# Setting properties in a client/server environment

In a client/server environment, you must set the system properties for the server's system. That means that when you are using the derby.properties file, the file exists in the server's derby.system.home directory. Client applications can set database-wide properties because they are set via SQL statements.

The following table summarizes the ways to set properties.

Table 1. Ways to set properties
Type of Property | How You Set It
--- | ---
System-wide | In derby.properties As a command-line option when starting the JVM that holds the server or, if the server is started from within a program, programmatically by the program that hosts the server
Database-wide | Using system procedures and functions in an SQL statement

Parent topic: Setting Derby properties
Related concepts
Setting system-wide properties
Setting database-wide properties
Making dynamic or static changes to properties