# "config/initializer" replacing "lib" folder?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/config-initializer-replacing-lib-folder/144777>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [August 1, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/config-initializer-replacing-lib-folder/144777 "2008-08-01T23:34:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ericgoodwin](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@ericgoodwin](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ericgoodwin)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/config-initializer-replacing-lib-folder/144777/1 "2008-08-01T23:34:06Z")

</div>

I’m upgrading to rails 2.1, and there is a new convention with the  
config/initializer folder.

As I understand, the purpose of this folder is to put configurations  
that need to get loaded between the Rails being loaded and potentially  
files from your app.

Im trying to see where I draw the line though. Right now I have require  
lines after the initialization block from my old environment.rb file.

Whats the best convention here. Should I put “require ‘file’” in each  
file that needs it and avoid requiring it upon startup or should I put  
these files in config/initializer and just require it upon startup so  
that its available across the entire app. If I do the latter, the  
config/initializer will start looking like my lib file currently looks  
right now.

Im a little torn, here.

Aryk G.

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