diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h b/include/libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h
index f695498c..8d09517e 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <optional>
+#include <string>
+#include <string_view>
+
+#include <libcamera/base/utils.h>
 
 #include "libcamera/internal/yaml_parser.h"
 
@@ -23,6 +28,29 @@ public:
 	unsigned int version() const;
 	Configuration configuration() const;
 
+	template<typename T>
+	std::optional<T> option(
+		const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath) const
+	{
+		const YamlObject *c = &configuration();
+		for (auto part : confPath) {
+			c = &(*c)[part];
+			if (!*c)
+				return {};
+		}
+		return c->get<T>();
+	}
+
+	std::optional<std::vector<std::string>> listOption(
+		const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath) const;
+	std::optional<std::string> envOption(
+		const char *const envVariable,
+		const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath) const;
+	std::optional<std::vector<std::string>> envListOption(
+		const char *const envVariable,
+		const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath,
+		const std::string delimiter = ":") const;
+
 private:
 	bool loadFile(const std::filesystem::path &fileName);
 	void load();
diff --git a/src/libcamera/global_configuration.cpp b/src/libcamera/global_configuration.cpp
index 22814a4e..8b7094ee 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/global_configuration.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/global_configuration.cpp
@@ -8,8 +8,12 @@
 #include "libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h"
 
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <memory>
+#include <optional>
+#include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <sys/types.h>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include <libcamera/base/file.h>
 #include <libcamera/base/log.h>
@@ -43,6 +47,10 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Configuration)
  * If the first found configuration file cannot be opened or parsed, an error is
  * reported and no configuration file is used. This is to prevent libcamera from
  * using an unintended configuration file.
+ *
+ * The configuration can be accessed using the provided helpers, namely
+ * option(), envOption(), listOption() and envListOption() to access individual
+ * options, or configuration() to access the whole configuration.
  */
 
 bool GlobalConfiguration::loadFile(const std::filesystem::path &fileName)
@@ -110,6 +118,95 @@ GlobalConfiguration::GlobalConfiguration()
  * the underlying type.
  */
 
+/**
+ * \fn std::optional<T> GlobalConfiguration::option(const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> &confPath) const
+ * \brief Retrieve the value of configuration option \a confPath
+ * \tparam T The type of the retrieved configuration value
+ * \param[in] confPath Sequence of the YAML section names (excluding
+ * `configuration') leading to the requested option
+ * \return The value of the configuration item corresponding to \a confPath if
+ * it exists in the configuration file, or no value otherwise
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Retrieve the value of configuration option \a confPath
+ * \param[in] confPath Sequence of the YAML section names (excluding
+ * `configuration') leading to the requested list option, separated by dots
+ * \return A vector of strings or no value if not found
+ */
+std::optional<std::vector<std::string>> GlobalConfiguration::listOption(
+	const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath) const
+{
+	const YamlObject *c = &configuration();
+	for (auto part : confPath) {
+		c = &(*c)[part];
+		if (!*c)
+			return {};
+	}
+	return c->getList<std::string>();
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Retrieve the value of environment variable with a fallback on the configuration file
+ * \param[in] envVariable Environment variable to get the value from
+ * \param[in] confPath The sequence of YAML section names to fall back on when
+ * \a envVariable is unavailable
+ *
+ * This helper looks first at the given environment variable and if it is
+ * defined then it returns its value (even if it is empty). Otherwise it looks
+ * for \a confPath the same way as in GlobalConfiguration::option. Only string
+ * values are supported.
+ *
+ * \note Support for using environment variables to configure libcamera behavior
+ * is provided here mostly for backward compatibility reasons. Introducing new
+ * configuration environment variables is discouraged.
+ *
+ * \return The value retrieved from the given environment if it is set,
+ * otherwise the value from the configuration file if it exists, or no value if
+ * it does not
+ */
+std::optional<std::string> GlobalConfiguration::envOption(
+	const char *envVariable,
+	const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath) const
+{
+	const char *envValue = utils::secure_getenv(envVariable);
+	if (envValue)
+		return std::optional{ std::string{ envValue } };
+	return option<std::string>(confPath);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Retrieve the value of the configuration option from a file or environment
+ * \param[in] envVariable Environment variable to get the value from
+ * \param[in] confPath The same as in GlobalConfiguration::option
+ * \param[in] delimiter Items separator in the environment variable
+ *
+ * This helper looks first at the given environment variable and if it is
+ * defined (even if it is empty) then it splits its value by semicolons and
+ * returns the resulting list of strings. Otherwise it looks for \a confPath the
+ * same way as in GlobalConfiguration::option, value of which must be a list of
+ * strings.
+ *
+ * \note Support for using environment variables to configure libcamera behavior
+ * is provided here mostly for backward compatibility reasons. Introducing new
+ * configuration environment variables is discouraged.
+ *
+ * \return A vector of strings retrieved from the given environment option or
+ * configuration file or no value if not found; the vector may be empty
+ */
+std::optional<std::vector<std::string>> GlobalConfiguration::envListOption(
+	const char *const envVariable,
+	const std::initializer_list<std::string_view> confPath,
+	const std::string delimiter) const
+{
+	const char *envValue = utils::secure_getenv(envVariable);
+	if (envValue) {
+		auto items = utils::split(envValue, delimiter);
+		return std::vector<std::string>(items.begin(), items.end());
+	}
+	return listOption(confPath);
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Retrieve the configuration version
  *