A strongly typed configuration framework with detailed validation that is simple to use, for web apps, command line or any application environment.

import yarnandtail.andhow.property.*;
import yarnandtail.andhow.*;
import yarnandtail.andhow.load.PropFileLoader;

public class SimpleSample {
	
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		AndHow.builder() /* 1) Simple builder initializes framework */
				.loader(new PropFileLoader())
				.group(MySetOfProps.class) /* 2) MySetOfProps defined below */
				.build();
	
		//3) After initialization, Properties can be used to directly access their values.
		//Note the strongly typed return values.
		String queryUrl =
				MySetOfProps.SERVICE_URL.getValue() +
				MySetOfProps.QUERY_ENDPOINT.getValue();
		Integer timeout = MySetOfProps.TIMEOUT.getValue();
		
		System.out.println("The query url is: " + queryUrl);
		System.out.println("Timeout is : " + timeout);
	}
	
	//4) Normally PropertyGroups would be in separate files with the module they apply to
	@GroupInfo(name="Example Property group", desc="One logical set of properties")
	public interface MySetOfProps extends PropertyGroup {
		
		StrProp SERVICE_URL = StrProp.builder().mustEndWith("/").build();
		IntProp TIMEOUT = IntProp.builder().defaultValue(50).build();
		StrProp QUERY_ENDPOINT = StrProp.builder().required()
				.desc("Service name added to end of url for the queries").build();
	}
}

1. AndHow initializes with a simple builder(). Loaders, like the PropFileLoader, read properties from various sources. PropFileLoader will look for an andhow.properties file by default, but other locations can be configured and other loaders can be used, such as command line and (soon) JNDI.
2. Add PropertyGroups to the list that AndHow will manage.
3. Property values can be accessed directly from the Property itself - there is no magic name string to fetch properties from a HashMap. Return values of getValue() are strongly typed.
4. Properties are defined as public static final constants in interfaces that create logical sets called PropertyGroups. Properties describe themselves in their builders, including the value type (String, Integer, etc), required vs. optional, validation rules and description. (Members defined in interfaces are public static final by default)

Of course, this example fails because there is no andhow.properties file. This is a good thing - you would not want a misconfigured application to appear to start. Even better, it doesn't just fail, it prints a sample configuration for each of the loaders in use. For the PropFileLoader it would print this:

##########################################################################################
# Sample properties file generated by AndHow!  strong.simple.valid.App_Configuration  ####
##################################################  https://github.com/eeverman/andhow ###
# Property Group 'Example Property group' - One logical set of properties
# Defined in interface org.simple.SimpleSample.MySetOfProps

# SERVICE_URL (String) 
# The configured value must end with '/'
org.simple.SimpleSample.MySetOfProps.SERVICE_URL = [String]

# TIMEOUT (Integer) 
# Default Value: 50
org.simple.SimpleSample.MySetOfProps.TIMEOUT = 50

# QUERY_ENDPOINT (String) REQUIRED - Service name added to end of url for the queries
org.simple.SimpleSample.MySetOfProps.QUERY_ENDPOINT = [String]
##########################################################################################

Read more about project goals and details. Contact me if you have questions or would like to help.

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