Machine.Configuration file

Hi Rajesh,

Web.config file in ASP.NET, as it sounds like is a configuration file for the Asp .net web application. An Asp .net application has one web.config file which keeps the configurations required for the corresponding application. Web.config file is written in XML with specific tags having specific meanings.  Generally we store database connections, Session States, Error Handling, Security configurations in ASP.NET web.Config file. Multiple configuration files, all named Web.config, can appear in multiple directories on an ASP.NET Web application server. Each Web.config file applies configuration settings to its own directory and all child directories below it. Configuration files in child directories can supply configuration information in addition to that inherited from parent directories, and the child directory configuration settings can override or modify settings defined in parent directories. The root configuration file named systemroot\Microsoft.NET\Framework\versionNumber\CONFIG\Machine.config provides ASP.NET configuration settings for the entire Web server.

Hi Rajesh

Web.config

It is an optional XML File which stores configuration details for a specific asp.net web application. 

Machine.Config

The Machine.Config file, which specifies the settings that are global to a particular machine. This file is located at the following path:

 

\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\[Framework Version]\CONFIG\machine.config

   As web.config file is used to configure one asp .net web application, same way Machine.config file is used to configure the application according to a particular machine. That is, configuration done in machine.config file is affected on any application that runs on a particular machine. Usually, this file is not altered and only web.config is used which configuring applications.

 

You can override settings in the Machine.Config file for all the applications in a particular Web site by placing a Web.Config file in the root directory of the Web site as follows:

\InetPub\wwwroot\Web.Config

Thanks

Hi Rajesh,

Web.config files apply settings to each web application , while Machine.config file apply settings to all ASP.NET applications.

Thanks

In simple word we can define it as below

Machine.Config - Its the configuration file for a single Server - Global Configuration
Web.Config - Its the configuration file per application, I mean each application will have one web.config file - Single Application Configuration