Asterisk uses text-based configuration files. Almost all of them ( zaptel.conf is in /etc ) are found in /etc/asterisk
Variables, pattern matching, and string chopping can be used to control call flows
Contexts define related groups of extensions based on time of day, the identity of the caller, or the channel used to originate the call
SIP and Zaptel channels are the most common, and best supported, types of channels supported by Asterisk
There are dozens and dozens of dial-plan commands, some with very sophisticated syntax, that you can use in extensions.conf . These commands define the telephony experience of the system users
The Asterisk CLI is used to monitor and maintain the system.
Asterisk CLI commands can be issued with shell and Perl scripts by running the Asterisk program in client mode and passing the CLI commands with the -r -x options
Asterisk can be integrated with other systems using AGI (Asterisk Gateway Interface) and the Asterisk Manager API
