A Windows INI File is a simple text file that is designed to store simple data.

An INI file typically is organized into sections.  Each section has a name that is surrounded by bracket symbols ("[]").

In each section will be a list of names and values which are separated by an equals ("=") sign.  Each name and value pair will appear on its own line in an INI file.  (Frequently these pairs are called "name-value pairs".)

Any line in an INI file that starts with a semicolon is considered a "comment" line and is ignored when the Windows System reads an INI file.

Here is a sample of an INI file:

;===============================
[environment]
list=prod|ps|test|dev|uat|localhost
default=dev

;===============================
[common Application]
site_code=bla
site_name=Bla

This INI file has two sections--"environment" and "common Application".

The Environment section has two named-value pairs:  list and default.

If a program asked Windows to read the INI file, it may ask Windows to find the value of a value called "default" from the "environment" section.  If the above file was read, the Windows Operating System would return the value "dev".

Note that the lines that start with a semicolon and have lots of equals signs (";=====") would be ignored.

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