diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index d5a9bec..00f1494 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -1,10 +1,33 @@
+var async = require("async");
+var cradle = require("cradle");
 var express = require("express");
+var fs = require("fs");
 var http = require("http");
 var https = require("https");
-var fs = require("fs");
+var log4js = require("log4js");
 
+//load settings
+var settings = require("./src/Settings.js");
+
+//initialize couch connector
+cradle.setup(settings.couchdb);
+var couch = new(cradle.Connection);
+var db = couch.database(settings.couchdb.database);
+
+db.exists(function(err, exists) {
+	if(err) {
+		console.log(err);
+		process.exit(1);
+	} else if(exists == true) {
+		console.log("Database exists :-)");
+	} else {
+		console.log("Database does not exist!");
+		process.exit(1);
+	}
+});
+
+//begin setting up the dashboard app
 var app = express();
-
 app.use(function(req, res, next) {
 	console.log("%s %s", req.method, req.url);
 	next();
@@ -13,19 +36,23 @@ app.use(function(req, res, next) {
 //deliver static files by default
 app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/static'));
 
+//serve random fun stuff on /ohai ;-)
 app.use("/ohai", function(req, res) {
 	res.send("ohai!");
 });
 
-
+//define 404 for everything else (ugly but i think it's useful)
 app.use(function(req, res) {
 	res.status(404).send("Sorry, nothing here.");
 });
 
-//http.createServer(app).listen(3000);
-
-var httpsOptions = {
-	"key": fs.readFileSync("snakeoil/privkey.pem"),
-	"cert": fs.readFileSync("snakeoil/cert.pem")
-};
-https.createServer(httpsOptions, app).listen(3000);
+//fire it up as https (or http) server
+if(settings.general.https == true) {
+	var httpsOptions = {
+		"cert": fs.readFileSync(settings.https.cert),
+		"key": fs.readFileSync(settings.https.key)
+	};
+	https.createServer(httpsOptions, app).listen(settings.general.listen);
+} else {
+	http.createServer(app).listen(settings.general.listen);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1dc46d5..39a30b4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 	"author": "Jan Philipp Timme <jan.philipp@timme.it>",
 	"dependencies": {
 		"express": "*",
-		"cradle": "*"
+		"cradle": "*",
+		"log4js": "*",
+		"async": "*"
 	},
 	"devDependencies": {},
 	"engines": {
diff --git a/settings.json.template b/settings.json.template
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93adbfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/settings.json.template
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+	"general": {
+		//serve https or http?
+		//generate certs in ./snakeoil before activating this
+		"https": false, 
+		"listen": 3000
+	},
+	"https": {
+		"key": "snakeoil/privkey.pem",
+		"cert": "snakeoil/cert.pem",
+	},
+	"couchdb": {
+		"host": "127.0.0.1",
+		"port": 5984,
+		"database": "dashboard",
+		"auth": { //replace with null in case of admin party
+			"username": "admin",
+			"password": "admin"
+		},
+		"cache": true,
+		"raw": false,
+		"secure": false, //access couch via https?
+		"retries": 0,
+		"retryTimeout": 10e3,
+		"headers": {}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/Settings.js b/src/Settings.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6e7816
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Settings.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+var fs = require("fs");
+var vm = require("vm");
+
+var settingsFilename = "settings.json";
+
+settingsString = fs.readFileSync(settingsFilename).toString();
+
+var settings;
+try {
+	if(settingsString) {
+		settings = vm.runInContext("exports = " + settingsString, vm.createContext(), settingsFilename);
+		settings = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(settings)); //fix objects having constructors of other vm.context
+	}
+} catch(e) {
+	console.error("There was an error processing the settings.json file: " + e.message);
+	process.exit(1);
+}
+
+module.exports = settings;
\ No newline at end of file