Where Does Patchwork Store Scuttlebutt Data?
Patchwork identity, log and blobs under one .ssb folder, shared with compatible clients.
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Patchwork (Secure Scuttlebutt) roots everything at ~/.ssb on Linux and Mac (%USERPROFILE%\.ssb on Windows): the secret key file as your identity, config overrides, the blobs attachment store, and the append only feed log with its indexes.
The secret file is the account: copying it migrates identity, losing it loses everything, publishing it hands your voice to anyone. Patchbay and compatible clients read the same database, so trying alternatives costs no migration. Fresh folders start empty; feeds arrive by following peers (default three hops out).
Where Patchwork stores this, by platform
~/.ssb/
Identity (secret), config, blobs/, feed log (flume) plus indexes, local socket. Default per ssb-config docs; exact index filenames vary between ssb-db generations.
~/.ssb/
Same Unix style path and layout as Linux. Same secret handling: owner only permissions, never shared or posted.
%USERPROFILE%\.ssb\
Same layout via Node home resolution ($HOME/.ssb). HOME handling may vary by shell; verify on the machine. Same identity semantics.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move my Scuttlebutt identity to a new computer?
Copy the whole .ssb folder, above all the secret file, to the same path on the new machine. Never publish or share secret; it authenticates every post as you.
Can I try another Scuttlebutt client without migrating?
Yes. Patchbay and compatible apps read the same .ssb database and identity in place. Point them at the existing folder rather than starting fresh.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.