This is not really a question pertaining to Bokeh. Bokeh server apps can generally run arbitrary Python code, and there are any number of Python tools available for reading various kinds configuration files (.cfg, .yaml, .json, .xml, etc...) Since the question is about general Python usage, and not specific to Bokeh, you might have better success in choosing the best tool for your situation, or in getting help using a specific tool on more general Python Q&A/help sites.