Configuration Reference

Firefly III is configured using environment variables, typically stored in a .env file or passed to your container.

Many variables support a _FILE suffix (e.g., APP_KEY_FILE, DB_PASSWORD_FILE) for Docker secrets or other file-based secret management.

Application Settings

Core application configuration.

Variable	Default	Description
`APP_ENV`	`production`	Application environment. Use `production` for live deployments. Never use `testing`.
`APP_DEBUG`	`false`	Enable debug mode. Shows detailed error information. Never enable in production!
`APP_KEY`	required	32-character encryption key. Generate with `php artisan key:generate` or `head /dev/urandom \| LC_ALL=C tr -dc 'A-Za-z0-9' \| head -c 32`.
`APP_NAME`	`FireflyIII`	Application name. Leave as default.
`APP_URL`	`http://localhost`	Public URL where Firefly III is accessible. Include the protocol (`http://` or `https://`).
`SITE_OWNER`	required	Your email address. Displayed in error messages to non-admin users.
`TZ`	`Europe/Amsterdam`	Timezone for date/time display. See tz database.
`DEFAULT_LANGUAGE`	`en_US`	Default language for new users. See available languages.
`DEFAULT_LOCALE`	`equal`	Number formatting locale. Use `equal` to match language, or specify (e.g., `en_US`).
`FIREFLY_III_LAYOUT`	`v1`	UI layout version. `v2` is experimental and may cause data loss.

The APP_KEY must be exactly 32 characters. Changing it after setup will break encrypted data. Keep it secure and backed up!

Database Configuration

Database connection settings.

Variable	Default	Description
`DB_CONNECTION`	`mysql`	Database type: `mysql`, `pgsql`, or `sqlite`.
`DB_HOST`	`db`	Database server hostname or IP.
`DB_PORT`	`3306`	Database port (`3306` for MySQL/MariaDB, `5432` for PostgreSQL).
`DB_DATABASE`	`firefly`	Database name.
`DB_USERNAME`	`firefly`	Database username.
`DB_PASSWORD`	required	Database password.
`DB_SOCKET`	(empty)	Unix socket path (alternative to host/port). Leave empty for TCP connection.

MySQL/MariaDB SSL

Variable	Default	Description
`MYSQL_USE_SSL`	`false`	Enable SSL for MySQL connections.
`MYSQL_SSL_VERIFY_SERVER_CERT`	`true`	Verify SSL certificate.
`MYSQL_SSL_CAPATH`	`/etc/ssl/certs/`	Path to CA certificates directory.
`MYSQL_SSL_CA`	(empty)	Path to CA certificate file.
`MYSQL_SSL_CERT`	(empty)	Path to client certificate.
`MYSQL_SSL_KEY`	(empty)	Path to client key.
`MYSQL_SSL_CIPHER`	(empty)	SSL cipher to use.

PostgreSQL SSL

Variable	Default	Description
`PGSQL_SSL_MODE`	`prefer`	SSL mode: `disable`, `allow`, `prefer`, `require`, `verify-ca`, or `verify-full`.
`PGSQL_SSL_ROOT_CERT`	`null`	Path to root certificate.
`PGSQL_SSL_CERT`	`null`	Path to client certificate.
`PGSQL_SSL_KEY`	`null`	Path to client key.
`PGSQL_SSL_CRL_FILE`	`null`	Path to certificate revocation list.
`PGSQL_SCHEMA`	`public`	Database schema. For PostgreSQL 15+, you may need to create a custom schema with proper grants.

Cache and Session

Performance and session management.

Variable	Default	Description
`CACHE_DRIVER`	`file`	Cache driver: `file`, `database`, `redis`, or `memcached`.
`SESSION_DRIVER`	`file`	Session driver: `file`, `database`, `redis`, or `cookie`.
`CACHE_PREFIX`	`firefly`	Cache key prefix.

Redis Configuration

Used when CACHE_DRIVER or SESSION_DRIVER is set to redis.

Variable	Default	Description
`REDIS_SCHEME`	`tcp`	Connection scheme: `tcp` or `unix`.
`REDIS_HOST`	`127.0.0.1`	Redis host (when using `tcp`).
`REDIS_PORT`	`6379`	Redis port (when using `tcp`).
`REDIS_PATH`	(empty)	Socket path (when using `unix`).
`REDIS_USERNAME`	(empty)	Redis username (Redis 6+ with ACL).
`REDIS_PASSWORD`	(empty)	Redis password.
`REDIS_DB`	`"0"`	Redis database for general cache (use quotes).
`REDIS_CACHE_DB`	`"1"`	Redis database for Laravel cache (use quotes).

Using Redis significantly improves performance, especially with multiple users.

Logging

Log configuration for debugging and auditing.

Variable	Default	Description
`LOG_CHANNEL`	`stack`	Log channel: `stack`, `single`, `daily`, `syslog`, `errorlog`, `stdout`, or `papertrail`.
`APP_LOG_LEVEL`	`notice`	Minimum log level: `debug`, `info`, `notice`, `warning`, `error`, `critical`, `alert`, `emergency`.
`AUDIT_LOG_LEVEL`	`emergency`	Audit log level. Set to `info` to enable, `emergency` to disable.
`AUDIT_LOG_CHANNEL`	(empty)	Separate channel for audit logs: `audit_stdout`, `audit_syslog`, `audit_errorlog`, `audit_daily`, `audit_papertrail`.

Papertrail

Variable	Default	Description
`PAPERTRAIL_HOST`	(empty)	Papertrail host.
`PAPERTRAIL_PORT`	(empty)	Papertrail port.

Audit logs may contain sensitive financial information. Store them securely and comply with data protection regulations.

Email Configuration

Email notifications and password resets.

Variable	Default	Description
`MAIL_MAILER`	`log`	Mail driver: `smtp`, `sendmail`, `mailgun`, `mandrill`, `sparkpost`, `mailersend`, or `log` (writes to logs only).
`MAIL_HOST`	`null`	SMTP server hostname.
`MAIL_PORT`	`2525`	SMTP port (typically `587` for TLS, `465` for SSL).
`MAIL_FROM`	`changeme@example.com`	”From” email address.
`MAIL_USERNAME`	`null`	SMTP username.
`MAIL_PASSWORD`	`null`	SMTP password.
`MAIL_ENCRYPTION`	`null`	Encryption: `tls`, `ssl`, or leave empty for none.
`MAIL_SENDMAIL_COMMAND`	(empty)	Custom sendmail command.
`SEND_ERROR_MESSAGE`	`true`	Send error emails to `SITE_OWNER`.

Self-Signed Certificates

Variable	Default	Description
`MAIL_ALLOW_SELF_SIGNED`	`false`	Allow self-signed SMTP certificates.
`MAIL_VERIFY_PEER`	`true`	Verify peer certificate.
`MAIL_VERIFY_PEER_NAME`	`true`	Verify peer name.

Third-Party Email Services

Variable	Default	Description
`MAILGUN_DOMAIN`	(empty)	Mailgun domain.
`MAILGUN_SECRET`	(empty)	Mailgun API key.
`MAILGUN_ENDPOINT`	`api.mailgun.net`	Mailgun endpoint (`api.eu.mailgun.net` for EU region).
`MANDRILL_SECRET`	(empty)	Mandrill API key.
`SPARKPOST_SECRET`	(empty)	SparkPost API key.
`MAILERSEND_API_KEY`	(empty)	MailerSend API key.

Authentication

User authentication and security.

Variable	Default	Description
`AUTHENTICATION_GUARD`	`web`	Authentication method: `web` (built-in) or `remote_user_guard` (for Authelia, etc.).
`AUTHENTICATION_GUARD_HEADER`	`REMOTE_USER`	HTTP header for remote user authentication.
`AUTHENTICATION_GUARD_EMAIL`	(empty)	HTTP header for email in remote authentication.
`CUSTOM_LOGOUT_URL`	(empty)	Custom URL to redirect after logout.

OAuth/Passport

Variable	Default	Description
`PASSPORT_PRIVATE_KEY`	(auto-generated)	OAuth private key. Usually auto-generated.
`PASSPORT_PUBLIC_KEY`	(auto-generated)	OAuth public key. Usually auto-generated.

See the authentication documentation for details on alternative authentication methods.

Security Headers

Security-related HTTP headers.

Variable	Default	Description
`DISABLE_FRAME_HEADER`	`false`	Disable X-Frame-Options header. May be needed for tools like Organizr. Use at your own risk.
`DISABLE_CSP_HEADER`	`false`	Disable Content Security Policy header. May be needed for old browsers. Use at your own risk.

Proxy and Networking

Reverse proxy and network configuration.

Variable	Default	Description
`TRUSTED_PROXIES`	(empty)	Comma-separated list of trusted proxy IPs, or `**` to trust all proxies. Required when behind a reverse proxy.
`COOKIE_PATH`	`"/"`	Cookie path.
`COOKIE_DOMAIN`	(empty)	Cookie domain.
`COOKIE_SECURE`	`false`	Set cookies as secure (HTTPS only). Enable for HTTPS deployments.
`COOKIE_SAMESITE`	`lax`	SameSite cookie attribute: `lax`, `strict`, or `none`.

When using a reverse proxy (nginx, Traefik, etc.), set TRUSTED_PROXIES=** to ensure correct IP detection and HTTPS redirection.

Cron Jobs

Scheduled task configuration.

Variable	Default	Description
`STATIC_CRON_TOKEN`	(empty)	Static token for cron jobs. Set to a 32-character string. Use this in the cron URL instead of a user token.

Cron URL format:

https://your-firefly-url.com/api/v1/cron/YOUR_STATIC_CRON_TOKEN

See the cron documentation for setup instructions.

Maps

Default map location.

Variable	Default	Description
`MAP_DEFAULT_LAT`	`51.983333`	Default map latitude.
`MAP_DEFAULT_LONG`	`5.916667`	Default map longitude.
`MAP_DEFAULT_ZOOM`	`6`	Default map zoom level.

Analytics

Tracking configuration (optional).

Variable	Default	Description
`TRACKER_SITE_ID`	(empty)	Matomo site ID.
`TRACKER_URL`	(empty)	Matomo URL (without protocol).

Docker-Specific Settings

Settings for Docker container startup optimization.

Variable	Default	Description
`DKR_CHECK_SQLITE`	`true`	Check if SQLite database exists during startup. Can be disabled if not using SQLite.

Advanced/Internal Settings

Do not modify these unless you know what you’re doing.

Variable	Default	Description
`BROADCAST_DRIVER`	`log`	Broadcasting driver (internal).
`QUEUE_DRIVER`	`sync`	Queue driver (internal).
`PUSHER_KEY`	(empty)	Pusher key (unused).
`PUSHER_SECRET`	(empty)	Pusher secret (unused).
`PUSHER_ID`	(empty)	Pusher ID (unused).
`IPINFO_TOKEN`	(empty)	IPInfo token (internal).
`DEMO_USERNAME`	(empty)	Demo mode username (internal).
`DEMO_PASSWORD`	(empty)	Demo mode password (internal).

Environment File Example

Here’s a complete example .env file for a production deployment:

# Application
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_KEY=SomeRandomStringOf32CharsExactly
APP_URL=https://firefly.example.com
SITE_OWNER=admin@example.com
TZ=America/New_York
DEFAULT_LANGUAGE=en_US

# Database
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=firefly
DB_USERNAME=firefly
DB_PASSWORD=secure_password_here

# Cache (Redis for performance)
CACHE_DRIVER=redis
SESSION_DRIVER=redis
REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
REDIS_PORT=6379
REDIS_DB="0"
REDIS_CACHE_DB="1"

# Logging
LOG_CHANNEL=daily
APP_LOG_LEVEL=notice
AUDIT_LOG_LEVEL=info
AUDIT_LOG_CHANNEL=audit_daily

# Email
MAIL_MAILER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=smtp.example.com
MAIL_PORT=587
MAIL_FROM=firefly@example.com
MAIL_USERNAME=firefly@example.com
MAIL_PASSWORD=smtp_password_here
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls
SEND_ERROR_MESSAGE=true

# Proxy (if behind reverse proxy)
TRUSTED_PROXIES=**
COOKIE_SECURE=true

# Cron
STATIC_CRON_TOKEN=AnotherRandomStringOf32Characters

# Leave these as default
APP_NAME=FireflyIII
BROADCAST_DRIVER=log
QUEUE_DRIVER=sync
CACHE_PREFIX=firefly

Using File-Based Secrets

For Docker Swarm, Kubernetes secrets, or other secret management systems, append _FILE to sensitive variables:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  app:
    image: fireflyiii/core:latest
    environment:
      - APP_KEY_FILE=/run/secrets/app_key
      - DB_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/db_password
      - SITE_OWNER_FILE=/run/secrets/site_owner
      - MAIL_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/mail_password
    secrets:
      - app_key
      - db_password
      - site_owner
      - mail_password

secrets:
  app_key:
    file: ./secrets/app_key.txt
  db_password:
    file: ./secrets/db_password.txt
  site_owner:
    file: ./secrets/site_owner.txt
  mail_password:
    file: ./secrets/mail_password.txt

Validation

After configuration, verify your settings:

Check database connection

php artisan tinker

Then:

DB::connection()->getPdo();

Should return a PDO object without errors.

Test email (optional)

php artisan firefly-iii:send-test-message your-email@example.com

Clear caches

After any configuration change:

php artisan config:clear
php artisan cache:clear
php artisan config:cache

Configuration Reference

Application Settings

Database Configuration

MySQL/MariaDB SSL

PostgreSQL SSL

Cache and Session

Redis Configuration

Logging

Papertrail

Email Configuration

Self-Signed Certificates

Third-Party Email Services

Authentication

OAuth/Passport

Security Headers

Proxy and Networking

Cron Jobs

Maps

Analytics

Docker-Specific Settings

Advanced/Internal Settings

Environment File Example

Using File-Based Secrets

Validation

Next Steps

Docker Installation

Self-Hosted Installation

​Application Settings

​Database Configuration

​MySQL/MariaDB SSL

​PostgreSQL SSL

​Cache and Session

​Redis Configuration

​Logging

​Papertrail

​Email Configuration

​Self-Signed Certificates

​Third-Party Email Services

​Authentication

​OAuth/Passport

​Security Headers

​Proxy and Networking

​Cron Jobs

​Maps

​Analytics

​Docker-Specific Settings

​Advanced/Internal Settings

​Environment File Example

​Using File-Based Secrets

​Validation

​Next Steps

Docker Installation

Self-Hosted Installation

Application Settings

Database Configuration

MySQL/MariaDB SSL

PostgreSQL SSL

Cache and Session

Redis Configuration

Logging

Papertrail

Email Configuration

Self-Signed Certificates

Third-Party Email Services

Authentication

OAuth/Passport

Security Headers

Proxy and Networking

Cron Jobs

Maps

Analytics

Docker-Specific Settings

Advanced/Internal Settings

Environment File Example

Using File-Based Secrets

Validation

Next Steps