Config, staging, and runtime dependencies

Configuration

UE config resolves through an ordered hierarchy: engine bases, platform bases, project defaults, platform project overrides, then user layers. Diagnose the effective staged value, not one source file.

• commit project defaults and deliberate platform overrides;
• keep generated Saved/Config user/machine state out of release inputs;
• use Packaging Ini Key/Section Denylist for values that must not ship;
• never put private signing, store, backend, or service secrets in staged client config;
• verify maps, cultures, device profiles, scalability, online subsystem, and log settings in the artifact.

Game plugin config has a documented packaging caveat: plugin config files are not automatically packaged as an independent config layer. Merge required runtime defaults into the project's config and validate the staged result.

Files outside assets

Use RuntimeDependencies in .Build.cs for third-party libraries and staged files. Choose:

• UFS: accessed through Unreal file APIs and eligible for a container;
• NonUFS: loose file required by native/external IO;
• DebugNonUFS: loose debug file staged only when debug files are requested;
• SystemNonUFS: loose system file outside normal remapping.

DLLs/shared libraries loaded by the OS must remain loose. Use the packaging settings for intentional non-asset directories only when build rules are not the right owner. Verify license files, movies, certificates, prerequisites, and dynamic-library search paths on a clean machine.