diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 92f39d3ad..d4cce2338 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ eunit.coverdata
 test/ct.cover.spec
 ct.coverdata
 .idea/
-data/
 _build
 .rebar3
 rebar3.crashdump
diff --git a/data/emqx_vars b/data/emqx_vars
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a889f36d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/emqx_vars
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+######################################################################
+## NOTE: Do NOT replace this file during release upgrade.
+##       Update the vars to the end of this file instead.
+######################################################################
+## constants from relx template
+REL_VSN="{{ rel_vsn }}"
+ERTS_VSN="{{ erts_vsn }}"
+ERL_OPTS="{{ erl_opts }}"
+RUNNER_ROOT_DIR="{{ runner_root_dir }}"
+RUNNER_BIN_DIR="{{ runner_bin_dir }}"
+RUNNER_LOG_DIR="{{ runner_log_dir }}"
+RUNNER_LIB_DIR="{{ runner_lib_dir }}"
+RUNNER_ETC_DIR="{{ runner_etc_dir }}"
+RUNNER_DATA_DIR="{{ runner_data_dir }}"
+RUNNER_USER="{{ runner_user }}"
+EMQX_DISCR="{{ emqx_description }}"
+
+## computed vars
+REL_NAME="emqx"
+ERTS_PATH=$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/erts-$ERTS_VSN/bin
+
+## updated vars here
diff --git a/data/loaded_modules.tmpl b/data/loaded_modules.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25ecbd4bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/loaded_modules.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+{emqx_mod_acl_internal, true}.
+{emqx_mod_presence, true}.
diff --git a/data/loaded_plugins.tmpl b/data/loaded_plugins.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6fde9cace
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/loaded_plugins.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{emqx_management, true}.
+{emqx_recon, true}.
+{emqx_retainer, true}.
+{emqx_dashboard, true}.
+{emqx_telemetry, true}.
+{emqx_rule_engine, {{enable_plugin_emqx_rule_engine}}}.
+{emqx_bridge_mqtt, {{enable_plugin_emqx_bridge_mqtt}}}.