dendrite/docs/installation/manual/3_configuration.md

---
title: Configuring Dendrite
parent: Manual
grand_parent: Installation
nav_order: 3
permalink: /installation/manual/configuration
---

# Configuring Dendrite

A YAML configuration file is used to configure Dendrite. A sample configuration file is
present in the top level of the Dendrite repository:

* [`dendrite-sample.yaml`](https://github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/blob/main/dendrite-sample.yaml)

You will need to duplicate the sample, calling it `dendrite.yaml` for example, and then
tailor it to your installation. At a minimum, you will need to populate the following
sections:

## Server name

First of all, you will need to configure the server name of your Matrix homeserver.
This must match the domain name that you have selected whilst [configuring the domain
name delegation](domainname#delegation).

In the `global` section, set the `server_name` to your delegated domain name:

```yaml
global:
  # ...
  server_name: example.com
```

## Server signing keys

Next, you should tell Dendrite where to find your [server signing keys](signingkeys).

In the `global` section, set the `private_key` to the path to your server signing key:

```yaml
global:
  # ...
  private_key: /path/to/matrix_key.pem
```

## JetStream configuration

Dendrite deployments can use the built-in NATS Server rather than running a standalone
server. If you want to use a standalone NATS Server anyway, you can also configure that too.

### Built-in NATS Server

In the `global` section, under the `jetstream` key, ensure that no server addresses are
configured and set a `storage_path` to a persistent folder on the filesystem:

```yaml
global:
  # ...
  jetstream:
    storage_path: /path/to/storage/folder
    topic_prefix: Dendrite
```

### Standalone NATS Server

To use a standalone NATS Server instance, you will need to configure `addresses` field
to point to the port that your NATS Server is listening on:

```yaml
global:
  # ...
  jetstream:
    addresses:
      - localhost:4222
    topic_prefix: Dendrite
```

You do not need to configure the `storage_path` when using a standalone NATS Server instance.
In the case that you are connecting to a multi-node NATS cluster, you can configure more than
one address in the `addresses` field.

## Database connection using a global connection pool

If you want to use a single connection pool to a single PostgreSQL database, 
then you must uncomment and configure the `database` section within the `global` section:

```yaml
global:
  # ...
  database:
    connection_string: postgres://user:pass@hostname/database?sslmode=disable
    max_open_conns: 90
    max_idle_conns: 5
    conn_max_lifetime: -1
```

**You must then remove or comment out** the `database` sections from other areas of the
configuration file, e.g. under the `app_service_api`, `federation_api`, `key_server`,
`media_api`, `mscs`, `relay_api`, `room_server`, `sync_api` and `user_api` blocks, otherwise
these will override the `global` database configuration.

## Full-text search

Dendrite supports full-text indexing using [Bleve](https://github.com/blevesearch/bleve). It is configured in the `sync_api` section as follows.

Depending on the language most likely to be used on the server, it might make sense to change the `language` used when indexing, 
to ensure the returned results match the expectations. A full list of possible languages 
can be found [here](https://github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/blob/5b73592f5a4dddf64184fcbe33f4c1835c656480/internal/fulltext/bleve.go#L25-L46).

```yaml
sync_api:
  # ...
  search:
    enabled: false
    index_path: "./searchindex"
    language: "en"
```

## Other sections

There are other options which may be useful so review them all. In particular, if you are
trying to federate from your Dendrite instance into public rooms then configuring the
`key_perspectives` (like `matrix.org` in the sample) can help to improve reliability
considerably by allowing your homeserver to fetch public keys for dead homeservers from
another living server.