Hierarchical Configuration Architecture in ASP.NET

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1

ASP.NET applies configuration settings to resources in a hierarchical manner. Site-wide Web.config configuration files supply configuration information to the directories in which they are located and to all child directories. The configuration settings for a Web resource are supplied by the configuration file located in the same directory as the resource and by all configuration files in all parent directories.

Configurations settings are inherited from file to file in a virtual path, with the Machine.config file, which helps control configuration settings for the entire server, at the root. Web.config files that are stored in the virtual path help control their sites and virtual roots.

In This Section

Configuration Inheritance in ASP.NET: Describes how to design virtual paths so that configuration problems will not arise in your ASP.NET applications.

Configuration <location> Settings in ASP.NET: Describes how to customize configurations settings to apply to a specific directory or resource in that directory.

Locking Configuration Settings in ASP.NET: Describes how to make configuration settings on a site unchangeable, particularly for administrators who host Web applications.

Related Sections

• For general information about ASP.NET configuration, see Overview of ASP.NET Configuration.

• For guidelines on creating a file structure for an ASP.NET application, see Layout of ASP.NET Web Applications.