Common Configuration Files

Filename	Purpose
/etc/rc.conf	The main system configuration file that controls startup options for FreeBSD. (See Chapter 11.)
/etc/rc.d/	The directory containing rc scripts that control dozens of different system functions, such as inetd, the named name server, the ipfw firewall, and much more. Each script can take arguments of start, stop, and restart.
.login	The configuration file for C-style shells (csh and tcsh). (See Chapter 9.)
.profile	The configuration file for Bourne-style shells (sh, ksh, and bash). (See Chapter 9.)
.cshrc	Contains configuration options for C-style shells (csh, tcsh) that affect subshells as well as login shells. (See Chapter 9.)
.bashrc	Contains configuration options for the bash shell that affect subshells as well as login shells. (See Chapter 9.)
/etc/csh.login	Contains default global configuration options for C-style shells (csh and tcsh) that affect all users. (See Chapter 9.)
/etc/profile	Contains default global configuration options for Bourne-style shells (sh, ksh, and bash) that affect all users. (See Chapter 9.)
.forward	Controls email forwarding for the user in whose home directory it appears. (See Chapter 25, "Configuring Email Services.")
.xinitrc	Controls X11 options such as the window manager you choose and the user applications you want to run. (See Chapter 7, "Advanced X11 Configuration.")
/etc/X11/xorg.conf	The main configuration file for the X Window System. (See Chapter 7.)

Note

In versions of FreeBSD prior to 5.3, which contain XFree86 rather than Xorg, this file is /etc/X11/XF86Config.