/!\ ''I am missing docs on the config files, therefore I started this page. Please help filling out the gaps or pointing me towards existing resources!'' --Christoph

On GNU/Linux, the configuration directory is: {{{"${HOME}/.purple"}}}

On Windows, the configuration directory is: {{{"%userprofile%\Application Data\.purple"}}}

The configuration directory contains the following subdirectories:
 * icons - Buddy icons received from other users.  Icons are named by forty hexidecimal characters followed by a file extension (png, gif, bmp) and referenced by blist.xml.
 * icons(old) - Old buddy icons, migrated from gaim installation.  Icons are named by eight hexidecimal characters and referenced by blist.xm.
 * logs - Stores the logs of prior chats (if this feature is enabled).  The logs are stored in the format {{{.purple/logs/${Protocol}/${ScreenName}/${RemoteScreenName}/${YYYY-MM-DD.HHmmSS-UTCOffsetTimeZone}.html"}}}  In the case of chat rooms/channels, {{{${RemoteAccountName}}}} is {{{"#ChannelName.chat"}}}.  In the case of logged availability information, {{{${RemoteAccountName}}}} is {{{".system"}}}.
 * plugins (Optional)
 * smileys - Empty on my machine. Thankfully. Let's deprecate this.
 * certificates - Currently used only for SSL host certificate caching

The configuration directory contains the following files:
 * accels - Any menu shortcuts you may have modified in pidgin. This file is an automated accelerator map dump.
 * accounts.xml - Information about your accounts.  Note that your IM account passphrases are stored there in plain text, if you choose to store passphrases.  To protect all files in /home, or even /, use [http://luks.endorphin.org/ LUKS whole volume encryption] and a strong passphrase as boot time.
 * blist.xml - A local copy of your buddy lists, for use in keeping locally applied aliases and group and buddy ordering between accounts.
 * pounces.xml - Your Buddy Pounce settings (Optional)
 * prefs.xml - Your preference settings
 * status.xml - Your StatusMessages
 * gtkrc-2.0 - [http://developer.pidgin.im/wiki/Using%20Pidgin#WhatisagtkrcfileandwherecanIfindit FAQ-Entry] (Only in Windows)