Where Does BitlBee Store Config and Accounts?
BitlBee system config plus per user account XML files, split between etc and spool.
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BitlBee splits state the Unix way. Daemon behavior lives in bitlbee.conf under /etc/bitlbee, with ports, logging and operator settings. User accounts live separately as XML files in the spool directory under /var/lib/bitlbee, one file per registered nick.
That split decides backups. The system config changes rarely and versions well. The spool directory holds the living accounts and deserves the actual backup routine, copied with the daemon stopped so no half written XML sneaks in.
Where BitlBee stores this, by platform
/etc/bitlbee/bitlbee.conf
The conf holds daemon ports, logging and auth settings in plain text. Account XML files sit in the spool directory beside it conceptually but under /var/lib. Root access required for both.
Frequently asked questions
how do i back up bitlbee accounts
Copy the account XML files out of the spool directory with the daemon stopped. They hold every chat account and setting per user. The system config rarely needs moving unless you customized daemon ports or logging.
where are individual bitlbee users stored
Yes. User nicknames map to XML files in the spool directory, one per account set. Reading them shows configured protocols and nicks at a glance, which beats interrogating a running daemon.
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