configparser suits applications that receive INI configuration. Values are text by default, sections organize options, and interpolation supports controlled references.
Practical example
from configparser import ConfigParser
config = ConfigParser()
config.read_string("[server]\nhost = localhost\nport = 8080")
host = config["server"]["host"]
port = config["server"].getint("port")
print(host, port)Conversion and precedence
Use getint, getfloat, and getboolean instead of improvised conversions. Document precedence among defaults, files, environment variables, and command-line arguments so the effective value is explainable.
Configuration is not a secret store
Validate required fields and ranges before starting the service. Do not commit passwords or tokens to an INI file; load them from a persistent secret mechanism appropriate for the environment.
Keep learning
Continue with Python tomllib: Read TOML and pyproject.toml and Pydantic Settings: Typed Configuration in Python. A official Python documentation, accessed July 22, 2026, documents the API and behavior across versions.