What is Config directory in Laravel, and what role does it play in a real application?

What is Config directory in Laravel, and what role does it play in a real application? In Laravel, config directory should be understood as part of a larger application architecture rather than as an isolated API call. The config directory contains application configuration files that read values and expose settings to the framework. A strong understanding includes its purpose, the layer where it belongs, the data or request flow it affects, and the situations where another mechanism may be more appropriate. Practical context: Laravel projects use a conventional directory structure so application code, configuration, resources, routes, database files and runtime storage have predictable locations. The specific focus here is config directory: The config directory contains application configuration files that read values and expose settings to the framework. This question is designed to test not only terminology, but also how the concept fits into Laravel's request, application, database, security, or deployment workflow.