What is the REPLIT file format?
A .replit file is the configuration file for a project on the Replit online development platform, where projects are called Apps or Repls. It is written in .toml, a plain-text configuration format, and it lives in the root folder of the project. Replit hides it in the file tree by default, so you reveal it with the Show hidden files option.
The file tells the Replit runtime how the project behaves. Its entrypoint key sets the file opened in the editor, run defines the command the Run button executes, and modules pins the language and toolchain versions. Named tables such as [nix], [deployment], [[ports]], [unitTest], and [packager] handle system packages, deployment targets, port mappings, tests, and package management. The run value can be a plain string, an array of arguments, or an object for finer control.
The .replit file works next to replit.nix, which declares system dependencies through the Nix package manager. Together they describe both the app and its environment. Replit, Inc. develops and reads the format, and since 2023 the web editor offers autocomplete and inline docs for .replit files through the Taplo TOML language server.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .replit file is plain-text TOML that stores configuration only; it contains no executable binary code. The main caution is that its run and deployment commands invoke real programs, so an untrusted .replit file could launch unwanted commands when a project is opened and run in Replit. Review the run, compile, and deployment keys before running an imported project. Do not store secrets or API keys in .replit; Replit provides a separate secrets manager for that.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open REPLIT files
Windows3 apps
Visual Studio Code
Free Open the project folder and edit .replit directly; install the Even Better TOML extension for syntax highlighting and schema validation. 
macOS2 apps
Visual Studio Code
Free Open the project folder, reveal hidden dotfiles, and edit .replit with the Even Better TOML extension. 
Linux3 apps
Visual Studio Code
Free Open the project directory and edit .replit; add the Even Better TOML extension for validation. 
Replit
Freemium Open the Replit App in the browser IDE, choose Show hidden files in the file tree menu, then click the .replit file to edit it with autocomplete and inline documentation. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | UTF-8 plain text |
| Byte order | N/A (text file) |
| Container | None; single flat TOML document |
| Typical size | Under 2 KB |
| Structure | TOML document with top-level keys (entrypoint, run, modules, hidden, compile, language, audio) and named tables such as [nix], [deployment], [[ports]], [unitTest], [packager], and [run.env]. The run and deployment run values may be a string, an array of arguments, or an object. |
| Integrity | None built in |
| Platforms | Web (Replit platform), Linux (Nix-based Replit runtime), Windows, macOS |
| Notes | The file lives in the root of a Replit App and is hidden by default in the file tree. It pairs with replit.nix, which declares system packages via the Nix package manager. Since 2023 Replit provides autocomplete and inline documentation for .replit files through the Taplo TOML language server, driven by a JSON Schema generated from Replit's Go type definitions. |
| Run Command Forms | String, array of strings (command plus arguments), or object |
| Reader Software | Replit runtime and cloud IDE; any TOML parser can read the syntax |
| Released | 2016 |
| Latest version | TOML-based schema (validated via Taplo LSP) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | docs.replit.com |
REPLIT conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about REPLIT files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a .replit file?
.replit to edit it. Outside Replit, open it in any text editor such as Visual Studio Code, since it is plain-text TOML.Why is the .replit file hidden?
What is the difference between .replit and replit.nix?
.replit file configures how the app runs, deploys, and which language modules load, using TOML. The replit.nix file declares system packages through the Nix package manager. They work together but are not interchangeable.
