diff --git a/include/neuron/utils/neu_jwt.h b/include/neuron/utils/neu_jwt.h
index 298d3052..d77241b5 100644
--- a/include/neuron/utils/neu_jwt.h
+++ b/include/neuron/utils/neu_jwt.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 extern bool disable_jwt;
 
-int  neu_jwt_init(char *dir_path);
+int  neu_jwt_init(const char *dir_path);
 int  neu_jwt_new(char **token);
 int  neu_jwt_validate(char *b_token);
 void neu_jwt_destroy();
diff --git a/plugins/restful/license.h b/plugins/restful/license.h
index d465c308..a3be2eeb 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/license.h
+++ b/plugins/restful/license.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #ifndef LICENSE_H
 #define LICENSE_H
 
-#define LICENSE_DIR "config"
 #define LICENSE_FNAME "neuron.lic"
 
 // License type
diff --git a/plugins/restful/license_handle.c b/plugins/restful/license_handle.c
index 8ff050dd..c07f5c63 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/license_handle.c
+++ b/plugins/restful/license_handle.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "argparse.h"
 #include "errcodes.h"
 #include "parser/neu_json_license.h"
 #include "plugin.h"
@@ -34,15 +35,25 @@
 #include "license.h"
 #include "license_handle.h"
 
-#define LICENSE_PATH LICENSE_DIR "/" LICENSE_FNAME
-
 static int set_license(const char *lic_str);
 int        backup_license_file(const char *lic_fname);
 int        get_plugin_names(const license_t *lic, UT_array *plugin_names);
 
+static inline char *get_license_path()
+{
+    size_t n = 1 + snprintf(NULL, 0, "%s/%s", g_config_dir, LICENSE_FNAME);
+    char * p = malloc(n);
+    if (NULL == p) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    snprintf(p, n, "%s/%s", g_config_dir, LICENSE_FNAME);
+    return p;
+}
+
 void handle_get_license(nng_aio *aio)
 {
     int                         rv              = 0;
+    char *                      license_path    = NULL;
     license_t                   lic             = {};
     neu_json_get_license_resp_t resp            = {};
     time_t                      since           = 0;
@@ -56,8 +67,15 @@ void handle_get_license(nng_aio *aio)
     VALIDATE_JWT(aio);
 
     utarray_new(plugin_names, &ut_ptr_icd);
+
+    license_path = get_license_path();
+    if (NULL == license_path) {
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto final;
+    }
+
     license_init(&lic);
-    rv = license_read(&lic, LICENSE_PATH);
+    rv = license_read(&lic, license_path);
     if (0 != rv) {
         goto final;
     }
@@ -111,6 +129,7 @@ final:
     license_fini(&lic);
     utarray_free(plugin_names);
     free(resp.enabled_plugins);
+    free(license_path);
 }
 
 void handle_set_license(nng_aio *aio)
@@ -130,20 +149,39 @@ static inline bool file_exists(const char *const path)
 
 static int set_license(const char *lic_str)
 {
-    int         rv        = 0;
-    license_t   new_lic   = {};
-    const char *fname_tmp = LICENSE_PATH ".tmp";
+    int         rv           = 0;
+    size_t      len          = 0;
+    const char *suffix       = ".tmp";
+    char *      license_path = NULL;
+    char *      fname_tmp    = NULL;
+    FILE *      fp           = NULL;
+    license_t   new_lic      = {};
 
-    int len = strlen(lic_str);
-    if (len > 15000) {
-        // the license file won't exceed 15KB
-        return NEU_ERR_LICENSE_INVALID;
+    license_path = get_license_path();
+    if (NULL == license_path) {
+        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
     }
 
-    FILE *fp = fopen(fname_tmp, "w");
+    len       = strlen(license_path) + strlen(suffix) + 1;
+    fname_tmp = malloc(len);
+    if (NULL == fname_tmp) {
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto final;
+    }
+    snprintf(fname_tmp, len, "%s%s", license_path, suffix);
+
+    len = strlen(lic_str);
+    if (len > 15000) {
+        // the license file won't exceed 15KB
+        rv = NEU_ERR_LICENSE_INVALID;
+        goto final;
+    }
+
+    fp = fopen(fname_tmp, "w");
     if (NULL == fp) {
         nlog_error("unable to create license tmp file `%s`", fname_tmp);
-        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto final;
     }
 
     rv = fputs(lic_str, fp);
@@ -170,13 +208,13 @@ static int set_license(const char *lic_str)
         goto final;
     }
 
-    if (file_exists(LICENSE_PATH) && 0 > backup_license_file(LICENSE_PATH)) {
-        nlog_error("unable to backup license file `%s`", LICENSE_PATH);
+    if (file_exists(license_path) && 0 > backup_license_file(license_path)) {
+        nlog_error("unable to backup license file `%s`", license_path);
         rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
         goto final;
     }
 
-    if (0 > rename(fname_tmp, LICENSE_PATH)) {
+    if (0 > rename(fname_tmp, license_path)) {
         rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
         goto final;
     }
@@ -189,29 +227,39 @@ static int set_license(const char *lic_str)
     }
 
 final:
-    fclose(fp);
+    if (fp) {
+        fclose(fp);
+    }
     remove(fname_tmp);
+    free(license_path);
+    free(fname_tmp);
     return rv;
 }
 
 int backup_license_file(const char *lic_fname)
 {
-    struct tm tm             = { .tm_isdst = -1 };
-    time_t    now            = time(NULL);
-    char      fname_bak[128] = { 0 };
+    struct tm   tm     = { .tm_isdst = -1 };
+    time_t      now    = time(NULL);
+    const char *suffix = ".bak";
+    size_t      len =
+        strlen(lic_fname) + strlen(suffix) + 15 + 1; // 15 for timestamp
+    char *fname_bak = malloc(len);
 
-    size_t n = snprintf(fname_bak, sizeof(fname_bak), "%s.bak", lic_fname);
-    if (sizeof(fname_bak) == n) {
-        return -1;
+    if (NULL == fname_bak) {
+        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
     }
 
+    size_t n = snprintf(fname_bak, len, "%s.bak", lic_fname);
+
     gmtime_r(&now, &tm);
-    if (0 ==
-        strftime(fname_bak + n, sizeof(fname_bak) - n, ".%Y%m%d%H%M%S", &tm)) {
+    if (0 == strftime(fname_bak + n, len - n, ".%Y%m%d%H%M%S", &tm)) {
+        free(fname_bak);
         return -1;
     }
 
-    return link(lic_fname, fname_bak);
+    int rv = link(lic_fname, fname_bak);
+    free(fname_bak);
+    return rv;
 }
 
 int get_plugin_names(const license_t *lic, UT_array *plugin_names)
diff --git a/plugins/restful/normal_handle.c b/plugins/restful/normal_handle.c
index 4a2b8b1f..b4dd4adf 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/normal_handle.c
+++ b/plugins/restful/normal_handle.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 #include "utils/log.h"
 
+#include "argparse.h"
 #include "parser/neu_json_login.h"
 #include "json/neu_json_fn.h"
 
@@ -129,8 +130,8 @@ void handle_get_plugin_schema(nng_aio *aio)
         return;
     }
 
-    snprintf(schema_path, sizeof(schema_path) - 1, "./plugins/schema/%s.json",
-             plugin_name);
+    snprintf(schema_path, sizeof(schema_path) - 1, "%s/schema/%s.json",
+             g_plugin_dir, plugin_name);
 
     char *buf = NULL;
     buf       = file_string_read(&len, schema_path);
diff --git a/plugins/restful/rest.c b/plugins/restful/rest.c
index 437f538d..3610bea9 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/rest.c
+++ b/plugins/restful/rest.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <nng/supplemental/http/http.h>
 
 #include "adapter_handle.h"
+#include "argparse.h"
 #include "datatag_handle.h"
 #include "define.h"
 #include "group_config_handle.h"
@@ -219,7 +220,7 @@ static int dashb_plugin_init(neu_plugin_t *plugin)
 
     (void) plugin;
 
-    rv = neu_jwt_init("./config");
+    rv = neu_jwt_init(g_config_dir);
 
     nlog_info("Initialize plugin: %s", neu_plugin_module.module_name);
     return rv;
diff --git a/src/core/plugin_manager.c b/src/core/plugin_manager.c
index da48faf8..c24b0780 100644
--- a/src/core/plugin_manager.c
+++ b/src/core/plugin_manager.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #include "restful/rest.h"
 
+#include "argparse.h"
 #include "plugin_manager.h"
 
 typedef struct plugin_entity {
@@ -246,7 +247,7 @@ int neu_plugin_manager_create_instance(neu_plugin_manager_t * mgr,
     if (plugin != NULL) {
         char lib_path[256] = { 0 };
 
-        snprintf(lib_path, sizeof(lib_path) - 1, "./plugins/%s",
+        snprintf(lib_path, sizeof(lib_path) - 1, "%s/%s", g_plugin_dir,
                  plugin->lib_name);
         instance->handle = dlopen(lib_path, RTLD_NOW | RTLD_NODELETE);
         assert(instance->handle != NULL);
diff --git a/src/persist/persist.c b/src/persist/persist.c
index 8ac6014c..adfca27b 100644
--- a/src/persist/persist.c
+++ b/src/persist/persist.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "errcodes.h"
 #include "utils/log.h"
 
+#include "argparse.h"
 #include "persist/json/persist_json_plugin.h"
 #include "persist/persist.h"
 
@@ -616,7 +617,7 @@ neu_persister_t *neu_persister_create(const char *dir_name)
         sqlite3_close(persister->db);
         goto error;
     }
-    if (0 != apply_schemas(persister->db, "config/")) {
+    if (0 != apply_schemas(persister->db, g_config_dir)) {
         goto error;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/neu_jwt.c b/src/utils/neu_jwt.c
index 636b220c..7025294d 100644
--- a/src/utils/neu_jwt.c
+++ b/src/utils/neu_jwt.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static void add_key(char *name, char *value)
             sizeof(key_store.key[key_store.size - 1].key) - 1);
 }
 
-static char *load_key(char *dir, char *name)
+static char *load_key(const char *dir, char *name)
 {
     FILE *      f             = NULL;
     int         len           = 0;
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ static char *load_key(char *dir, char *name)
     return content;
 }
 
-int neu_jwt_init(char *dir_path)
+int neu_jwt_init(const char *dir_path)
 {
     DIR *          dir = NULL;
     struct dirent *ptr = NULL;