Settings System

Chamilo's configuration is managed through a set of settings schemas (around 40 of them, varying between releases) that define every configurable aspect of the platform. They live in src/CoreBundle/Settings/ — the exact list there is the source of truth.

How It Works

Settings are:

1. Defined in schema classes (src/CoreBundle/Settings/*SettingsSchema.php)

2. Stored in the database (settings_current table)

3. Accessed via the SettingsManager service

4. Managed through the administration web interface

Settings Schemas

Each schema file defines a category of settings. Key schemas:

Schema	Purpose
PlatformSettingsSchema	Institution info, timezone, server type, portal features
SecuritySettingsSchema	Login attempts, CAPTCHA, password policy, HTTP headers, 2FA
RegistrationSettingsSchema	Self-registration, required fields, auto-subscribe
CourseSettingsSchema	Course creation defaults, tools, catalog
SessionSettingsSchema	Session defaults, visibility
MailSettingsSchema	Email configuration, DKIM, notifications
AiHelpersSettingsSchema	AI providers, feature toggles per AI tool
ExerciseSettingsSchema	Quiz scoring, feedback, question options
LearningPathSettingsSchema	LP display, prerequisites, SCORM settings
DocumentSettingsSchema	Upload limits, allowed file types, storage
DisplaySettingsSchema	UI tabs, sidebar items, theme
LanguageSettingsSchema	Available languages, default locale
AdminSettingsSchema	Admin email, admin-specific options

Accessing Settings

In PHP code:

// Via SettingsManager service
$value = $settingsManager->getSetting('platform.site_name');

// In legacy code
$value = api_get_setting('platform.site_name');

In templates:

{# Read a single setting #}
{{ chamilo_settings_get('platform.site_name') }}

{# Check whether a setting exists #}
{% if chamilo_settings_has('platform.allow_registration') %}
    ...
{% endif %}

{# Get all settings as an array #}
{% set settings = chamilo_settings_all() %}

Setting Structure

Each setting has:

• Namespace — The schema category (e.g., platform, security, ai_helpers)

• Variable — The setting name (e.g., site_name, allow_registration)

• Value — The current value

• Type — Data type (string, boolean, array, etc.)

Course-Level Settings

Some settings can be overridden at the course level. These are defined in src/CourseBundle/Settings/ and include:

• Exercise settings per course

• Assignment settings per course

• AI feature toggles per course

Multi-URL Settings

In multi-URL setups, some settings can be customized per access URL, allowing different portal configurations from the same installation.

Those settings will appear several times in the settings table, with different access_url values. By default, all settings are associated with access_url=1.

Adding a New Setting

1. Add the setting definition to the appropriate schema class

2. Provide a default value

3. Run database migrations if needed

4. Access the setting via SettingsManager