Life of a Config File.txt

Life of a config file

1) What are common settings in a config file:
  - Database connection string
  - API key
  - File/URL paths
  - Logging
  - ???
  
2) Why do you put settings a config file versus a database?

3) How do you deal with config files as they move from development to production?
  - Automated build takes care of it
  - Scripts
  - Multiple files for each environment
  - Manually
  - ???
  
4) Development
  - Setup for new developers?
  - Config settings that are different per developer?
  - Where do you store DEV password/keys?
  - ???

5) Test
  - What changes between development and test?
  - ???

6) Staging
  - How close of copy is it to production?  Do you still leave some test/debug flags on?
  - ???

7) Production
  - Where do you store passwords, keys?
  - ???