Use a default configuration file

[mboelen]

• I have read this document: https://miniflux.app/opinionated.html#feature-request

First-time user here, testing out Miniflux. When doing the installation, I kept getting the same error about default DATABASE_URL. So initially I got stuck during setting up the database and the initial configuration. I did not fully understand why, as I configured the settings in /etc/miniflux.conf. Now I do, as there is no default configuration file selected.

My feature request would be to select a default configuration file if none is given. If it can't be found, optionally with a hint (which could also be command line usage text after the definition of -c). This way people can reuse the configuration file and not having to define it each time with -c, while still be able to override it. It simplifies installation, it simplifies usage of the tool.

Not related to the feature request: love the focus on simplicity, keeping things small. Hope this feature request helps in improving the initial setup by other users so they don't get scared away. After all, not everyone has the same amount of patience 😄

[fguillot]

There are several ways to install Miniflux. Most people use the Docker image or the RPM/Debian packages, which make installation and configuration easier.

My feature request would be to select a default configuration file if none is given.

The configuration file is optional. Environment variables will be used if no configuration file is provided. Miniflux was originally designed to run in containerized environments, where environment variables are more convenient than configuration files. This is why it's designed this way.

[mboelen]

Thanks for the quick response. I must say it was not obvious to me that containerized deployment was the "standard" approach, especially as the installation instructions mention first packages and Docker later.

Miniflux can use a configuration file and environment variables. (quote from documentation)

When seeing this in the documentation, I assumed that if I have a configuration file (/etc/miniflux.conf) that it would be actually used if it is present.

Common packages (like Apache, nginx, Dovecot, etc), they all use a standard/primary configuration file. So the average system administrator will start to look right away where to store the configuration settings. This is also the reason that I got directly confused with the installation. I knew my settings were in /etc/miniflux.conf, but then got greeted with the same error message (about standard database URL), even though I configured it. That would have not been an issue if the tool had selected the file as its default configuration file (even though it's just a file with environment settings).

If implementing a default configuration file (/etc/miniflux.conf) does not break the existing installations, I think it can greatly enhance the initial experience for new users. That is also the reason I share it, as I selected Miniflux based on positive reviews by others, and especially on simplicity and keeping things simple (I typically stay away from the tools that are PHP-based or even require Node.js).