diff --git a/daemon/common/config-file.cpp b/daemon/common/config-file.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d70349
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/common/config-file.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2019,  Regents of the University of California,
+ *                           Arizona Board of Regents,
+ *                           Colorado State University,
+ *                           University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
+ *                           Washington University in St. Louis,
+ *                           Beijing Institute of Technology,
+ *                           The University of Memphis.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NFD (Named Data Networking Forwarding Daemon).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NFD authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NFD is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NFD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
+ * without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * NFD, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "common/config-file.hpp"
+
+#include <boost/property_tree/info_parser.hpp>
+
+#include <fstream>
+#include <sstream>
+
+namespace nfd {
+
+ConfigFile::ConfigFile(UnknownConfigSectionHandler unknownSectionCallback)
+  : m_unknownSectionCallback(unknownSectionCallback)
+{
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::throwErrorOnUnknownSection(const std::string& filename,
+                                       const std::string& sectionName,
+                                       const ConfigSection& section,
+                                       bool isDryRun)
+{
+  NDN_THROW(Error("Error processing configuration file " + filename +
+                  ": no module subscribed for section '" + sectionName + "'"));
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::ignoreUnknownSection(const std::string& filename,
+                                 const std::string& sectionName,
+                                 const ConfigSection& section,
+                                 bool isDryRun)
+{
+  // do nothing
+}
+
+bool
+ConfigFile::parseYesNo(const ConfigSection& node, const std::string& key,
+                       const std::string& sectionName)
+{
+  auto value = node.get_value<std::string>();
+
+  if (value == "yes") {
+    return true;
+  }
+  else if (value == "no") {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  NDN_THROW(Error("Invalid value '" + value + "' for option '" +
+                  key + "' in section '" + sectionName + "'"));
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::addSectionHandler(const std::string& sectionName,
+                              ConfigSectionHandler subscriber)
+{
+  m_subscriptions[sectionName] = subscriber;
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::parse(const std::string& filename, bool isDryRun)
+{
+  std::ifstream inputFile(filename);
+  if (!inputFile.good() || !inputFile.is_open()) {
+    NDN_THROW(Error("Failed to read configuration file " + filename));
+  }
+  parse(inputFile, isDryRun, filename);
+  inputFile.close();
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::parse(const std::string& input, bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename)
+{
+  std::istringstream inputStream(input);
+  parse(inputStream, isDryRun, filename);
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::parse(std::istream& input, bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename)
+{
+  try {
+    boost::property_tree::read_info(input, m_global);
+  }
+  catch (const boost::property_tree::info_parser_error& error) {
+    NDN_THROW(Error("Failed to parse configuration file " + filename +
+                    ": " + error.message() + " on line " + to_string(error.line())));
+  }
+
+  process(isDryRun, filename);
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::parse(const ConfigSection& config, bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename)
+{
+  m_global = config;
+  process(isDryRun, filename);
+}
+
+void
+ConfigFile::process(bool isDryRun, const std::string& filename) const
+{
+  BOOST_ASSERT(!filename.empty());
+
+  for (const auto& i : m_global) {
+    try {
+      const ConfigSectionHandler& subscriber = m_subscriptions.at(i.first);
+      subscriber(i.second, isDryRun, filename);
+    }
+    catch (const std::out_of_range&) {
+      m_unknownSectionCallback(filename, i.first, i.second, isDryRun);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+} // namespace nfd