diff --git a/include/PConfig.php b/include/PConfig.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ef1136995
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/PConfig.php
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file include/PConfig.php
+ * @brief contains the class with methods for the management
+ * of the user configuration
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @brief Management of user configuration
+ */
+class PConfig {
+
+	/**
+	 * @brief Loads all configuration values of a user's config family into a cached storage.
+	 *
+	 * All configuration values of the given user are stored in global cache
+	 * which is available under the global variable $a->config[$uid].
+	 *
+	 * @param string $uid
+	 *  The user_id
+	 * @param string $family
+	 *  The category of the configuration value
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	public static function load($uid,$family) {
+		global $a;
+		$r = q("SELECT `v`,`k` FROM `pconfig` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d",
+			dbesc($family),
+			intval($uid)
+		);
+		if(count($r)) {
+			foreach($r as $rr) {
+				$k = $rr['k'];
+				$a->config[$uid][$family][$k] = $rr['v'];
+			}
+		} else if ($family != 'config') {
+			// Negative caching
+			$a->config[$uid][$family] = "!<unset>!";
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @brief Get a particular user's config variable given the category name
+	 * ($family) and a key.
+	 *
+	 * Get a particular user's config value from the given category ($family)
+	 * and the $key from a cached storage in $a->config[$uid].
+	 *
+	 * @param string $uid
+	 *  The user_id
+	 * @param string $family
+	 *  The category of the configuration value
+	 * @param string $key
+	 *  The configuration key to query
+	 * @param boolean $instore
+	 * Determines if the key already exists in the DB
+	 * @return mixed Stored value or false if it does not exist
+	 */
+	public static function get($uid,$family, $key, $instore = false) {
+
+		global $a;
+
+		if(! $instore) {
+			// Looking if the whole family isn't set
+			if(isset($a->config[$uid][$family])) {
+				if($a->config[$uid][$family] === '!<unset>!') {
+					return false;
+				}
+			}
+
+			if(isset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key])) {
+				if($a->config[$uid][$family][$key] === '!<unset>!') {
+					return false;
+				}
+				return $a->config[$uid][$family][$key];
+			}
+		}
+
+		// If APC is enabled then fetch the data from there, else try XCache
+		/*if (function_exists("apc_fetch") AND function_exists("apc_exists"))
+			if (apc_exists($uid."|".$family."|".$key)) {
+				$val = apc_fetch($uid."|".$family."|".$key);
+				$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
+
+				if ($val === '!<unset>!')
+					return false;
+				else
+					return $val;
+			}
+		elseif (function_exists("xcache_get") AND function_exists("xcache_isset"))
+			if (xcache_isset($uid."|".$family."|".$key)) {
+				$val = xcache_get($uid."|".$family."|".$key);
+				$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
+
+				if ($val === '!<unset>!')
+					return false;
+				else
+					return $val;
+			}*/
+
+
+		$ret = q("SELECT `v` FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
+			intval($uid),
+			dbesc($family),
+			dbesc($key)
+		);
+
+		if(count($ret)) {
+			$val = (preg_match("|^a:[0-9]+:{.*}$|s", $ret[0]['v'])?unserialize( $ret[0]['v']):$ret[0]['v']);
+			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
+
+			// If APC is enabled then store the data there, else try XCache
+			/*if (function_exists("apc_store"))
+				apc_store($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $val, 600);
+			elseif (function_exists("xcache_set"))
+				xcache_set($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $val, 600);*/
+
+			return $val;
+		}
+		else {
+			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = '!<unset>!';
+
+			// If APC is enabled then store the data there, else try XCache
+			/*if (function_exists("apc_store"))
+				apc_store($uid."|".$family."|".$key, '!<unset>!', 600);
+			elseif (function_exists("xcache_set"))
+				xcache_set($uid."|".$family."|".$key, '!<unset>!', 600);*/
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @brief Sets a configuration value for a user
+	 *
+	 * Stores a config value ($value) in the category ($family) under the key ($key)
+	 * for the user_id $uid.
+	 *
+	 * @note Please do not store booleans - convert to 0/1 integer values!
+	 *
+	 * @param string $uid
+	 *  The user_id
+	 * @param string $family
+	 *  The category of the configuration value
+	 * @param string $key
+	 *  The configuration key to set
+	 * @param string $value
+	 *  The value to store
+	 * @return mixed Stored $value or false
+	 */
+	public static function set($uid,$family,$key,$value) {
+
+		global $a;
+
+		// manage array value
+		$dbvalue = (is_array($value)?serialize($value):$value);
+
+		if(get_pconfig($uid,$family,$key,true) === false) {
+			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
+			$ret = q("INSERT INTO `pconfig` ( `uid`, `cat`, `k`, `v` ) VALUES ( %d, '%s', '%s', '%s' ) ",
+				intval($uid),
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key),
+				dbesc($dbvalue)
+			);
+			if($ret) 
+				return $value;
+			return $ret;
+		}
+		$ret = q("UPDATE `pconfig` SET `v` = '%s' WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s'",
+			dbesc($dbvalue),
+			intval($uid),
+			dbesc($family),
+			dbesc($key)
+		);
+
+		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
+
+		// If APC is enabled then store the data there, else try XCache
+		/*if (function_exists("apc_store"))
+			apc_store($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $value, 600);
+		elseif (function_exists("xcache_set"))
+			xcache_set($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $value, 600);*/
+
+
+		if($ret)
+			return $value;
+		return $ret;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @brief Deletes the given key from the users's configuration.
+	 *
+	 * Removes the configured value from the stored cache in $a->config[$uid]
+	 * and removes it from the database.
+	 *
+	 * @param string $uid The user_id
+	 * @param string $family
+	 *  The category of the configuration value
+	 * @param string $key
+	 *  The configuration key to delete
+	 * @return mixed
+	 */
+	public static function delete($uid,$family,$key) {
+
+		global $a;
+		if(x($a->config[$uid][$family],$key))
+			unset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key]);
+		$ret = q("DELETE FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s'",
+			intval($uid),
+			dbesc($family),
+			dbesc($key)
+		);
+		return $ret;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/include/config.php b/include/config.php
index b27274e9a9..585caf43ae 100644
--- a/include/config.php
+++ b/include/config.php
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 <?php
 
+require_once("include/PConfig.php");
+
 /**
- *
- * Arbitrary configuration storage
+ * @file include/config.php
+ * 
+ *  @brief Arbitrary configuration storage
  * Note:
  * Please do not store booleans - convert to 0/1 integer values
  * The get_?config() functions return boolean false for keys that are unset,
@@ -12,10 +15,16 @@
  * configurations need to be fixed as of 10/08/2011.
  */
 
-
-// retrieve a "family" of config variables from database to cached storage
-
-if(! function_exists('load_config')) {
+/**
+ * @brief Loads all configuration values of family into a cached storage.
+ *
+ * All configuration values of the system are stored in global cache
+ * which is available under the global variable $a->config
+ *
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @return void
+ */
 function load_config($family) {
 	global $a;
 
@@ -33,17 +42,27 @@ function load_config($family) {
 		// Negative caching
 		$a->config[$family] = "!<unset>!";
 	}
-}}
+}
 
-// get a particular config variable given the family name
-// and key. Returns false if not set.
-// $instore is only used by the set_config function
-// to determine if the key already exists in the DB
-// If a key is found in the DB but doesn't exist in
-// local config cache, pull it into the cache so we don't have
-// to hit the DB again for this item.
-
-if(! function_exists('get_config')) {
+/**
+ * @brief Get a particular user's config variable given the category name
+ * ($family) and a key.
+ *
+ * Get a particular config value from the given category ($family)
+ * and the $key from a cached storage in $a->config[$uid].
+ * $instore is only used by the set_config function
+ * to determine if the key already exists in the DB
+ * If a key is found in the DB but doesn't exist in
+ * local config cache, pull it into the cache so we don't have
+ * to hit the DB again for this item.
+ *
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @param string $key
+ *  The configuration key to query
+ * @param boolean $instore Determines if the key already exists in the DB
+ * @return mixed Stored value or false if it does not exist
+ */
 function get_config($family, $key, $instore = false) {
 
 	global $a;
@@ -114,13 +133,24 @@ function get_config($family, $key, $instore = false) {
 			xcache_set($family."|".$key, '!<unset>!', 600);*/
 	}
 	return false;
-}}
+}
 
-// Store a config value ($value) in the category ($family)
-// under the key ($key)
-// Return the value, or false if the database update failed
-
-if(! function_exists('set_config')) {
+/**
+ * @brief Sets a configuration value for system config
+ *
+ * Stores a config value ($value) in the category ($family) under the key ($key)
+ * for the user_id $uid.
+ *
+ * Note: Please do not store booleans - convert to 0/1 integer values!
+ *
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @param string $key
+ *  The configuration key to set
+ * @param string $value
+ *  The value to store
+ * @return mixed Stored $value or false if the database update failed
+ */
 function set_config($family,$key,$value) {
 	global $a;
 
@@ -164,104 +194,20 @@ function set_config($family,$key,$value) {
 	if($ret)
 		return $value;
 	return $ret;
-}}
+}
 
-
-if(! function_exists('load_pconfig')) {
-function load_pconfig($uid,$family) {
-	global $a;
-	$r = q("SELECT `v`,`k` FROM `pconfig` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d",
-		dbesc($family),
-		intval($uid)
-	);
-	if(count($r)) {
-		foreach($r as $rr) {
-			$k = $rr['k'];
-			$a->config[$uid][$family][$k] = $rr['v'];
-		}
-	} else if ($family != 'config') {
-		// Negative caching
-		$a->config[$uid][$family] = "!<unset>!";
-	}
-}}
-
-
-
-if(! function_exists('get_pconfig')) {
-function get_pconfig($uid,$family, $key, $instore = false) {
-
-	global $a;
-
-	if(! $instore) {
-		// Looking if the whole family isn't set
-		if(isset($a->config[$uid][$family])) {
-			if($a->config[$uid][$family] === '!<unset>!') {
-				return false;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if(isset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key])) {
-			if($a->config[$uid][$family][$key] === '!<unset>!') {
-				return false;
-			}
-			return $a->config[$uid][$family][$key];
-		}
-	}
-
-	// If APC is enabled then fetch the data from there, else try XCache
-	/*if (function_exists("apc_fetch") AND function_exists("apc_exists"))
-		if (apc_exists($uid."|".$family."|".$key)) {
-			$val = apc_fetch($uid."|".$family."|".$key);
-			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
-
-			if ($val === '!<unset>!')
-				return false;
-			else
-				return $val;
-		}
-	elseif (function_exists("xcache_get") AND function_exists("xcache_isset"))
-		if (xcache_isset($uid."|".$family."|".$key)) {
-			$val = xcache_get($uid."|".$family."|".$key);
-			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
-
-			if ($val === '!<unset>!')
-				return false;
-			else
-				return $val;
-		}*/
-
-
-	$ret = q("SELECT `v` FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		intval($uid),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-
-	if(count($ret)) {
-		$val = (preg_match("|^a:[0-9]+:{.*}$|s", $ret[0]['v'])?unserialize( $ret[0]['v']):$ret[0]['v']);
-		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
-
-		// If APC is enabled then store the data there, else try XCache
-		/*if (function_exists("apc_store"))
-			apc_store($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $val, 600);
-		elseif (function_exists("xcache_set"))
-			xcache_set($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $val, 600);*/
-
-		return $val;
-	}
-	else {
-		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = '!<unset>!';
-
-		// If APC is enabled then store the data there, else try XCache
-		/*if (function_exists("apc_store"))
-			apc_store($uid."|".$family."|".$key, '!<unset>!', 600);
-		elseif (function_exists("xcache_set"))
-			xcache_set($uid."|".$family."|".$key, '!<unset>!', 600);*/
-	}
-	return false;
-}}
-
-if(! function_exists('del_config')) {
+/**
+ * @brief Deletes the given key from the system configuration.
+ *
+ * Removes the configured value from the stored cache in $a->config
+ * and removes it from the database.
+ *
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @param string $key
+ *  The configuration key to delete
+ * @return mixed
+ */
 function del_config($family,$key) {
 
 	global $a;
@@ -278,64 +224,74 @@ function del_config($family,$key) {
 		xcache_unset($family."|".$key);*/
 
 	return $ret;
-}}
+}
 
+/**
+ * @brief (Deprecated) Loads all configuration values of a user's config family into a cached storage.
+ *
+ * Note: This function is deprecated. Use PConfig::load() instead.
+ *
+ * @param string $uid
+ *  The user_id
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @return void
+ */
+function load_pconfig($uid,$family) {
+	return PConfig::load($uid, $family);
+}
 
+/**
+ * @brief (Deprecated) Get a particular user's config variable given the category name
+ * ($family) and a key.
+ *
+ * Note: This function is deprecated. Use PConfig::get() instead.
+ *
+ * @param string $uid
+ *  The user_id
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @param string $key
+ *  The configuration key to query
+ * @param boolean $instore
+ * Determines if the key already exists in the DB
+ * @return mixed Stored value or false if it does not exist
+ */
+function get_pconfig($uid,$family, $key, $instore = false) {
+	return PConfig::get($uid, $family, $key, $instore);
+}
 
-// Same as above functions except these are for personal config storage and take an
-// additional $uid argument.
-
-if(! function_exists('set_pconfig')) {
+/**
+ * @brief (Deprecated) Sets a configuration value for a user
+ *
+ * Note: This function is deprecated. Use PConfig::set() instead.
+ *
+ * @param string $uid
+ *  The user_id
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @param string $key
+ *  The configuration key to set
+ * @param string $value
+ *  The value to store
+ * @return mixed Stored $value or false
+ */
 function set_pconfig($uid,$family,$key,$value) {
+	return PConfig::set($uid, $family, $key, $value);
+}
 
-	global $a;
-
-	// manage array value
-	$dbvalue = (is_array($value)?serialize($value):$value);
-
-	if(get_pconfig($uid,$family,$key,true) === false) {
-		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
-		$ret = q("INSERT INTO `pconfig` ( `uid`, `cat`, `k`, `v` ) VALUES ( %d, '%s', '%s', '%s' ) ",
-			intval($uid),
-			dbesc($family),
-			dbesc($key),
-			dbesc($dbvalue)
-		);
-		if($ret) 
-			return $value;
-		return $ret;
-	}
-	$ret = q("UPDATE `pconfig` SET `v` = '%s' WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s'",
-		dbesc($dbvalue),
-		intval($uid),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-
-	$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
-
-	// If APC is enabled then store the data there, else try XCache
-	/*if (function_exists("apc_store"))
-		apc_store($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $value, 600);
-	elseif (function_exists("xcache_set"))
-		xcache_set($uid."|".$family."|".$key, $value, 600);*/
-
-
-	if($ret)
-		return $value;
-	return $ret;
-}}
-
-if(! function_exists('del_pconfig')) {
+/**
+ * @brief (Deprecated) Deletes the given key from the users's configuration.
+ *
+ * Note: This function is deprecated. Use PConfig::delete() instead.
+ *
+ * @param string $uid The user_id
+ * @param string $family
+ *  The category of the configuration value
+ * @param string $key
+ *  The configuration key to delete
+ * @return mixed
+ */
 function del_pconfig($uid,$family,$key) {
-
-	global $a;
-	if(x($a->config[$uid][$family],$key))
-		unset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key]);
-	$ret = q("DELETE FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s'",
-		intval($uid),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-	return $ret;
-}}
+	return PConfig::delete($uid, $family, $key);
+}