What is difference between .bowerrc file and bower.json file

Question

I'm working on a project and its root directory has both files:

• .bowerrc
• bower.json

They both seem to configure bower, they both seem to use JSON, and my project has both files. But how are they different?

Answer 1

The bower site explains the difference:

• bower.json exists inside of a package. (at the root directory of a package). A package is contained code which other developers/packages can use. So if you make your own package, you need a bower.json. If you use another package, it must have a bower.json
• .bowerrc exists either at the "user's home folder" (aka ~) and/or the "global folder" (aka /). This file configures how the bower program (the command-line utility) will work. The configurations in this file are merged with configurations you can specify other ways (i.e. arguments via the command-line) so bower knows how to run

This repository also explains the difference (emphasis added):

• With bower.json for project configuration (like package.json or Gemfile)
• With configuration variables for execution in general (like command-line flags)

Notice that "configuration" can be expressed in the .bowerrc file.