Configuration

Dev Cockpit reads ~/.devcockpit/config.yaml at startup. The file is optional: every setting has a default, and anything you leave out keeps it.

If ~/.devcockpit is not writable, for example under a sandboxed shell, Dev Cockpit falls back to a temporary location and carries on rather than failing.

A minimal file

You only need the keys you want to change.

theme: dark
update_interval: 1000

ui:
  mouse_enabled: true

modules:
  dashboard:
    graph_height: 10

General

theme: dark
update_interval: 1000
enable_telemetry: false
log_level: info

Key	Type	Default	Notes
theme	string	dark	Overall theme
update_interval	int	1000	Metric refresh in milliseconds
enable_telemetry	bool	false	Off by default and stays off unless you turn it on
log_level	string	info	debug, info, warn or error

update_interval is the one to lower if you want a livelier dashboard, and to raise if Dev Cockpit is using more CPU than you would like. See Troubleshooting.

UI

ui:
  color_scheme: cyberpunk
  animation_speed: 60
  show_fps: false
  mouse_enabled: true

Key	Type	Default	Notes
color_scheme	string	cyberpunk	Palette used across modules
animation_speed	int	60	Target frames per second
show_fps	bool	false	Show a frame counter, useful when debugging rendering
mouse_enabled	bool	true	Mouse reporting inside the TUI

Turn mouse_enabled off if you would rather your terminal handle selection and copying itself.

Modules

Dashboard

modules:
  dashboard:
    refresh_rate: 1
    show_cpu_details: true
    show_mem_details: true
    show_disk_details: true
    graph_height: 10

Key	Type	Default	Notes
refresh_rate	int	1	Dashboard refresh in seconds
show_cpu_details	bool	true	Expanded CPU panel
show_mem_details	bool	true	Expanded memory panel
show_disk_details	bool	true	Expanded disk panel
graph_height	int	10	Height of history graphs, in rows

Note the unit difference: refresh_rate here is in seconds, while the top-level update_interval is in milliseconds.

Docker

modules:
  docker:
    socket_path: /var/run/docker.sock
    show_all_containers: false
    auto_refresh: true

Key	Type	Default	Notes
socket_path	string	/var/run/docker.sock	Point this at OrbStack or a rootless socket if yours differs
show_all_containers	bool	false	Include stopped containers
auto_refresh	bool	true	Poll for changes

If Docker is not detected, the socket path is the first thing to check. See Troubleshooting.

Network

modules:
  network:
    packet_capture: false
    port_scan_timeout: 2

Key	Type	Default	Notes
default_interface	string	detected	Detected per platform at startup
packet_capture	bool	false	Off by default; capture needs elevated rights
port_scan_timeout	int	2	Seconds before a port probe gives up

Security

modules:
  security:
    scan_interval: 300
    check_firewall: true
    check_filevault: true
    check_sip: true

Key	Type	Default	Notes
scan_interval	int	300	Seconds between re-checks
check_firewall	bool	true	Firewall status
check_filevault	bool	true	FileVault, macOS
check_sip	bool	true	System Integrity Protection, macOS

These control whether a check runs, not what it reports. Dev Cockpit never changes a security setting.

Logs

modules:
  logs:
    max_lines: 500
    custom_log_paths:
      - /var/log/nginx/error.log
      - ~/projects/api/logs/app.log

Key	Type	Default	Notes
max_lines	int	500	Lines held per source
custom_log_paths	list	empty	Extra files to aggregate

custom_log_paths is how you bring your own application logs alongside the system ones.

System

system:
  command_timeout: 30
  max_retries: 3
  sudo_command: sudo

Key	Type	Default	Notes
command_timeout	int	30	Seconds before an external command is killed
max_retries	int	3	Retries for a failed command
sudo_command	string	sudo	Change to doas or similar if you use one

Raise command_timeout if a slow disk makes cleanup scans time out. See Troubleshooting.

Storage

storage:
  max_history_days: 30
  compress_old_data: true

Key	Type	Default	Notes
data_dir	string	~/.devcockpit/data	Metrics database location
max_history_days	int	30	History older than this is pruned at startup
compress_old_data	bool	true	Compress history as it ages

Metrics history is stored locally in SQLite and never leaves your machine.

Full reference

Everything in one file, at its default:

theme: dark
update_interval: 1000
enable_telemetry: false
log_level: info

ui:
  color_scheme: cyberpunk
  animation_speed: 60
  show_fps: false
  mouse_enabled: true

modules:
  dashboard:
    refresh_rate: 1
    show_cpu_details: true
    show_mem_details: true
    show_disk_details: true
    graph_height: 10
  docker:
    socket_path: /var/run/docker.sock
    show_all_containers: false
    auto_refresh: true
  network:
    packet_capture: false
    port_scan_timeout: 2
  security:
    scan_interval: 300
    check_firewall: true
    check_filevault: true
    check_sip: true
  logs:
    max_lines: 500
    custom_log_paths: []

system:
  command_timeout: 30
  max_retries: 3
  sudo_command: sudo

storage:
  max_history_days: 30
  compress_old_data: true

See also

• Modules for what each setting affects
• CLI Reference for file locations
• Troubleshooting