---
title: Configuration Tokens
description: A configuration token is a simple reference to a value. When configuration tokens are resolved, the result is always a string. Transformation described in Transformations can be used to coerce the output type.
component: pinggateway
version: 2026
page_id: pinggateway:reference:ConfigTokens
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pinggateway/2026/reference/ConfigTokens.html
revdate: 2024-07-10T14:05:34Z
section_ids:
  token-filesys: Configuration Tokens for File System
  token-syntax: Syntax
---

# Configuration Tokens

A configuration token is a simple reference to a value. When configuration tokens are resolved, the result is always a string. Transformation described in [Transformations](Transformations.html) can be used to coerce the output type.

## Configuration Tokens for File System

PingGateway provides `ig.instance.dir` and `ig.instance.url` to define the file system directory and URL for configuration files.

Their values are computed at startup, and evaluate to a directory such as `$HOME/.openig` (`%appdata%\OpenIG`). You can use these tokens in your configuration without explicitly setting their values.

For information about how to change the default values, refer to [Configuration location](../configure/configure.html#configuration-location).

## Syntax

Configuration tokens follow the syntax `&{token[|default]}`, as follows:

* Are preceded by an ampersand, `&`

* Are enclosed in braces, `{}`

* Define default values with a vertical bar (`|`) after the configuration token

* Are in lowercase

* Use the period as a separator, `.`

When a configuration token is supplied in a configuration parameter, it is always inside a string enclosed in quotation marks, as shown in the following example:

```json
"&{listen.port|8080}"
```

To escape a string with the syntax of a configuration token, use a backslash (`\`). The following string is treated as normal text:

```json
"\&{listen.port|8080}"
```

A configuration property can include a mix of static values and expressions, as shown in the following example:

```json
"&{hostname}.example.com"
```

Configuration tokens can be nested inside other configuration tokens as shown in the following example:

```json
"&{&{protocol.scheme}.port}"
```

Default values or values in the property resolver chain can be nested, as shown in the following example:

```json
"&{&{protocol.scheme|http}.port|8080}"
```