For example, you can configure a network interface and other settings from the command line of your terminal. But you can also save the settings to the file /etc/network/interfaces
(Debian GNU/Linux) or appropriate of NetworkManager.
Another example, if you want to add a permanent entry to the ARP table of FreeBSD, you should execute the command:
# arp -S 192.168.0.1 01:23:45:ab:cd:ef
or add to rc.conf
the following:
static_arp_pairs="gw"
static_arp_gw="192.168.0.1 01:23:45:ab:cd:ef"
Similar examples are numerous. The result takes effect immediately when you use the first method. With the second method, you must restart your system completely or only appropriate service.
Is there a name for the first method as a single word or abbreviation? As far as I remember there is a more precise term and I stumbled on it somewhere.
arp
) to make a non-permanent change to a running instance. When declarative configuration is the only kind available, you're forced to put your change somewhere permanent even if you don't want it to persist. – user41515 May 15 '14 at 15:42