---
title: "Configuring hcloud"
description: "The hcloud CLI tool can be configured using following methods: 1. Configuration file 2. Environment variables 3. Command line flags"
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/configuration-64
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:18:50.963Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "Configuring hcloud — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/configuration-64)"
---

# Configuring hcloud
The hcloud CLI tool can be configured using following methods: 1. Configuration file 2. Environment variables 3. Command line flags

## Overview

# Configuring hcloud

The hcloud CLI tool can be configured using following methods:
1. Configuration file
2. Environment variables
3. Command line flags

A higher number means a higher priority. For example, a command line flag will
always override an environment variable.

The configuration file is located at `~/.config/hcloud/cli.toml` by default
(On Windows: `%APPDATA%\\hcloud\\cli.toml`). You can change the location by setting
the `HCLOUD_CONFIG` environment variable or the `--config` flag. The configuration file
stores global preferences, the currently active context, all contexts and
context-specific preferences. Contexts always store a token and can optionally have
additional preferences which take precedence over the globally set preferences.

However, a config file is not required. If no config file is found, the CLI will
use the default configuration. Overriding options using environment variables allows the
hcloud CLI to function in a stateless way. For example, setting `HCLOUD_TOKEN` is
already enough in many cases.

You can use the `hcloud config` command to manage your configuration, for example
to get, list, set and unset configuration options and preferences. You can view a list
of all available options and preferences [here](manual/hcloud_config.md#synopsis).

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/configuration-64) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com