Serverpod Configuration

Serverpod Configuration

Priority (highest wins): Dart config object > environment variables > YAML config files. The config uses YAML files that live in config/. Secrets are in config/passwords.yaml or env vars with SERVERPOD_PASSWORD_ prefix.

Run mode

Config files by mode: config/development.yaml, config/staging.yaml, config/production.yaml, config/test.yaml. Set via --mode when starting server or SERVERPOD_RUN_MODE (default: development).

API server (minimum)

apiServer:
  port: 8080
  publicHost: localhost
  publicPort: 8080
  publicScheme: http

publicHost/publicPort/publicScheme are used for URLs returned to clients.

Database

It is possible to use either PostgreSQL or SQLite as the database.

PostgreSQL

database:
  host: localhost
  port: 8090
  name: my_project
  user: postgres

Password in passwords.yaml under run mode or SERVERPOD_PASSWORD_database. Optional: searchPaths, maxConnectionCount, requireSsl, isUnixSocket.

SQLite

database:
  filePath: my_project.sqlite

No password is needed for SQLite.

Redis

redis.enabled, redis.host, redis.port; password via SERVERPOD_PASSWORD_redis.

Environment variables reference

Secrets (passwords.yaml)

Structure: shared: (all modes) + per-mode (development:, production:, etc.). Built-in keys: database, redis, serviceSecret. Custom keys available via session.passwords['key'] or pod.getPassword('key').

export SERVERPOD_PASSWORD_stripeApiKey=sk_live_...  # → session.passwords['stripeApiKey']

Never commit real secrets; use env vars in production.

generator.yaml

In config/generator.yaml:

• type: server (default), module, or internal
• client_package_path: path to client package
• modules: map of module names + optional nickname
• server_test_tools_path: test tools output path (remove to disable)
• extraClasses: custom serializable class URIs
• features: e.g. database: true/false

Flutter apps (pubspec.yaml)

Companion Flutter apps that serverpod start can launch (Ctrl+R) are declared in the server pubspec.yaml under serverpod: flutter_apps:, a map of display alias to properties (alongside serverpod: scripts:):

• path: path to the Flutter package, relative to the server package.
• displayName: optional human-readable label for TUI tab names. When omitted, the app id is used.
• auto_launch: launch this app automatically on serverpod start. Apps without it are launched on demand with Ctrl+R.
• device: the flutter run -d target. Defaults to the web server (opening a browser when ready) when omitted.

Any other property is forwarded to flutter run: target: lib/main.dart becomes --target=lib/main.dart, release: true becomes --release, release: false becomes --no-release, and a list value repeats the flag (dart-define: [A=1, B=2] becomes --dart-define=A=1 --dart-define=B=2).

When the key is absent, the sibling ../<project>_flutter package is used automatically (and auto-launched) if present.

serverpod:
  flutter_apps:
    Admin:
      path: ../apps/admin
      displayName: "Admin app"
      auto_launch: true
      device: chrome
      target: lib/main.dart
    Portal:
      path: ../apps/portal

Dart config override

Pass config: ServerpodConfig(...) to Serverpod(...) to skip file/env loading and use a Dart config object, with CLI flags still merged in.

For tests, it is possible to use configOverride: (config) => config.copyWith(...) to adjust the loaded config after YAML/env/CLI processing.

TLS/SSL

Pass SecurityContextConfig to Serverpod(...) with a SecurityContext that loads cert chain and private key. Set on apiServer, webServer, and/or insightsServer. Client: pass SecurityContext with trusted certificates to Client(...).