Editing Windows Registry (section)

== Equivalents and alternatives ==
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2010}}
In Windows, use of the registry for storing program data is a matter of developer's discretion. Microsoft provides programming interfaces for storing data in [[XML]] files (via [[MSXML]]) or database files (via [[SQL Server Compact]]) which developers can use instead. Developers are also free to use non-Microsoft alternatives or develop their own proprietary data stores.

In contrast to Windows Registry's binary-based database model, some other operating systems use separate [[plain text|plain-text]] files for [[Daemon (computing)|daemon]] and application configuration, but group these configurations together for ease of management.
* In [[Unix-like]] operating systems (including [[Linux]]) that follow the [[Filesystem Hierarchy Standard]], system-wide configuration files (information similar to what would appear in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Windows) are traditionally stored in files in <code>/etc/</code> and its subdirectories, or sometimes in <code>/usr/local/etc/</code>. Per-user information (information that would be roughly equivalent to that in HKEY_CURRENT_USER) is stored in [[hidden file and hidden directory|hidden directories and files]] (that start with a period/[[full stop]]) within the user's [[home directory]]. However [[freedesktop.org|XDG]]-compliant applications should refer to the environment variables defined in the Base Directory specification.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/latest/index.html|title=XDG Base Directory Specification|website=standards.freedesktop.org}}</ref>
* In [[Mac OS X|macOS]], system-wide configuration files are typically stored in the <code>/Library/</code> folder, whereas per-user configuration files are stored in the corresponding <code>~/Library/</code> folder in the user's home directory, and configuration files set by the system are in <code>/System/Library/</code>. Within these respective directories, an application typically stores a [[property list]] file in the <code>Preferences/</code> sub-directory.
* [[RISC OS]] (not to be confused with ''[[MIPS RISC/os]]'') uses directories for configuration data, which allows applications to be copied into [[application directory|application directories]], as opposed to the separate installation process that typifies Windows applications; this approach is also used on the [[ROX Desktop]] for Linux.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://roscidus.com/desktop/AppDirs
 |title       = Application directories
 |access-date  = 17 May 2012
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120527133205/http://roscidus.com/desktop/AppDirs
 |archive-date = 27 May 2012
}}</ref>  This directory-based configuration also makes it possible to use different versions of the same application, since the configuration is done "on the fly".<ref name="riscos.com list">{{cite web
 | url=http://www.riscos.com/the_archive/rol/annoyance/index.htm
 | title=Case Studies Of The Top 132 Annoyances With Operating Systems Other Than RISC OS
 | access-date=3 April 2012
}} Page from the riscos.com website. Mentioned in points 82 and 104.</ref>  If one wishes to remove the application, it is possible to simply delete the folder belonging to the application.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.riscos.org/tour/index.html | title = RISC OS tour | access-date = 2007-07-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://productsdb.riscos.com/admin/riscos.htm
 |title       = The RISC OS Products Directory
 |date        = 2 Nov 2006
 |access-date  = 1 April 2012
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20070219161339/http://productsdb.riscos.com/admin/riscos.htm
 |archive-date = 19 February 2007
}}</ref> This will often not remove configuration settings which are stored independently from the application, usually within the computer's [[Application directory#The RISC OS !Boot system directory|!Boot structure]], in !Boot.Choices or potentially anywhere on a network fileserver. It is possible to copy installed programs between computers running RISC OS by copying the application directories belonging to the programs, however some programs may require re-installing, e.g. when shared files are placed outside an application directory.<ref name="riscos.com list" />
* [[IBM AIX]] (a Unix variant) uses a registry component called [[Object Data Manager]] (ODM). The ODM is used to store information about system and device configuration. An extensive set of tools and utilities provides users with means of extending, checking, correcting the ODM database. The ODM stores its information in several files, default location is <code>/etc/objrepos</code>.
* The [[GNOME]] desktop environment uses a registry-like interface called [[dconf]] for storing configuration settings for the desktop and applications.
* The [https://www.libelektra.org/ Elektra Initiative] provides alternative back-ends for various different text configuration files.
* While not an operating system, the [[Wine (software)|Wine]] [[compatibility layer]], which allows Windows software to run on a Unix-like system, also employs a Windows-like registry as text files in the WINEPREFIX folder: system.reg (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE), user.reg (HKEY_CURRENT_USER) and userdef.reg.<ref>[http://www.winehq.org/docs/wineusr-guide/using-regedit 3.2. Using the Registry and Regedit] (Wine User Guide)</ref>