Where Does Varnish Store VCL Config?
Varnish loads caching policy from default.vcl in /etc/varnish with daemon flags in the service file.
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Varnish expresses caching policy in VCL files under /etc/varnish. The default.vcl file defines backends, request handling, and cache rules in code. Daemon options like memory size and listen ports live in the service configuration.
VCL compiles on load, so syntax errors block startup loudly. Test with the config test flag before reloading production. Backends move without restarts through admin commands, while policy needs a load.
Where Varnish stores this, by platform
/etc/varnish/default.vcl
Backend definitions plus cache policy in VCL code. Daemon flags sit in the service file. Test compile before reload.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the Varnish backend?
Edit the backend host in default.vcl and reload the configuration. Health probes confirm the new origin. Keep old backends commented during migration.
Where are Varnish logs?
In shared memory read through varnishlog and varnishncsa, not plain files. Persist with those tools to disk paths you choose. NCSA format suits existing pipelines.
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