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Configuration reference

Harmonic’s startup configuration comes from three places: command-line options, environment variables, and built-in defaults. Everything else, harnesses, prices, notifications, permission rules, and the rest, is configured inside the app; see Settings & overrides.

Passed to the server commands (serve, start); --data-dir also applies to status and stop. Full command coverage is in the CLI reference.

OptionDefaultDescription
--port <n>4700Port to listen on.
--host <h>0.0.0.0Bind address. 0.0.0.0 is reachable from your network; 127.0.0.1 is local-only.
--data-dir <dir>~/.harmonicWhere Harmonic keeps its data and background log.
--password <pw>Set or update the operator password. --password '' removes it and runs ungated.

Two variables back the options above, for when setting an environment is easier than passing a flag, such as in a service unit, a container, or a shell profile:

VariableEquivalent toNotes
HARMONIC_DATA_DIR--data-dirState directory.
HARMONIC_PASSWORD--passwordOperator password.

A command-line option always beats its environment variable, which beats the built-in default:

--data-dir > HARMONIC_DATA_DIR > ~/.harmonic
--password > HARMONIC_PASSWORD > (none → ungated)

Because a passed option wins even when empty, --password '' overrides a set HARMONIC_PASSWORD and clears the password. And because the password is stored in the database once set, omitting both on a later start leaves the existing password untouched. It does not revert to ungated. To go ungated again you must explicitly clear it with --password ''.

Everything Harmonic keeps, your workspaces, tickets, history, and settings, lives under the data directory (default ~/.harmonic), along with the background log. Back up that folder to back up Harmonic, and point it somewhere else with --data-dir or HARMONIC_DATA_DIR.

Only one server runs per data directory. To run two independent instances, give each its own --data-dir, and pass the matching value to status and stop so they act on the right one.

  • CLI reference: every command and option.
  • Security: the password, host binding, and the ungated warning.