Configuration

The node’s configuration lives in config.json inside the config directory (/config in the container, ./data/config on the host with the default compose file). The file is created on first boot with defaults; edits are picked up and applied live — recorders and detectors reconcile against the new config without a restart. Writes are atomic.

config.json

{
  "version": 1,
  "nodeName": "nightjar-node",
  "cameras": [],
  "retention": { "maxDays": 14, "diskHighWatermark": 0.9 },
  "cloud": { "enabled": true },
  "go2rtc": { "apiUrl": "http://127.0.0.1:1984" },
  "paths": { "recordings": "/recordings", "db": "/db" }
}

Top level

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`version`	`1`	`1`	Config schema version
`nodeName`	string (1–80)	`"nightjar-node"`	Shown in the local UI and the cloud app
`cameras`	array	`[]`	See below — usually managed via the UI/API

`retention`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`maxDays`	integer 1–365	`14`	Delete recording segments older than this
`diskHighWatermark`	number 0.5–0.99	`0.9`	Prune oldest segments when disk usage crosses this fraction

`cloud`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`enabled`	boolean	`true`	Set `false` for strictly local operation
`supabaseUrl`	URL	—	Cloud endpoint; usually set via env var instead
`supabaseAnonKey`	string	—	Cloud anon key; usually set via env var instead

If no URL/key is available from config or environment, the cloud link simply stays disabled — the node runs local-only.

`go2rtc`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`apiUrl`	URL	`"http://127.0.0.1:1984"`	Where the node reaches the go2rtc API

`paths`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`recordings`	string	`"/recordings"`	Recording segments and event clips
`db`	string	`"/db"`	SQLite database (segment index, events, upload queue)

Camera entries

Cameras are normally added through the UI or API, but they live in this file:

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`id`	UUID	—	Generated on add
`name`	string (1–80)	—	Display name
`make`, `model`	string	—	Optional labels
`rtspUrl`	URL	—	Main stream. May embed credentials — never leaves the node
`rtspSubUrl`	URL	—	Optional substream, used for motion detection and low-bandwidth live view
`enabled`	boolean	`true`	Master switch
`record`	boolean	`true`	24/7 recording
`detect`	boolean	`true`	Motion detection and AI events
`capabilities`	object	probed	Codec, resolution, fps from ffprobe

Motion and detection thresholds (frame diff limits, YOLOX confidence, clip pre/post-roll) are currently constants in the code, not configuration. See Recording and events for their values.

Environment variables

Variable	Default	Purpose
`NIGHTJAR_SUPABASE_URL`	—	Cloud endpoint. Overrides `cloud.supabaseUrl`. Leave unset (with the key) to run local-only
`NIGHTJAR_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY`	—	Cloud anon key. Overrides `cloud.supabaseAnonKey`
`CONFIG_DIR`	`/config`	Where `config.json` and `identity.json` live
`DB_DIR`	`/db`	SQLite database directory
`GO2RTC_CONFIG_DIR`	—	Where the node renders `go2rtc.yaml` for the go2rtc process
`PORT`	`8080`	Local UI/API port
`LOG_LEVEL`	`info`	Set `debug` for verbose logs

The Docker compose file wires the directories to ./data/* on the host and passes the two NIGHTJAR_SUPABASE_* variables through (defaults point at the official cloud).

identity.json

Alongside config.json, the node keeps identity.json: the node’s machine secret (generated on first boot), its cloud node id after registration, and the current claim code while unclaimed. Treat it like a credential — anyone with the secret can act as your node. Deleting it resets the node’s cloud identity.

Get started

Guides

Reference

Project

config.json

Top level

`retention`

`cloud`

`go2rtc`

`paths`

Camera entries

Environment variables

identity.json

​config.json

​Top level

​retention

​cloud

​go2rtc

​paths

​Camera entries

​Environment variables

​identity.json

config.json

Top level

`retention`

`cloud`

`go2rtc`

`paths`

Camera entries

Environment variables

identity.json