Order of precedence for configuration parameters

[fabriziosalmi]

Describe the bug When developing an application meant to be shared through different methods like a pip package, Docker, or as pure Python, managing configuration effectively is crucial. The order of precedence for configuration parameters should follow a logical hierarchy that considers the flexibility and specificity of each method. Here’s a structured approach for determining the order of precedence:

General Principles:

1. CLI Arguments: These should have the highest precedence because they are typically the most specific and are defined at runtime, providing immediate override capabilities.
2. Environment Variables: These come next, offering a convenient way to configure applications without modifying code or configuration files.
3. Configuration Files: These provide a persistent and centralized way to manage settings, suitable for defaults and shared settings.
4. Defaults in Code: Hard-coded defaults in the application should be the fallback when no other configuration is provided.

Recommended Order of Precedence:

1. Command Line Arguments (CLI Args)
2. Environment Variables
3. Configuration File (conga.yaml)
4. Supplementary Files (feeds.txt)
5. Defaults in Code

This order allows the most immediate and context-specific configurations (CLI arguments and environment variables) to override more general and persistent settings (configuration files and defaults).

[fabriziosalmi]

3fd59fe73f4000335e5c8c16dfa8df4ca4d9b1c6