Where Does Redpanda Store Data and Config?
Redpanda data directory and cluster config paths for Linux installs, plus the Docker volume that hides them.
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Redpanda keeps topic data and cluster config on local disk. The data directory defaults to /var/lib/redpanda/data with one subfolder per partition. Config lives at /etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml with listeners, seeds, and the data directory override.
Docker installs hide both behind volumes. The container paths stay the same while host names gain a compose prefix. Check redpanda.yaml first on unfamiliar hosts. Its data_directory line overrides every documented default when set. Keep versions matched for restores.
Where Redpanda stores this, by platform
/var/lib/redpanda/data
Default topic storage with partition subfolders. Stop the broker before copying for backup. The folder size is the main disk usage on Kafka compatible brokers.
/etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml
Cluster identity, listeners, and storage paths. Restrict read access since it can hold SASL and TLS details. Keep with data backups for full restore.
Frequently asked questions
what do i back up for a Redpanda broker
Copy /var/lib/redpanda/data with redpanda.yaml for same version restores. Topic partitions sit in the data folder. The config holds seed servers and data directory overrides. Keep versions matched.
where is Redpanda data in Docker
Run docker volume ls to find the redpanda data volume, then inspect its mountpoint. The container path stays /var/lib/redpanda/data. Compose prefixes the volume name with the project folder.
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