# How to find out which files are loaded by the Julia startup process?

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-find-out-which-files-are-loaded-by-the-julia-startup-process/122811
**Category:** New to Julia
**Tags:** question
**Created:** [November 19, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-find-out-which-files-are-loaded-by-the-julia-startup-process/122811 "2024-11-19T14:06:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![world-peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@world-peace](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/world-peace)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-find-out-which-files-are-loaded-by-the-julia-startup-process/122811/1 "2024-11-19T14:06:33Z")

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I thought this info was in the documentation, but now I don’t seem to be able to find it.

Is there a way to reverse-engineer which files have been loaded by Julia at startup?

Normally, a user would expect the `startup.jl` file to be loaded. This file usually would be placed in the users home directory under `~/.julia/config/startup.jl`.

I am currently looking at a Docker Container, the `Dockerfile` for which creates a `startup.jl` file in a different location.

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to get a list of files which were loaded by Julia at startup. Either by

- querying the REPL directly?
- finding some documentation which describes a list of files and directories which are searched on startup

Is anyone able to point me in the right direction? Thanks

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### Author: ![world-peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@world-peace](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/world-peace)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2024, 2:16pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-find-out-which-files-are-loaded-by-the-julia-startup-process/122811/2 "2024-11-19T14:16:50Z")

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I managed to find some info here actually.

- [Environment Variables · The Julia Language](https://docs.julialang.org/en/v1/manual/environment-variables/#JULIA_DEPOT_PATH)

And in combination with this doc page:

- [Command-line Interface · The Julia Language](https://docs.julialang.org/en/v1/manual/command-line-interface/#Startup-file)

> `--startup-file={yes*|no}`  
> Load `JULIA_DEPOT_PATH/config/startup.jl`; if [`JULIA_DEPOT_PATH`](https://docs.julialang.org/en/v1/manual/environment-variables/#JULIA_DEPOT_PATH) environment variable is unset, load `~/.julia/config/startup.jl`

I would assume the asterisk `*` means that the marked option is the default?

Reason this is useful: The Dockerfile I mentioned previously _does_ define the environment variable `JULIA_DEPOT_PATH`.

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### Author: ![carstenbauer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/carstenbauer/32/4981_2.png) [@carstenbauer](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/carstenbauer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-find-out-which-files-are-loaded-by-the-julia-startup-process/122811/3 "2024-11-19T16:18:26Z")

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> [@world-peace](#):
>
> I would assume the asterisk `*` means that the marked option is the default?

Yes