Resolution model

Resolution starts from parsed config data, then walks terminal values looking for variable syntax. Each generation resolves the variables that are currently visible, updates the object, and repeats until no resolvable variables remain or a failure is found. This is the reason nested and derived values work without recursively resolving every expression immediately.

The model exists to avoid deadlocks and uncontrolled recursion. A self reference may point at another value that also contains a variable, so Configorama uses deep references and generation tracking to keep progress explicit.

service: billing
stage: ${opt:stage, "dev"}
name: ${self:service}-${self:stage}
workers: ${opt:workers, 2 | Number}
enabled: ${opt:enabled, true | Boolean}

Type behavior depends on how the reference appears. A standalone reference can preserve an object, array, number, or boolean. A reference embedded inside surrounding text becomes part of a string. Filters such as Number, Boolean, and Json make the desired type explicit.

See debug resolution for the practical workflow, filters and functions for transformations, and variable sources for source-specific rules.