configuration-panda 0.7

ConfigurationPanda provides easy loading and access to the data elements of JSON based configuration files.

ConfigurationPanda provides easy loading and access to the data elements of JSON based configuration files.

It works by finding JSON configuration files within locations specified by environment variables loads the contents of each file onto an object attribute so that program internals can easily obtain necessary settings without developers having to write routine open() and json parsing operations.

It is an opinionated library which attempts to encourage fellow developers to:

1. Avoid Borg-like single configuration files containing all your passwords, settings, etc. Instead, as each configuration file becomes a namespace on the ConfigurationPanda object, the contents of that file should be explicitly tied to the namespace.

2. Avoid hardcoding configuration file paths into your programs. The program stubbornly insists on working with environment variables only.

3. Use JSON rather than CONF files, which are much more portable when operating in a heterogeneous programming environment. My condolences if you have to work with .Net

Usage

Assuming that an environment variable ‘SHARED_CONFIG_FILES’ exists and points to a directory containing multiple JSON files, including the following:

ldap.json
  {
    "primary": {
        "url": "ldaps://primaryldap.example.edu:111",
        "login": "cn=LDAP Testing",
        "password": "LDAP Password"
    }
  }

smtp.json
  {
    "TestAccount1": {
        "url": "smtp.yourschool.edu",
        "login": "testaccount1",
        "password": "testaccount1password"
    }
  }

You would access the contents of those configuration files like this:

>>> from configuration_panda import ConfigurationPanda
>>> program_settings = ConfigurationPanda(['SHARED_CONFIG_FILES'])
>>> program_settings.ldap['primary']['url']
ldaps://primaryldap.example.edu:111
>>> program_settings.smtp['TestAccount1']['login']
testaccount1

Or, if you prefer dictionary-style syntax:

>>> from configuration_panda import ConfigurationPanda
>>> program_settings = ConfigurationPanda(['SHARED_CONFIG_FILES'])
>>> program_settings['ldap']['primary']['url']
ldaps://primaryldap.example.edu:111
>>> program_settings['smtp']['TestAccount1']['login']
testaccount1

BONUS! Set Environment Variables

ConfigurationPanda can also set additional environment variables for you!

If a JSON file named ‘environment_variables.json’ is found during directory scanning, an attempt will be made to create an environment variable from each entry within the JSON file.

For instance:

environment_variables.json
  {
    "MY_FAVORITE_FOOD": "Dumplings",
    "MY_WORST_NIGHTMARE": "The Noodle Dream"
  }

This functionality allows you to dynamically insert environment variables at runtime rather than having to make them a permanent fixture in a .bash_profile or .bash_rc file.