File structure requirements

Institutional profiles require specific files in the nf-core/configs repository. You will create new files for your cluster configuration and documentation, and modify existing files to register your profile.

Files to create

Create these new files for your institutional profile:

Configuration file

Path: conf/<cluster_name>.config

This is the main configuration file that defines your cluster’s settings. It contains all the Nextflow configuration scopes (parameters, process settings, executor options, container configurations) that apply to your cluster.

Use lowercase with underscores for the filename (for example, big_university.config, research_cluster.config).

See Configuration file components for detailed information about what to include.

Documentation file

Path: docs/<cluster_name>.md

This markdown file documents your profile’s purpose, usage instructions, and any special requirements. It helps users at your institution understand how to use the profile and troubleshoot common issues.

The filename should match your configuration file name (for example, big_university.md for big_university.config).

See Documentation requirements for detailed information about what to include.

Files to modify

Update these existing files in the nf-core/configs repository to register your profile:

nfcore_custom.config

Path: nfcore_custom.config

Add a profile entry that references your configuration file. This makes your profile available when users specify -profile <your_institution>.

Add your profile within the profiles scope in alphabetical order:

profiles {
  // ... other profiles ...
  big_university {
    includeConfig "${params.custom_config_base}/conf/big_university.config"
  }
  // ... other profiles ...
}

The profile name in this file determines how users access your profile with the -profile flag.

README.md

Path: README.md

Add your institution to the documentation table in the main README. This provides visibility for users browsing the repository.

Add a row to the institution table in alphabetical order:

| big_university | Big University HPC | [big_university.md](docs/big_university.md) |

Include the profile name, institution name, and link to your documentation file.

GitHub Actions workflow

Path: .github/workflows/main.yml

Add your profile to the automated testing matrix. This ensures your profile passes continuous integration checks when template changes occur.

Locate the profile list in the test matrix and add your profile name in alphabetical order:

strategy:
  matrix:
    profile:
      - abims
      - awsbatch
      - big_university # Add your profile here
      - bigpurple
      # ... other profiles ...

Pipeline-specific profiles

If you need a pipeline-specific profile (not common), create an additional directory and configuration file:

Path: conf/pipeline/<pipeline_name>/<cluster_name>.config

For example, to create a profile specific to the rnaseq pipeline for big_university:

conf/pipeline/rnaseq/big_university.config

Then reference it in nfcore_custom.config:

profiles {
  big_university {
    includeConfig "${params.custom_config_base}/conf/big_university.config"
    includeConfig "${params.custom_config_base}/conf/pipeline/rnaseq/big_university.config"
  }
}

The pipeline-specific configuration loads after the global profile, so it can override or extend global settings.

Next steps

Once you understand which files to create and modify, you can begin writing your configuration file.

See Configuration file components to learn how to structure your cluster configuration.