Configuring with joinmarket.cfg

The joinmarket.cfg file looks like this. Lines starting with # are comments

[BLOCKCHAIN]
blockchain_source = blockr 
#options: blockr, bitcoin-rpc, json-rpc, regtest
#for instructions on bitcoin-rpc read https://github.com/chris-belcher/joinmarket/wiki/Running-JoinMarket-with-Bitcoin-Core-full-node 
network = mainnet
rpc_host = localhost
rpc_port = 8332
rpc_user = bitcoin
rpc_password = password
#notify_port = 62602
#notify_host = localhost

[MESSAGING]
host = irc.cyberguerrilla.org
channel = joinmarket-pit
port = 6697
usessl = true
socks5 = false
socks5_host = localhost
socks5_port = 9050
#for tor
#host = 6dvj6v5imhny3anf.onion
#port = 6697
#usessl = true
#socks5 = true

[POLICY]
#for dust sweeping, try merge_algorithm = gradual
merge_algorithm = default

It has simple options for changing the bitcoin network, blockchain source and irc options.

Network can be mainnet or testnet

When setting blockchain_source to bitcoin-rpc and using the rpc options, read this: See also: https://github.com/chris-belcher/joinmarket/wiki/Running-JoinMarket-with-Bitcoin-Core-full-node

Connecting with Tor

You need Tor running locally. Change the host field to the cyberguerrilla onion, enable socks5 and ssl.

UTXO Policy

By default JoinMarket bots will choose transaction inputs that maximize your privacy. It will usually will avoid combining many inputs together which provides evidence of common ownership. The downside is that this will produce lots of small-value UTXOs. They will not be dust because they are larger than DUST_THRESHOLD but some people find them annoying. If this bothers you use merge_algorithm = gradual.