Where Does TheLounge Store Data?
TheLounge home folder with config, users and logs, and the packaged layouts that move it.
Last updated
TheLounge roots everything at ~/.thelounge unless THELOUNGE_HOME says otherwise (upgraders from v2: rename the old ~/.lounge). Server options live in config.js, one JSON per user under users/, and logs under logs/ in text plus sqlite as configured.
Packaged installs relocate the home: Debian and Ubuntu use /etc/thelounge/config.js, Docker images use /var/opt/thelounge, same interior. Mind the delete semantics: thelounge remove drops the user JSON but leaves that user's logs behind for manual cleanup. Uploads under uploads/ are never auto pruned.
Where TheLounge stores this, by platform
~/.thelounge/
Default home: config.js, users/<name>.json, logs/, storage/, uploads/, packages/. Override with THELOUNGE_HOME. Debian/Ubuntu packages use /etc/thelounge/config.js; Docker uses /var/opt/thelounge.
~/.thelounge/
Same interior layout as Linux for npm and source installs. Override with THELOUNGE_HOME. Rename ~/.lounge when upgrading from v2 era installs.
%USERPROFILE%\.thelounge\
Same interior layout (config.js, users/, logs/) under the Windows profile. Override with THELOUNGE_HOME. Packaged layouts differ only in home path.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move TheLounge data to another machine?
Stop the service, copy the whole home folder (~/.thelounge or your THELOUNGE_HOME), and start it there. Config, users and logs travel together, so keep the interior intact.
I removed a user but disk space never came back. Why?
Because thelounge remove deletes only the user JSON. That user's logs under logs/ plus anything in uploads/ stay behind; delete both by hand to reclaim the space.
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