When setting up configuration files, reference existing configuration sources rather than duplicating values or logic. This creates a single source of truth, reduces maintenance overhead, and prevents inconsistencies between different environments.
For example, when configuring tools that depend on version information that exists elsewhere in your project:
# Instead of hardcoding Java version installation:
tasks:
- init: yes | sdk install java && ./gradlew build
# Reference the version specified in .sdkmanrc:
tasks:
- init: sdk env install && ./gradlew build
Similarly, when configuring service dependencies like health checks, prefer application-aware approaches over hardcoded values:
# Instead of arbitrary wait times:
healthcheck:
test: [ 'CMD', 'sleep', '115' ]
# Consider log pattern matching or status checks:
healthcheck:
test: [ 'CMD', 'grep', '"Setup has completed"', '/var/log/application.log' ]
This approach ensures configuration changes only need to be made in one place and propagate automatically to dependent configurations, while also leveraging appropriate application-specific behaviors.
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