diff --git a/servlet/config.go b/servlet/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8ccc31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/servlet/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package servlet
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"geniuscartel.xyz/vinegar/vinegarUtil"
+)
+
+type (
+	ConfigType  string
+	ConfigEntry struct {
+		ConfigType      ConfigType
+		UrlPattern      string
+		FileLocation    string
+		UseBuiltinCache bool
+	}
+	Config struct {
+		ListeningAddress string
+		Routes           []ConfigEntry
+	}
+)
+
+const (
+	Text       ConfigType = "Text"
+	Image                 = "Image"
+	SingleFile            = "SingleFile"
+)
+
+func CreateBlankConfig() *Config {
+	conf := Config{
+		ListeningAddress: ":8080",
+		Routes:           make([]ConfigEntry, 0, 10),
+	}
+
+	dummyRoute := ConfigEntry{
+		ConfigType:      Text,
+		UrlPattern:      "/*",
+		FileLocation:    "errors/",
+		UseBuiltinCache: false,
+	}
+
+	conf.Routes = append(conf.Routes, dummyRoute)
+
+	return &conf
+}
+
+func LoadConfig(pathlike string) *VinegarServlet {
+	contents, exists := vinegarUtil.GetDiskContent(pathlike)
+	if exists {
+		conf := Config{}
+		err := json.Unmarshal(*contents, &conf)
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+			return nil
+		}
+		servlet := NewServlet(conf.ListeningAddress)
+		for _, v := range conf.Routes {
+			constructor, err := getConstructorFunction(v.ConfigType)
+			if err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+				return nil
+			}
+			//we don't have to invoke servlet.AddRoute because the static routes already do that for us
+			constructor(servlet, v.UrlPattern, v.FileLocation, v.UseBuiltinCache)
+
+		}
+		return servlet
+	}
+	panic("Could not find config file at" + pathlike)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (e ConfigEntry) toRoute(serv *VinegarServlet) {
+	constructor, err := getConstructorFunction(e.ConfigType)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	constructor(serv, e.UrlPattern, e.FileLocation, e.UseBuiltinCache)
+}
+
+func getConstructorFunction(t ConfigType) (RouteConstructor, error) {
+	switch t {
+	case Text:
+		return NewTextRoute, nil
+	case Image:
+		return NewImageRoute, nil
+	case SingleFile:
+		return NewSingleFileRoute, nil
+	}
+	return nil, errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("could not determine constructor for invalid ConfigType: %s", t))
+}
diff --git a/servlet/server.go b/servlet/server.go
index 7411ed4..24ddbf3 100644
--- a/servlet/server.go
+++ b/servlet/server.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (s *VinegarServlet) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 	path := req.URL.Path
 	for _, route := range s.Routes {
 		if route.Pattern.MatchString(path) {
-			fmt.Printf("SERVING: [%s]=>{%s}\n", path, route.Pattern.String())
+			//fmt.Printf("SERVING: [%s]=>{%s}\n", path, route.Pattern.String())
 			route.Handler(w, req)
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/servlet/staticRoute.go b/servlet/staticRoute.go
index 5a1adcb..1fd7d19 100644
--- a/servlet/staticRoute.go
+++ b/servlet/staticRoute.go
@@ -14,19 +14,11 @@ type (
 		fileRoot string
 		UseCache bool
 	}
+
+	RouteConstructor func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute
 )
 
-func NewImageRoute(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
-	defaultPrune := strings.Replace(urlPattern, ".*", "", -1)
-	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: pathlike, UseCache: useCache}
-	rootRoute := NewServletRoute(urlPattern, createUncompressedFileServletFunction(&route, defaultPrune, pathlike))
-	route.VinegarRoute = rootRoute //i *kinda* don't like this pattern
-
-	servlet.AddRoute(route.VinegarRoute)
-	return &route
-}
-
-func NewTextRoute(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
+var NewTextRoute RouteConstructor = func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
 	defaultPrune := strings.Replace(urlPattern, ".*", "", -1)
 	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: pathlike, UseCache: useCache}
 	textRouteHandler := createCompressibleFileServletFunction(&route, defaultPrune, pathlike)
@@ -38,7 +30,17 @@ func NewTextRoute(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, u
 	return &route
 }
 
-func NewSingleFileRoute(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
+var NewImageRoute RouteConstructor = func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
+	defaultPrune := strings.Replace(urlPattern, ".*", "", -1)
+	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: pathlike, UseCache: useCache}
+	rootRoute := NewServletRoute(urlPattern, createUncompressedFileServletFunction(&route, defaultPrune, pathlike))
+	route.VinegarRoute = rootRoute //i *kinda* don't like this pattern
+
+	servlet.AddRoute(route.VinegarRoute)
+	return &route
+}
+
+var NewSingleFileRoute RouteConstructor = func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
 	route := FileRoute{
 		srv:      servlet,
 		fileRoot: pathlike,