diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fc91fca..0eb14e5 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ set(INCLUDE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include")
 
 set(SRCS
   src/Backends/Ini/IniBackend.cxx
+  src/Backends/String/StringBackend.cxx
   src/Backends/Json/JsonBackend.cxx
   src/ConfigurationInterface.cxx
   src/ConfigurationFactory.cxx
@@ -95,12 +96,13 @@ set(SRCS
 message(STATUS "Backends")
 message(STATUS "  Compiling INI backend")
 message(STATUS "  Compiling JSON backend")
+message(STATUS "  Compiling STRING backend")
 
 # Create library
 add_library(Configuration SHARED ${SRCS} $<$<BOOL:${ppconsul_FOUND}>:src/Backends/Consul/ConsulBackend.cxx>)
 target_include_directories(Configuration
-  PUBLIC 
-    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>    
+  PUBLIC
+    $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>
     $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include>
   PRIVATE
     ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ set(TEST_SRCS
   test/TestExamples.cxx
   test/TestIni.cxx
   test/TestJson.cxx
+  test/TestString.cxx
 )
 
 if(ppconsul_FOUND)
diff --git a/src/Backends/String/StringBackend.cxx b/src/Backends/String/StringBackend.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d236be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Backends/String/StringBackend.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+// Copyright CERN and copyright holders of ALICE O2. This software is
+// distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v3 (GPL
+// Version 3), copied verbatim in the file "COPYING".
+//
+// See http://alice-o2.web.cern.ch/license for full licensing information.
+//
+// In applying this license CERN does not waive the privileges and immunities
+// granted to it by virtue of its status as an Intergovernmental Organization
+// or submit itself to any jurisdiction.
+
+/// \file StringBackend.cxx
+/// \brief Configuration interface for files. Port of Configuration.h & Configuration.cxx
+///
+
+#include "StringBackend.h"
+#include <boost/algorithm/string/split.hpp>
+#include <boost/algorithm/string/trim.hpp>
+#include <boost/tokenizer.hpp>
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+namespace o2
+{
+namespace configuration
+{
+namespace backends
+{
+
+StringBackend::StringBackend(const std::string& s)
+{
+  auto cfgStr = boost::trim_copy_if(s, boost::is_any_of(" \n\t"));
+  if (cfgStr.empty()) {
+    throw std::runtime_error("string cfg is empty");
+  }
+
+  std::vector<std::string> tokens;
+  boost::split(tokens, s, boost::is_any_of(";"));
+
+  for (auto& token : tokens) {
+    const auto equals_idx = token.find_first_of('=');
+    if (std::string::npos != equals_idx) {
+      mTree.put(boost::trim_copy(token.substr(0, equals_idx)),
+                boost::trim_copy(token.substr(equals_idx + 1)));
+    } else {
+      throw std::runtime_error("Not a key value pair" + token);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+void StringBackend::putString(const std::string&, const std::string&)
+{
+  throw std::runtime_error("String backend does not support putting values");
+}
+
+boost::optional<std::string> StringBackend::getString(const std::string& path)
+{
+  // To use a custom separator instead of the default '.', we need to construct the path_type object explicitly
+  return mTree.get_optional<std::string>(decltype(mTree)::path_type(addPrefix(path), getSeparator()));
+}
+
+boost::property_tree::ptree
+  StringBackend::getRecursive(const std::string& path)
+{
+  return mTree.get_child(decltype(mTree)::path_type(addPrefix(path), getSeparator()));
+}
+
+KeyValueMap StringBackend::getRecursiveMap(const std::string& path)
+{
+  KeyValueMap map;
+  auto subTree = mTree.get_child(decltype(mTree)::path_type(addPrefix(path), getSeparator()));
+
+  // define lambda to recursively interate tree
+  using boost::property_tree::ptree;
+  std::function<void(const ptree&, std::string)> parse = [&](const ptree& node, std::string key) {
+    map[key] = std::move(node.data());
+    key = key.empty() ? "" : key + getSeparator();
+    for (auto const& it : node) {
+      parse(it.second, key + it.first);
+    }
+  };
+
+  parse(subTree, std::string());
+  return map;
+}
+
+} // namespace backends
+} // namespace configuration
+} // namespace o2
diff --git a/src/Backends/String/StringBackend.h b/src/Backends/String/StringBackend.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1996c9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Backends/String/StringBackend.h
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Copyright CERN and copyright holders of ALICE O2. This software is
+// distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v3 (GPL
+// Version 3), copied verbatim in the file "COPYING".
+//
+// See http://alice-o2.web.cern.ch/license for full licensing information.
+//
+// In applying this license CERN does not waive the privileges and immunities
+// granted to it by virtue of its status as an Intergovernmental Organization
+// or submit itself to any jurisdiction.
+
+/// \file StringBackend.h
+/// \brief Interpret a key=value;key2=value2... etc string
+///
+
+#ifndef O2_CONFIGURATION_BACKENDS_STRINGBACKEND_H_
+#define O2_CONFIGURATION_BACKENDS_STRINGBACKEND_H_
+
+#include "../BackendBase.h"
+#include <string>
+#include <boost/property_tree/ptree.hpp>
+
+namespace o2
+{
+namespace configuration
+{
+namespace backends
+{
+
+class StringBackend final : public BackendBase
+{
+ public:
+  /// Interprets a string as key value pairs.
+  /// \param s the key=value;key2=value2 string to be used as configuration
+  StringBackend(const std::string& s);
+
+  /// Default destructor
+  virtual ~StringBackend() = default;
+  virtual void putString(const std::string& path,
+                         const std::string& value) override;
+  virtual boost::optional<std::string>
+    getString(const std::string& path) override;
+  virtual boost::property_tree::ptree
+    getRecursive(const std::string& path) override;
+  virtual KeyValueMap getRecursiveMap(const std::string& path) override;
+
+ private:
+  boost::property_tree::ptree mTree;
+  std::string mPath;
+};
+
+} // namespace backends
+} // namespace configuration
+} // namespace o2
+
+#endif // O2_CONFIGURATION_BACKENDS_STRINGBACKEND_H_
diff --git a/src/ConfigurationFactory.cxx b/src/ConfigurationFactory.cxx
index 8a02765..9faceb6 100644
--- a/src/ConfigurationFactory.cxx
+++ b/src/ConfigurationFactory.cxx
@@ -13,12 +13,13 @@
 ///
 /// \author Pascal Boeschoten, CERN
 
+#include "Configuration/ConfigurationFactory.h"
+#include "Backends/Json/JsonBackend.h"
+#include "Backends/String/StringBackend.h"
+#include <Backends/Ini/IniBackend.h>
 #include <functional>
 #include <map>
 #include <stdexcept>
-#include <Backends/Ini/IniBackend.h>
-#include "Configuration/ConfigurationFactory.h"
-#include "Backends/Json/JsonBackend.h"
 
 #ifdef FLP_CONFIGURATION_BACKEND_CONSUL_ENABLED
 # include "Backends/Consul/ConsulBackend.h"
@@ -50,6 +51,13 @@ auto getJson(const http::url& uri) -> UniqueConfiguration
   return backend;
 }
 
+auto getString(const http::url& uri) -> UniqueConfiguration
+{
+  auto path = uri.host + uri.path;
+  auto backend = std::make_unique<backends::StringBackend>(path);
+  return backend;
+}
+
 #ifdef FLP_CONFIGURATION_BACKEND_CONSUL_ENABLED
 auto getConsul(const http::url& uri) -> UniqueConfiguration
 {
@@ -76,11 +84,12 @@ auto ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration(const std::string& uri) -> UniqueCon
     throw std::runtime_error("Ill-formed URI");
   }
 
-  static const std::map<std::string, std::function<UniqueConfiguration(const http::url&)>> map = {
-      {"ini", getIni},
-      {"json", getJson},
-      {"consul", getConsul},
-  };
+  static const std::map<std::string,
+                        std::function<UniqueConfiguration(const http::url&)>>
+    map = {{"ini", getIni},
+           {"json", getJson},
+           {"consul", getConsul},
+           {"str", getString}};
 
   auto iterator = map.find(parsedUrl.protocol);
   if (iterator != map.end()) {
diff --git a/test/TestString.cxx b/test/TestString.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c5b09f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/TestString.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/// \file TestString.cxx
+/// \brief String  backend unit tests.
+///
+/// \author Adam Wegrzynek, CERN
+///
+
+#include <fstream>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include "Configuration/ConfigurationFactory.h"
+
+#define BOOST_TEST_MODULE StringBackend
+#define BOOST_TEST_MAIN
+#define BOOST_TEST_DYN_LINK
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+
+using namespace o2::configuration;
+
+namespace
+{
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(StringSimple)
+{
+  auto conf = ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration("str://key=value;key2=2;key2.key3=3.3");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(conf->get<std::string>("key"), "value");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(conf->get<int>("key2"), 2);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(conf->get<double>("key2.key3"), 3.3);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(StringEntireRec)
+{
+  auto conf = ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration("str://key=value;key2=2;key2.key3=3.3");
+  auto tree = conf->getRecursive();
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(tree.get<std::string>("key"), "value");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(tree.get<int>("key2"), 2);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(tree.get<double>("key2.key3"), 3.3);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(StringSubRec)
+{
+  auto conf = ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration("str://key=value;key2=2;key2.key3=3.3");
+  auto tree = conf->getRecursive("key2");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(tree.get<double>("key3"), 3.3);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(StringSimplePrefix)
+{
+  auto conf = ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration("str://key=value;key2=2;key2.key3=3.3");
+  conf->setPrefix("key2");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(conf->get<double>("key3"), 3.3);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(StringRecMap)
+{
+  auto conf = ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration("str://key=value;key2=2;key2.key3=3.3");
+  auto map = conf->getRecursiveMap("key2");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(map["key3"], "3.3");
+}
+
+bool exceptionCheck(const std::runtime_error& e)
+{
+  if (e.what() == std::string("String backend does not support putting values")) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(StringPutExc)
+{
+  auto conf = ConfigurationFactory::getConfiguration("str://key=value;key2=2;key2.key3=3.3");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION(conf->put<int>("key2.key4", 4), std::runtime_error, exceptionCheck);
+}
+
+} // Anonymous namespace