[[_standalone-mode]]
=== Using standalone mode

Standalone operating mode is only useful when you want to run one, and only one {project_name} server instance.
It is not usable for clustered deployments and all caches are non-distributed and local-only.  It is not recommended that
you use standalone mode in production as you will have a single point of failure.  If your standalone mode server goes down,
users will not be able to log in.  This mode is really only useful to test drive and play with the features of {project_name}

==== Booting in standalone mode

When running the server in standalone mode, there is a specific script you need to boot the server depending on your
operating system.  These scripts live in the _bin/_ directory of the server distribution.

.Standalone Boot Scripts
image:{project_images}/standalone-boot-files.png[]

To boot the server:

.Linux/Unix
[source]
----
$ .../bin/standalone.sh
----

.Windows
[source]
----
> ...\bin\standalone.bat
----

==== Standalone configuration

The bulk of this guide walks you through how to configure infrastructure level aspects of {project_name}.  These
aspects are configured in a configuration file that is specific to the application server that {project_name} is a
derivative of.  In the standalone operation mode, this file lives in _.../standalone/configuration/standalone.xml_.  This file
is also used to configure non-infrastructure level things that are specific to {project_name} components.

.Standalone Config File
image:{project_images}/standalone-config-file.png[]

WARNING: Any changes you make to this file while the server is running will not take effect and may even be overwritten
      by the server.  Instead use the command line scripting or the web console of {appserver_name}.  See
      the link:{appserver_admindoc_link}[_{appserver_admindoc_name}_] for more information.