> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://contentbox.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://contentbox.ortusbooks.com/v4.x/developing/developing-for-contentbox/back-end-development/overriding-contentbox-settings.md).

# Overriding ContentBox Settings

ContentBox allows you to override global site settings dynamically. This approach is great for container based deployments, but also for traditional overrides for testing or staging environments.

## Override ContentBox Settings via ColdBox.cfc

You can override any runtime setting for ContentBox via a configuration structure in your main `ColdBox.cfc` configuration file. This will allow developers to override any runtime setting for any site.

All you need to do is create the a `contentbox` structure in your `configure()` or any tier method, with the name of the site (`default` is the default site) and then any setting name-value pair.

```javascript
contentbox = {
    // Runtime Settings Override by site slug
    settings = {
        // Default site
        default = {
            "cb_search_adapter"      = "my.search.adapter",
            "cb_media_directoryRoot" = "/docker/mount"
        }
        }
}
```

### Override ContentBox Settings via Java Environment Variables

You can also override any runtime ContentBox setting by passing them via Docker/Java Runtime variables.

Since these are string keys we can now use our fancy structures like the settings above, so you must adhere to our recognition pattern:

```
contentbox_{site}_{setting}=value
```

Here is an example on adding a custom media root:

```
-Dcontentbox_default_cb_media_directoryRoot=./build/docker/contentbox/content
```

This will allow especially Docker environments to override settings as environments or even provide secrets. More is coming, so stay tuned to our updates.


---

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