diff --git a/src/core/conf.cpp b/src/core/conf.cpp
index 09c659c..f3946eb 100644
--- a/src/core/conf.cpp
+++ b/src/core/conf.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ conf_global conf::global()
 	return {};
 }
 
+conf_task conf::task(const std::vector<std::string>& names)
+{
+	return {names};
+}
+
+conf_tools conf::tool()
+{
+	return {};
+}
+
 conf_transifex conf::transifex()
 {
 	return {};
@@ -192,11 +202,6 @@ void conf::set_for_task(
 	map_[std::string(task_name)][std::string(section)][std::string(key)] = value;
 }
 
-fs::path conf::tool_by_name(std::string_view name)
-{
-	return get_global("tools", name);
-}
-
 std::string conf::global_by_name(std::string_view name)
 {
 	return get_global("global", name);
@@ -641,7 +646,7 @@ bool try_vcvars(fs::path& bat)
 
 void find_vcvars()
 {
-	fs::path bat = conf::tool_by_name("vcvars");
+	fs::path bat = conf().tool().get("vcvars");
 
 	if (conf::dry())
 	{
@@ -1019,7 +1024,7 @@ fs::path find_iscc()
 	if (!tasks[0]->enabled())
 		return {};
 
-	auto iscc = conf::tool_by_name("iscc");
+	auto iscc = conf().tool().get("iscc");
 	if (iscc.is_absolute())
 	{
 		if (!fs::exists(iscc))
@@ -1290,6 +1295,11 @@ void conf_global::set_dry(std::string_view s)
 	g_dry = bool_from_string(s);
 }
 
+conf_tools::conf_tools()
+	: conf_section("tools")
+{
+}
+
 conf_transifex::conf_transifex()
 	: conf_section("transifex")
 {
diff --git a/src/core/conf.h b/src/core/conf.h
index a33f30c..b8e6710 100644
--- a/src/core/conf.h
+++ b/src/core/conf.h
@@ -3,25 +3,29 @@
 namespace mob
 {
 
-class conf_section;
 class conf_global;
-class conf_prebuilt;
+class conf_task;
+class conf_tools;
 class conf_transifex;
+class conf_prebuilt;
 class conf_versions;
 class conf_paths;
 
 class conf
 {
 	// temp
-	friend class conf_section;
 	friend class conf_global;
-	friend class conf_prebuilt;
+	friend class conf_task;
+	friend class conf_tools;
 	friend class conf_transifex;
+	friend class conf_prebuilt;
 	friend class conf_versions;
 	friend class conf_paths;
 
 public:
 	conf_global global();
+	conf_task task(const std::vector<std::string>& names);
+	conf_tools tool();
 	conf_transifex transifex();
 	conf_prebuilt prebuilt();
 	conf_versions version();
@@ -31,14 +35,6 @@ public:
 	//
 	static bool dry();
 
-	static std::string task_option_by_name(
-		const std::vector<std::string>& task_names, std::string_view name);
-
-	static bool bool_task_option_by_name(
-		const std::vector<std::string>& task_names, std::string_view name);
-
-	static fs::path tool_by_name(std::string_view name);
-
 
 	// only in conf.cpp
 	static std::string get_global(
@@ -84,6 +80,12 @@ private:
 
 	static std::string global_by_name(std::string_view name);
 	static bool bool_global_by_name(std::string_view name);
+
+	static std::string task_option_by_name(
+		const std::vector<std::string>& task_names, std::string_view name);
+
+	static bool bool_task_option_by_name(
+		const std::vector<std::string>& task_names, std::string_view name);
 };
 
 
@@ -105,10 +107,11 @@ fs::path make_temp_file();
 
 
 
+template <class DefaultType>
 class conf_section
 {
 public:
-	std::string get(std::string_view key) const
+	DefaultType get(std::string_view key) const
 	{
 		return conf::get_global(name_, key);
 	}
@@ -144,7 +147,7 @@ private:
 };
 
 
-class conf_global : public conf_section
+class conf_global : public conf_section<std::string>
 {
 public:
 	conf_global();
@@ -174,19 +177,51 @@ public:
 	}
 };
 
-class conf_transifex : public conf_section
+class conf_task
+{
+public:
+	conf_task(std::vector<std::string> names)
+		: names_(std::move(names))
+	{
+	}
+
+	std::string get(std::string_view key) const
+	{
+		return conf::task_option_by_name(names_, key);
+	}
+
+	template <class T>
+	T get(std::string_view key) const;
+
+	template <>
+	bool get<bool>(std::string_view key) const
+	{
+		return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(names_, key);
+	}
+
+private:
+	std::vector<std::string> names_;
+};
+
+class conf_tools : public conf_section<fs::path>
+{
+public:
+	conf_tools();
+};
+
+class conf_transifex : public conf_section<std::string>
 {
 public:
 	conf_transifex();
 };
 
-class conf_versions : public conf_section
+class conf_versions : public conf_section<std::string>
 {
 public:
 	conf_versions();
 };
 
-class conf_prebuilt : public conf_section
+class conf_prebuilt : public conf_section<std::string>
 {
 public:
 	conf_prebuilt();
@@ -198,7 +233,7 @@ public:
 };
 
 
-class conf_paths : public conf_section
+class conf_paths : public conf_section<fs::path>
 {
 public:
 	conf_paths();
diff --git a/src/tasks/task.cpp b/src/tasks/task.cpp
index 8b5c937..9c9bd7f 100644
--- a/src/tasks/task.cpp
+++ b/src/tasks/task.cpp
@@ -259,72 +259,72 @@ task_conf_holder::task_conf_holder(const task& t)
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::mo_org() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "mo_org");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("mo_org");
 }
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::mo_branch() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "mo_branch");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("mo_branch");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::no_pull() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "no_pull");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("no_pull");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::revert_ts() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "revert_ts");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("revert_ts");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::ignore_ts()const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "ignore_ts");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("ignore_ts");
 }
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::git_url_prefix() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "git_url_prefix");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("git_url_prefix");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::git_shallow() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "git_shallow");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("git_shallow");
 }
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::git_user() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "git_username");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("git_username");
 }
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::git_email() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "git_email");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("git_email");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::set_origin_remote() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "set_origin_remote");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("set_origin_remote");
 }
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::remote_org() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "remote_org");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("remote_org");
 }
 
 std::string task_conf_holder::remote_key() const
 {
-	return conf::task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "remote_key");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get("remote_key");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::remote_no_push_upstream() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "remote_no_push_upstream");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("remote_no_push_upstream");
 }
 
 bool task_conf_holder::remote_push_default_origin() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(task_.names(), "remote_push_default_origin");
+	return conf().task(task_.names()).get<bool>("remote_push_default_origin");
 }
 
 git task_conf_holder::make_git(git::ops o) const
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ task::~task()
 
 bool task::enabled() const
 {
-	return conf::bool_task_option_by_name(names(), "enabled");
+	return conf().task(names()).get<bool>("enabled");
 }
 
 bool task::is_super() const
diff --git a/src/tools/cmake.cpp b/src/tools/cmake.cpp
index 86a494f..ad3d319 100644
--- a/src/tools/cmake.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/cmake.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ cmake::cmake(ops o)
 
 fs::path cmake::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("cmake");
+	return conf().tool().get("cmake");
 }
 
 cmake& cmake::generator(generators g)
diff --git a/src/tools/extractor.cpp b/src/tools/extractor.cpp
index 31f83e5..5e41945 100644
--- a/src/tools/extractor.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/extractor.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ extractor::extractor()
 
 fs::path extractor::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("sevenz");
+	return conf().tool().get("sevenz");
 }
 
 extractor& extractor::file(const fs::path& file)
diff --git a/src/tools/git.cpp b/src/tools/git.cpp
index 2201b5f..71f14d4 100644
--- a/src/tools/git.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/git.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ std::string git::current_branch()
 
 fs::path git::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("git");
+	return conf().tool().get("git");
 }
 
 git& git::url(const mob::url& u)
diff --git a/src/tools/jom.cpp b/src/tools/jom.cpp
index 8d0fbf4..d482e24 100644
--- a/src/tools/jom.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/jom.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jom::jom()
 
 fs::path jom::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("jom");
+	return conf().tool().get("jom");
 }
 
 jom& jom::path(const fs::path& p)
diff --git a/src/tools/msbuild.cpp b/src/tools/msbuild.cpp
index 28225fc..2cab9e2 100644
--- a/src/tools/msbuild.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/msbuild.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ msbuild::msbuild(ops o) :
 
 fs::path msbuild::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("msbuild");
+	return conf().tool().get("msbuild");
 }
 
 msbuild& msbuild::solution(const fs::path& sln)
diff --git a/src/tools/patcher.cpp b/src/tools/patcher.cpp
index dffbff8..785185f 100644
--- a/src/tools/patcher.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/patcher.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ patcher::patcher()
 
 fs::path patcher::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("patch");
+	return conf().tool().get("patch");
 }
 
 patcher& patcher::task(const std::string& name, bool prebuilt)
diff --git a/src/tools/tools.cpp b/src/tools/tools.cpp
index 51910db..5a2d8b8 100644
--- a/src/tools/tools.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/tools.cpp
@@ -73,12 +73,12 @@ const context& tool::cx() const
 
 fs::path perl::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("perl");
+	return conf().tool().get("perl");
 }
 
 fs::path nasm::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("nasm");
+	return conf().tool().get("nasm");
 }
 
 fs::path qt::installation_path()
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ vs::vs(ops o)
 
 fs::path vs::devenv_binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("devenv");
+	return conf().tool().get("devenv");
 }
 
 fs::path vs::installation_path()
@@ -119,12 +119,12 @@ fs::path vs::installation_path()
 
 fs::path vs::vswhere()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("vswhere");
+	return conf().tool().get("vswhere");
 }
 
 fs::path vs::vcvars()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("vcvars");
+	return conf().tool().get("vcvars");
 }
 
 std::string vs::version()
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ nuget::nuget(fs::path sln)
 
 fs::path nuget::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("nuget");
+	return conf().tool().get("nuget");
 }
 
 void nuget::do_run()
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ transifex::transifex(ops o) :
 
 fs::path transifex::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("tx");
+	return conf().tool().get("tx");
 }
 
 transifex& transifex::root(const fs::path& p)
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ lrelease::lrelease()
 
 fs::path lrelease::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("lrelease");
+	return conf().tool().get("lrelease");
 }
 
 lrelease& lrelease::project(const std::string& name)
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ iscc::iscc(fs::path iss)
 
 fs::path iscc::binary()
 {
-	return conf::tool_by_name("iscc");
+	return conf().tool().get("iscc");
 }
 
 iscc& iscc::iss(const fs::path& p)