diff --git a/backend/config_store.py b/backend/config_store.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d78ad91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/config_store.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import os
+import sqlite3
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional
+
+DATA_DIR = Path(os.getenv('DEVCONSOLE_DATA_DIR', '/var/lib/devconsole'))
+DB_PATH = DATA_DIR / 'devconsole.db'
+
+
+def _connect() -> sqlite3.Connection:
+    DATA_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    conn = sqlite3.connect(DB_PATH)
+    conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+    conn.execute(
+        '''
+        CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS settings (
+            key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+            value TEXT NOT NULL,
+            updated_at TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+        )
+        '''
+    )
+    conn.commit()
+    return conn
+
+
+def set_setting(key: str, value: str) -> None:
+    with _connect() as conn:
+        conn.execute(
+            '''
+            INSERT INTO settings(key, value, updated_at)
+            VALUES (?, ?, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
+            ON CONFLICT(key) DO UPDATE SET
+                value = excluded.value,
+                updated_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+            ''',
+            (key, value),
+        )
+        conn.commit()
+
+
+def get_setting(key: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    with _connect() as conn:
+        row = conn.execute('SELECT value FROM settings WHERE key = ?', (key,)).fetchone()
+        return row['value'] if row else None
+
+
+def has_openai_key() -> bool:
+    return bool(get_openai_key())
+
+
+def get_openai_key() -> Optional[str]:
+    return get_setting('OPENAI_API_KEY') or os.getenv('OPENAI_API_KEY') or None
+
+
+def get_openai_model() -> str:
+    return get_setting('OPENAI_MODEL') or os.getenv('OPENAI_MODEL') or 'gpt-5'