diff --git a/aos/configuration.h b/aos/configuration.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fadd7a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aos/configuration.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#ifndef AOS_CONFIGURATION_H_
+#define AOS_CONFIGURATION_H_
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+
+namespace aos {
+
+// Holds global configuration data. All of the functions are safe to call
+// from wherever.
+namespace configuration {
+
+// Returns "our" IP address.
+const in_addr &GetOwnIPAddress();
+
+// Returns the "root directory" for this run. Under linux, this is the
+// directory where the executable is located (from /proc/self/exe)
+// The return value will always be to a static string, so no freeing is
+// necessary.
+const char *GetRootDirectory();
+// Returns the directory where logs get written. Relative to GetRootDirectory().
+// The return value will always be to a static string, so no freeing is
+// necessary.
+const char *GetLoggingDirectory();
+
+}  // namespace configuration
+}  // namespace aos
+
+#endif  // AOS_CONFIGURATION_H_