Configuration

Understand the Palabre configuration file and the commands available to create or modify it.

The configuration tells Palabre which agents exist, which agents to use by default, and where to write exports. If outputDir is not defined, .debate.md and .ask.md files are created in the default .palabre/ folder.

Create a configuration

In an interactive terminal, palabre creates the global configuration automatically on first launch when none exists, then opens the TUI home screen:

palabre

The explicit command remains available for scripts, CI, or when you want to create a config without entering the TUI:

palabre init

This command creates a global configuration at:

~/.palabre/palabre.config.json

For a configuration specific to the current project:

palabre init --local

This creates:

./palabre.config.json

View useful configuration

palabre
palabre agents
palabre doctor

From the TUI home screen, /config shows current settings and /agents lists available agents. Outside the TUI, palabre agents displays declared agents and their local detection. palabre doctor checks for common errors.

When the TUI home screen starts, Palabre conservatively synchronizes known detected agents: it can add missing known agents and refresh known command names, but it does not overwrite custom agents, roles, models, or user defaults.

Modify common settings

palabre config

In the TUI, /config lets you define or remove default settings without leaving Palabre. The direct commands below also let you change a single setting from the terminal or a script.

Useful direct commands:

palabre config --set-defaults codex claude --summary-agent claude -t 4
palabre config --mode ask --ask-agents codex claude opencode --ask-summary-agent opencode
palabre config --interface tui
palabre config --language en
palabre config -t 3
palabre config --summary-agent claude
palabre config --clear-defaults
palabre config --sync-agents
palabre config --ollama-models --json
palabre config --set-ollama-model <installed-ollama-model>
palabre config --sync-ollama-model

In the TUI, the same common settings are available from /config with commands such as /agents, /roles, /summary, /turns, /interface, /language, /mode, /ollama, /ollama-model <model>, and /ollama-sync. Use /home to return to the home screen.

Go further

Exports

Learn where Palabre writes Markdown exports and what they contain after a debate or Ask request.

Default settings

Define or remove the agents, number of turns, and summary used by default.