17.2. ModeShape Configuration Options

Loading configuration from a file is conceptually the most straightforward and requires the least amount of Java code, but it does requires having a configuration file. This is easy, allows one to manage configurations in version control, enables your application to use only the standard JCR API , and will likely be the best approach for most applications. If you're not sure, use this approach.

Loading configuration from a repository is an advanced option allowing multiple JcrEngine instances (usually in different processes perhaps on different machines) to easily access a (shared) configuration.