---
title: Topic-Level Configs
description: Topic-Level Configs
weight: 2
tags: ['kafka', 'docs']
aliases: 
keywords: 
type: docs
---

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Configurations pertinent to topics have both a server default as well an optional per-topic override. If no per-topic configuration is given the server default is used. The override can be set at topic creation time by giving one or more `--config` options. This example creates a topic named _my-topic_ with a custom max message size and flush rate: 
    
    
    $ bin/kafka-topics.sh --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 --create --topic my-topic --partitions 1 \
      --replication-factor 1 --config max.message.bytes=64000 --config flush.messages=1

Overrides can also be changed or set later using the alter configs command. This example updates the max message size for _my-topic_ : 
    
    
    $ bin/kafka-configs.sh --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 --entity-type topics --entity-name my-topic
      --alter --add-config max.message.bytes=128000

To check overrides set on the topic you can do 
    
    
    $ bin/kafka-configs.sh --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 --entity-type topics --entity-name my-topic --describe

To remove an override you can do 
    
    
    $ bin/kafka-configs.sh --bootstrap-server localhost:9092  --entity-type topics --entity-name my-topic
      --alter --delete-config max.message.bytes

The following are the topic-level configurations. The server's default configuration for this property is given under the Server Default Property heading. A given server default config value only applies to a topic if it does not have an explicit topic config override. {{< include-html file="/static/39/generated/topic_config.html" >}} 
