---
title: "Configuration patching"
slug: "configuration-patching"
abstract: "Recommendation for patching rather than editing Sitecore default configuration files."
---
# Configuration patching

We recommend that you patch changes to your Sitecore configuration rather than editing the default configuration files. Sitecore merges the patch files with the default configuration to create the configuration file that is used at runtime.

The type of role you are working on affects how to patch configuration:

- [Core role configuration](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/91/platform-administration-and-architecture/core-role-configuration-overview.html "Core role configuration overview")
- [XP services configuration](https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/91/platform-administration-and-architecture/xp-services-configuration-overview.html "XP services configuration overview")