GNU Info

(emacs-lisp-intro.info)Site-wide Init

---

Next: defcustom Prev: Default Configuration Up: Emacs Initialization

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Site-wide Initialization Files
==============================

   In addition to your personal initialization file, Emacs automatically
loads various site-wide initialization files, if they exist.  These
have the same form as your `.emacs' file, but are loaded by everyone.

   Two site-wide initialization files, `site-load.el' and
`site-init.el', are loaded into Emacs and then `dumped' if a `dumped'
version of Emacs is created, as is most common.  (Dumped copies of
Emacs load more quickly.  However, once a file is loaded and dumped, a
change to it does not lead to a change in Emacs unless you load it
yourself or re-dump Emacs.  Note: Building Emacs,
 and the `INSTALL' file.)

   Three other site-wide initialization files are loaded automatically
each time you start Emacs, if they exist.  These are `site-start.el',
which is loaded _before_ your `.emacs' file, and `default.el', and the
terminal type file, which are both loaded _after_ your `.emacs' file.

   Settings and definitions in your `.emacs' file will overwrite
conflicting settings and definitions in a `site-start.el' file, if it
exists; but the settings and definitions in a `default.el' or terminal
type file will overwrite those in your `.emacs' file.  (You can prevent
interference from a terminal type file by setting `term-file-prefix' to
`nil'.  Note: A Simple Extension.)

   The `INSTALL' file that comes in the distribution contains
descriptions of the `site-init.el' and `site-load.el' files.

   The `loadup.el', `startup.el', and `loaddefs.el' files control
loading.  These files are in the `lisp' directory of the Emacs
distribution and are worth perusing.

   The `loaddefs.el' file contains a good many suggestions as to what
to put into your own `.emacs' file, or into a site-wide initialization
file.