diff --git a/server/config/defaults.hjson b/server/config/defaults.hjson
index 05cfbec2..e65bbcf4 100644
--- a/server/config/defaults.hjson
+++ b/server/config/defaults.hjson
@@ -1,28 +1,51 @@
 {
+  # settings related to the postgresql database
   database: {
+      # username to connect to postgres
       user: "lemmy"
+      # password to connect to postgres
       password: "password"
+      # host where postgres is running
       host: "localhost"
+      # port where postgres can be accessed
       port: 5432
+      # name of the postgres database for lemmy
       database: "lemmy"
+      # maximum number of active sql connections
       pool_size: 5
     }
+  # the domain name of your instance (eg "dev.lemmy.ml")
   hostname: "rrr"
+  # address where lemmy should listen for incoming requests
   bind: "0.0.0.0"
+  # port where lemmy should listen for incoming requests
   port: 8536
+  # json web token for authorization between server and client
   jwt_secret: "changeme"
+  # rate limits for various user actions, by user ip
   rate_limit: {
+    # maximum number of messages created in interval
     message: 30,
+    # interval length for message limit
     message_per_second: 60,
+    # maximum number of posts created in interval
     post: 6,
+    # interval length for post limit
     post_per_second: 600,
+    # maximum number of registrations in interval
     register: 3,
+    # interval length for registration limit
     register_per_second: 3600,
   }
+#  # email sending configuration
 #  email: {
+#    # hostname of the smtp server
 #    smtp_server: ""
+#    # login name for smtp server
 #    smtp_login: ""
+#    # password to login to the smtp server
 #    smtp_password: ""
+#    # address to send emails from, eg "info@your-instance.com"
 #    smtp_from_address: ""
 #  }
 }