# What is the root of the project?

## 🧾 Overview

The project root ("root directory") is the **top-level folder of your application,** the place you compress and upload to Discloud. It contains the configuration file ([`discloud.config`](/en/configurations/discloud.config.md)), dependency manifest (e.g. [`package.json`](/en/development-environment/supported-languages/javascript/package-json.md), [`requirements.txt`](/en/development-environment/supported-languages/python/requirements.txt.md), [`Cargo.toml`](/en/development-environment/supported-languages/rust/cargo.toml.md), [`Gemfile`](/en/development-environment/supported-languages/ruby/gemfile.md)), optional [`.env`](/en/faq/general-questions/.env-file.md), and the folders with your source code (e.g. `src/`).

If the structure is wrong (for example, you zip a folder that contains another single folder that actually holds the files), Discloud may fail to detect the main file or dependencies.

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## 🖼️ Visual Example

The green zone represents the **root** you should compress. Yellow shows a nested folder containing code files. Everything inside green is included once you zip that directory.

<figure><img src="/files/riAqlaRg0tL8eZyj205a" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

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### 🚫 Common Mistakes

| Mistake                        | Result                             | Fix                                                                                           |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Zipping parent of actual root  | Missing config / main file         | Zip the folder containing [`discloud.config`](/en/configurations/discloud.config.md) directly |
| Including `node_modules`       | Large upload, possible size issues | Remove; let Discloud install                                                                  |
| Hardcoding tokens in code      | Security exposure                  | Use [`.env`](/en/faq/general-questions/.env-file.md) and environment variables                |
| Multiple entry files ambiguous | Startup failure                    | Define `MAIN` in [`discloud.config`](/en/configurations/discloud.config.md) explicitly        |


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