Common Directories and File Locations#
Jupyter stores different files (i.e. configuration, data, runtime) in a number of different locations. Environment variables may be set to customize for the location of each file type.
Jupyter separates data files (nbextensions, kernelspecs) from runtime files (logs, pid files, connection files) from configuration (config files, custom.js).
Configuration files#
Config files are stored by default in the ~/.jupyter directory.
- JUPYTER_CONFIG_DIR#
Set this environment variable to use a particular directory, other than the default, for Jupyter config files.
Besides the JUPYTER_CONFIG_DIR, additional directories to search can be
specified through JUPYTER_CONFIG_PATH.
- JUPYTER_CONFIG_PATH#
Set this environment variable to provide extra directories for the config search path.
JUPYTER_CONFIG_PATHshould contain a series of directories, separated by `` os.pathsep`` (;on Windows,:on Unix).
An example of where the JUPYTER_CONFIG_PATH can be set is if notebook or server extensions are
installed in a custom prefix. Since notebook and server extensions are automatically enabled through configuration files,
automatic enabling will only work if the custom prefix’s etc/jupyter directory is added to the Jupyter config search path.
Besides the user config directory mentioned above, Jupyter has a search path of additional locations from which a config file will be loaded. Here’s a table of the locations to be searched, in order of preference:
Unix |
Windows |
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To list the config directories currently being used you can run the below command from the command line:
jupyter --paths
The following command shows the config directory specifically:
jupyter --config-dir
Data files#
Jupyter uses a search path to find installable data files, such as kernelspecs and notebook extensions. When searching for a resource, the code will search the search path starting at the first directory until it finds where the resource is contained.
Each category of file is in a subdirectory of each directory of the
search path. For example, kernel specs are in kernels subdirectories.
- JUPYTER_PATH#
Set this environment variable to provide extra directories for the data search path.
JUPYTER_PATHshould contain a series of directories, separated byos.pathsep(;on Windows,:on Unix). Directories given inJUPYTER_PATHare searched before other locations. This is used in addition to other entries, rather than replacing any.
Linux (& other free desktops) |
Mac |
Windows |
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The config directory for Jupyter data files, which contain non-transient, non-configuration files. Examples include kernelspecs, nbextensions, or voila templates.
- JUPYTER_DATA_DIR#
Set this environment variable to use a particular directory, other than the default, as the user data directory.
As mentioned above, to list the config directories currently being used you can run the below command from the command line:
jupyter --paths
The following command shows the data directory specifically:
jupyter --data-dir
Runtime files#
Things like connection files, which are only useful for the lifetime of a particular process, have a runtime directory.
These runtime files are stored in a runtime/ subdirectory of the user’s
data directory (second row of the table above).
An environment variable may also be used to set the runtime directory.
- JUPYTER_RUNTIME_DIR#
Set this to override where Jupyter stores runtime files.
As mentioned above, to list the config directories currently being used you can run the below command from the command line:
jupyter --paths
The following command shows the runtime directory specifically:
jupyter --runtime-dir
Summary#
JUPYTER_CONFIG_DIR for config file location
JUPYTER_CONFIG_PATH for config file locations
JUPYTER_PATH for datafile directory locations
JUPYTER_DATA_DIR for data file location
JUPYTER_RUNTIME_DIR for runtime file location
See also
jupyter_core.pathsThe Python API to locate these directories.
- The jupyter Command
Locate these directories from the command line.