> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.release.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.release.com/reference-documentation/application-settings/file-mounts.md).

# Just-in-time file mounts

Mount files on your running Docker containers.

Using Release's just-in-time file mounts, you can mount small files as volumes on your containers.

To view or change your just-in-time file mounts, navigate to **App Settings**, scroll down to **Advanced Settings**, and click on **Just-in-time file mounts**.

## When to use Just-in-time file mounts

This is a useful way to add application-wide configuration to instances at runtime, or to add small data files to your containers, without the need to check these files into your repository.

Just-in-time file mounts can be used to replace volume mounts that map configuration files from a host to a container in a docker-compose file.

## How to add a just-in-time file mount

1. Go to **Settings** in your application.
2. Click on **File Mounts**.
3. Enter the location to mount the file in your container. e.g., `/app/data/`.
4. Select the file from your computer by clicking on **Choose File**.
5. Select at least one service from the list. The file will be mounted in selected services' containers.
6. Optional: Select "Mark as Secret" to hide the file's contents in Release's UI.
7. Click **Create File Mount** to add your file mount.

![How to add a just-in-time file mount](https://585411240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M1neGLLQ0sDXeK6ooSo%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-edfdd940b5020c7d1664f3a62925f5346b90a58a%2Ffile-mount.png?alt=media)

The **Create File Mount** button is enabled only once you've entered a mount path, selected a file, and selected at least one service.

Just-in-time file mounts are limited to 1 MB each. For anything bigger, consider using [volumes](/reference-documentation/application-settings/application-template/schema-definition.md#volumes-1) or Release's [instant datasets](https://github.com/releasehub-com/docs/blob/main/reference-guide/application-settings/broken-reference/README.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
New just-in-time file mounts will not be mounted on existing environments, and are only added to *new* environments. To apply your new file mount to an existing environment, delete and recreate the environment.
{% endhint %}

## How to change a just-in-time file mount

Uploaded just-in-time file mounts are immutable. To change a mounted file, delete the file and upload a new one.

{% hint style="info" %}
When you change a just-in-time file mount that is already mounted on a running container, the mounted file will not be updated until the container is redeployed.
{% endhint %}

## How to delete a just-in-time file mount

Click the delete icon next to the file you want to delete.

## How to view the contents of a just-in-time file mount

If the file mount has not been marked as secret, you can view its data by clicking the **View** button next to the file.

If the file mount has been marked as secret, the **View** button will be disabled.

## How Release implements just-in-time file mounts

Release creates a [Kubernetes ConfigMap](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/configmap/) to mount just-in-time file mounts as volumes on your containers just as they start up.


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