How do you handle multiple web.config files for multiple environments?

Question

The way I currently handle this is by having multiple config files such as:

web.config
web.Prod.config
web.QA.config
web.Dev.config

When th

Answer 1

I also use the web.DEV.config, web.TEST.config, web.PROD.config etc.

I find this way the most easiest, simplest and straight-forward way if your projects are not complex. I don't like making things more complicated than neccessary.

However, I have used NAnt and I think it works well for this. You can set up builds for your different environments. NAnt takes some reading to learn how to use it but it's pretty flexible.

http://aspnet.4guysfromrolla.com/articles/120104-1.aspx

http://nant.sourceforge.net/

I used it along with CruiseControl.net and NUnit to perform automatic daily builds with unit test validation and thought they worked well together.

Answer 2

Scott Gu had an article on this once. The solution he presented was to use a Pre-build event to copy the correct config into place depending on the build configuration chosen.

I also noticed that there already is a similar question here on SO.

Answer 3

Transforms seem really helpful for this. You can replace certain sections with different rules.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd465318(v=vs.100).aspx