Where Does Serverless Framework Store Config?
Serverless Framework home directory with access keys, plugins and telemetry state.
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The Serverless Framework keeps CLI state in a .serverless directory in your home: dashboard access keys, installed plugins, telemetry state and command history. Project serverless.yml files reference into this pool, which is why fresh clones deploy immediately on a configured machine.
Access keys make this directory sensitive, not just preferences. Treat it like credentials storage during migrations and backups. Major version upgrades occasionally reshape the internals, so prefer re login over hand copying when crossing versions.
Where Serverless Framework stores this, by platform
~/.serverless
Holds access keys, plugins and state files. Copy the whole directory with no serverless commands running. Project serverless.yml files stay inside each repo, far from this tree.
~/.serverless
Same layout as Linux. npm based installs share this location across Node versions, so CLI state survives Node upgrades on the same machine.
%USERPROFILE%\.serverless
Same role as on Unix for the Windows CLI builds. Keep it out of synced folders unless you accept access keys roaming with your profile.
Frequently asked questions
how do i move serverless framework auth to a new pc
Copy the .serverless directory to the new machine's home folder. It holds dashboard access keys, installed plugins and tracking state together. Re log in afterwards if keys fail to transfer, since token formats change between major versions.
is serverless.yml the same as the serverless folder
No. serverless.yml declares each service for collaborators, while the home directory holds your personal keys, plugins and history across all services. Version the first, keep the second out of git, and rotate keys found in either.
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