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title: From Lua to JSON: refactoring WirePlumber&#x27;s...
description: WirePlumber&#x27;s upcoming 0.5 release replaces Lua-based configuration with a JSON syntax (SPA JSON) inherited from PipeWire. The new system distributes settings...
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og:description: WirePlumber&#x27;s upcoming 0.5 release replaces Lua-based configuration with a JSON syntax (SPA JSON) inherited from PipeWire. The new system distributes settings...
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# From Lua to JSON: refactoring WirePlumber's configuration system

**[Collabora Blog](https://daily.dev/sources/collabora)** · 10 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

WirePlumber's upcoming 0.5 release replaces Lua-based configuration with a JSON syntax (SPA JSON) inherited from PipeWire. The new system distributes settings across modular .conf files under wireplumber.conf.d/, enables runtime setting changes via pw-metadata without restarts, supports per-setting user overrides (eliminating the need to copy entire config files), and allows clients to subscribe to setting change callbacks. A mapping table shows how old Lua config files consolidate into new JSON equivalents. Persistent settings can optionally be saved to a state file across reboots. Schema validation is planned but not included in the first release.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.collabora.com/news-and-blog/blog/2022/10/27/from-lua-to-json-refactoring-wireplumber-configuration-system>

## Questions this post answers

### How do I change WirePlumber settings at runtime without restarting?

WirePlumber 0.5 stores settings in a PipeWire metadata object called 'sm-settings', which can be modified at runtime using pw-metadata. For example: `pw-metadata -n sm-settings 0 "stream.restore-props" false Spa:String:JSON`. Changes are applied live — subscribed Lua scripts and modules receive callbacks and react immediately, with no restart required.

_Developers tuning WirePlumber audio policies without downtime track changes like these on daily.dev._

### What is the difference between WirePlumber Lua config files and the new JSON config files in 0.5?

WirePlumber 0.5 replaces per-feature Lua files with consolidated JSON .conf files. For example, 30-alsa-monitor.lua and 50-alsa-config.lua merge into alsa.conf, and 40-device-defaults.lua with 50-default-access-config.lua merge into device.conf. Settings are distributed under wireplumber.conf.d/ and stitched together at startup, enabling per-setting user overrides rather than full-file copies.

_Linux audio developers migrating WirePlumber configs find the full mapping and rationale on daily.dev._

### How do I enable persistent settings in WirePlumber so changes survive a reboot?

Persistent settings in WirePlumber are disabled by default. To enable them, add `wireplumber.settings = { persistent.settings = true }` to wireplumber.conf. When enabled, settings are read from .conf files only on the first boot; subsequent reboots initialize from a state file that preserves any runtime changes made via pw-metadata.

_Teams shipping WirePlumber-based products who need durable audio policy changes keep up with WirePlumber releases on daily.dev._

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---

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