---
last_review: "2026-01-15"
last_reviewer: "Alexander Schlemmer"
documented_code: [ ]
---

```{tags} reference
```

# Useful volume settings

:::{note}
This new documentation page has not yet been fully reviewed and may be incomplete.
:::
% TODO: Issue: https://gitlab.indiscale.com/caosdb/src/caosdb-deploy/-/work_items/395
% TODO: Fix missing links to in-depth information

When deploying LinkAhead with docker compose, these mount targets are relevant. Where the mount
type is `volume`, the default volume name is given as source. When the mount type is `bind`, the
source is the name of the environment variable which can be used in the compose file templates.

## Persistent data ##

Local files
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/mnt/caosroot
  source: caosdb-caosroot
  type: volume
  enabled: true
  ```
  Here LinkAhead stores those files which are uploaded directly (for example through the web
  interface or over the API).

## Configuration ##

LinkAhead server config
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/conf/ext
  source: LINKAHEAD_SERVER_CONF
  type: bind
  ```
  Server configuration files. See [Server configuration document](/explanation/server/configuration.md)
  for a detailed description.

LinkAhead web interface config
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/caosdb-webui/conf/ext
  source: LINKAHEAD_WEBUI_CONF
  type: bind
  ```
  WebUI configuration files. See [the configuration of property display in the WebUI](/how_to/admin_guides/webui/display_of_properties.md)
  for an example.

LinkAhead web interface build properties
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/mnt/caosdb-server/caosdb-webui/build_properties.d
  source: LINKAHEAD_WEBUI_BUILD_PROPERTIES
  type: bind
  ```
  Directory with WebUI build property files. See [the WebUI installation guide](/how_to/admin_guides/webui/install.md#build-configuration)
  for a detailed description.

SSL certificate
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/cert
  source: LINKAHEAD_SERVER_CERT
  type: bind
  ```
  SSL files for the LinkAhead server.

LinkAhead server side scripting binaries
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/scripting/bin
  source: LINKAHEAD_SERVER_SCRIPTING_BIN
  type: bind
  ```
  Directory with server-side scripting binaries.

Mail server config
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/mnt/other/mail.cf
  source: LINKAHEAD_MAIL_CF
  type: bind
  ```
  Configuration of the postfix mail server.

LDAP configuration: nslcd
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/mnt/other/nslcd.conf
  source: LINKAHEAD_NSLCD_CONF
  type: bind
  ```
  LDAP configuration.
  % TODO: As soon as documentation for new setup exists, link to relevant section

LDAP configuration: LinkAhead server
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/misc/pam_authentication/ldap.env
  source: LINKAHEAD_SERVER_LDAP_ENV
  type: bind
  ```
  LDAP configuration for the LinkAhead server.
  % TODO: As soon as documentation for new setup exists, link to relevant section

MariaDB backend server configuration
: ```yaml
  target: /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d
  source: LINKAHEAD_MARIADB_CONF_D
  type: bind
  service: sqldb
  ```
  Configuration directory for the MariaDB server. See the [upstream documentation](https://mariadb.com/kb/en/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files)
  for a detailed description.

## Customization ##

LinkAhead web interface customization: sources
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/caosdb-webui/src/conf/ext
  source: LINKAHEAD_WEBUI_SRC
  type: bind
  ```
  Custom source files for the WebUI.
  % TODO: As soon as documentation exists: See [FIXME here](/about/todo.md) for a detailed description.

LinkAhead web interface customization: public files
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/caosdb-webui/public/ext
  source: LINKAHEAD_WEBUI_PUBLIC_CONF
  type: bind
  ```
  Customization of the WebUI public files.
  % TODO: Is this correct? As soon as documentation exists: See [FIXME here](/about/todo.md) for a detailed description.

LinkAhead web interface customization: test files
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/caosdb-webui/test/ext
  source: LINKAHEAD_WEBUI_TEST
  type: bind
  ```
  Customization of the WebUI tests.
  % TODO: Is this correct? As soon as documentation exists: See [FIXME here](/about/todo.md) for a detailed description.

## Other volumes ##

Temporary files
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/mnt/tmpfiles
  source: caosdb-tmpfiles
  type: volume
  enabled: true
  ```
  Temporary files created by the server.

LinkAhead server authentication tokens
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/authtoken
  source: LINKAHEAD_SERVER_AUTHTOKEN
  type: bind
  mode: rw
  ```
  Directory where the server may write authentication tokens.

LinkAhead server side scripting binaries, for debugging
: ```yaml
  target: /opt/caosdb/git/caosdb-server/scripting/bin-debug
  source: LINKAHEAD_SERVER_SCRIPTING_BIN_DEBUG
  type: bind
  ```
  Directory with binaries, used for example by the Python integration tests.