# Custom configurations

### About custom configurations

Custom configurations are a powerful tool for customization in Mapeo, allowing users to define specific categories, icons, and questionnaires for their projects. Custom category and questionnaire text can be written in any language that can be typed, ensuring that key parts of the Mapeo data collection interface can appear in the native language of the groups using it.

In the current version of Mapeo, configurations also contain a *project key* that allows participants of the same Mapeo project to synchronize data with each other and prevents synchronization with other devices. ​

### Creating custom configurations

If you have determined that Mapeo's [Default configuration](/complete-reference-guide/will-mapeo-work-out-of-the-box-for-me/default-configuration.md) will not suit the needs of your project, you have the option of authoring a custom configuration.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Creating custom configurations currently requires significant technical knowledge and will not be accessible to all users.
{% endhint %}

The customization process, detailed in [Creating custom configurations](/complete-reference-guide/customization-options/custom-configurations/creating-custom-configurations.md), requires comfort editing `JSON` files, generating `SVG` image files, and using GitHub Actions or installing and using `node` packages via the command line.


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