Reference another json file in appsettings.json for ASP.NET Core configuration

Question

In 'the old days' using XML configuration it was possible to include partial configuration from another file like this:

<appSettings file="relative file name">
    <!-- Remaining configuration settings -->
</appSettings>

Now in ASP.NET Core I would like to share some configuration in appsettings.Development.json as well as for example appsettings.Staging.json. Is something like the <appSettings file=""> did also available using the json configuration?

You can add as many JSON files as you like in your startup code. — DavidG
– DavidG, Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 15:40
Of course, but I'm trying to prevent duplication between json files themselves — Kapé
– Kapé, Commented Sep 5, 2017 at 19:36
It's not clear what you mean by "prevent duplication". You don't need to have duplicate content in additional files, you just add new bits as required and the framework takes care of merging them into a larger config. Each additional file will override the values in a previous one if they were present, or will just add to it if not. — DavidG
– DavidG, Commented Sep 6, 2017 at 10:56
The Q is clear to me. web.config files i.e. allow you to external ref other config files link Now, I have a host prj and a mirgrate prj and I have to maintain both. — Erik
– Erik, Commented Mar 28, 2018 at 12:20

Grant Birchmeier · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-13 22:43:47Z

17

You can add multiple configuration file in the Startup class:

public class Startup
{
    public Startup(IHostingEnvironment env)
    {
        var builder = new ConfigurationBuilder()
            .SetBasePath(env.ContentRootPath)
            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: true, reloadOnChange: true)
            .AddJsonFile("appsettings-Development.json", optional: false)
            .AddJsonFile("appsettings-Staging.json", optional: false)
            .AddEnvironmentVariables();
        Configuration = builder.Build();
    }

See here for more details: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/configuration ...

edited May 13 at 22:43

Grant Birchmeier

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answered Sep 5, 2017 at 15:58

anserk

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2 Comments

Kapé Over a year ago

Sorry, but that's not my question. I need for example to include appsettings-shared.json into both appsettings-Development.json and appsettings-Staging.json

anserk Over a year ago

Can you keep those shared settings in a separate file and load it in your startup ? This way you don't have to include those settings in the others because you have them available all the time.

Anton Pastukhov · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-14 06:33:20Z

1

It's not possible to directly include one JSON file into another. If you avoid duplication, your best bet is probably to have appsettings.json and appsettings.<env>.json. The final config is basically a sum of these two. If there are duplicates, appsettings.<env>.json has higher priority.

.NET config is not limited to .json files. It uses, among other things, environment vars. So you might try your luck wiht dontenv files

answered May 14 at 6:33

Anton Pastukhov

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Comments

Dmitri · Accepted Answer · 2019-10-31 17:10:15Z

-2

If you wish to add a file outside of the project solution folder ie "another file" I made it work by setting .SetBasePath("to whatever path where the settings file is") like so:

any-class-name.cs file:

using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
namespace your-name
{
    static class ConfigurationManager
    {
        public static IConfiguration AppSetting { get; }
        static ConfigurationManager()
        {
            AppSetting = new ConfigurationBuilder()
                    .SetBasePath("C:/Users/Name/Documents/AnotherSettings/") //instead of .SetBasePath(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
                    .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json")
                    .Build();
        }
    }
}

Hope this helps.

answered Oct 31, 2019 at 17:10

Dmitri

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2 Comments

Ergis Over a year ago

I fail to understand why, when a question CLEARLY asks for X, people answer for Y. This is NOT what the OP asked for !

Ritesh Mishra Over a year ago

The question is How to use a file like abcd.xyz in config

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