libraries: Image File Locations, metadata, edits etc.
  • luarc: Defines Lua scripts to be loaded upon startup. Optional from 5.6 onwards, see Lua: basic principles.
  • shortcutsrc: Keyboard shortcut configuration
  • user.css: User-defined CSS-tweaks

🔗Cache directory

  • Linux
    • Installed via package manager or AppImage: $HOME/.cache/darktable
    • Flatpak: $HOME/.var/app/org.darktable.Darktable/cache/darktable
  • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\darktable
    • Typically C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\darktable
  • macOS: $HOME/.cache/darktable

The cache directory path can be overridden using the --cachedir option (see darktable invocation).

translations