diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 32420a0..b801483 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ npm-debug.log
 *.swp
 public/client.js
 public/serviceworker.js
+.env
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 81da86e..48b1119 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,16 +60,15 @@ $ sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
 
 ### Configuring your server
 
-Server configuration is handled through a JSON file: `conf.json`.
+Server configuration is handled through a `.env` file. See `sample.env` for the available options.
 
-`conf.json-example` in the main directory will often provide all you need
-for a development server, so for most developers, you can simply do:
+For a local development server you can likely just do:
 
 ```bash
-$ cp conf.json-example conf.json
+$ cp sample.env .env
 ```
 
-This will set you up with a server running on port `3456` over HTTP.
+This will set you up with a server running on port `3456`.
 
 The server can then be run with:
 
@@ -77,41 +76,6 @@ The server can then be run with:
 $ npm start
 ```
 
-If you are running a production seatcamp server, or simply want to
-customize your development environment, you can change a few options in
-`conf.json`. The options are:
-
-### Normal options
-
-#### port
-
-The port to run the HTTP server on for this instance.
-
-**Ex:** `"port": 3000`
-
-#### host
-
-The host or IP to run the HTTP server on for this instance. If left unspecified, it will listen on all interfaces.
-
-**Ex:** `"host": "127.0.0.1"`
-
-#### idKey
-
-The key to use for hashing user ID's. This allows users to be given a
-stable, unique ID per browser, but not expose their actual fingerprint
-to other users on the server or be able to track users across seatcamp
-instances. This value should be unique to the server you're running it
-on and sufficiently long (10+ characters recommended).
-
-**Ex:** `"idKey": "thisServerIsGreat123"`
-
-#### gaTrackingId
-
-The tracking ID to use for Google Analytics tracking. If this isn't
-specified (or is a falsy value), Analytics will not be utilized.
-
-**Ex:** `"gaTrackingId": "UA-9999999-1"`
-
 ## Requirements for production servers
 
 Using a webcam from websites requires HTTPS (except for local addresses). The
@@ -145,7 +109,7 @@ which should be saved so that a client can recognize which messages are its own.
 constant for the lifetime of the websocket connection. An example of handling the message would be:
 
 ```javascript
-io.on('userid', function(userId) {
+io.on('userid', function (userId) {
   myId = userId
 })
 ```
@@ -223,7 +187,7 @@ to be known. These are all handled through seperate messages, which are:
 Specifies how many users are currently connected.
 
 ```javascript
-io.on('active', function(numActive) {
+io.on('active', function (numActive) {
   alert('There are ' + numActive + ' active seatcamp users!')
 })
 ```
diff --git a/conf.json-example b/conf.json-example
deleted file mode 100644
index 6349150..0000000
--- a/conf.json-example
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "port": 3456,
-  "idKey": "seatcamp"
-}
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index cb0cc27..216abb5 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
+require('dotenv').config()
+
 require('@babel/register')
 require('./server')
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 5e1bf08..feb6b86 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
         "cuid": "^2.1.8",
         "data-uri-to-blob": "0.0.4",
         "data-uri-to-buffer": "^4.0.0",
+        "dotenv": "^16.0.3",
         "express": "^4.17.1",
         "html-loader": "^4.2.0",
         "lit": "^2.0.2",
@@ -3218,6 +3219,14 @@
         "tslib": "^2.0.3"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-7GO6HghkA5fYG9TYnNxi14/7K9f5occMlp3zXAuSxn7CKCxt9xbNWG7yF8hTCSUchlfWSe3uLmlPfigevRItzQ==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/ee-first": {
       "version": "1.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ee-first/-/ee-first-1.1.1.tgz",
@@ -11059,6 +11068,11 @@
         "tslib": "^2.0.3"
       }
     },
+    "dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-7GO6HghkA5fYG9TYnNxi14/7K9f5occMlp3zXAuSxn7CKCxt9xbNWG7yF8hTCSUchlfWSe3uLmlPfigevRItzQ=="
+    },
     "ee-first": {
       "version": "1.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ee-first/-/ee-first-1.1.1.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e9c9d15..ae428a4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     "cuid": "^2.1.8",
     "data-uri-to-blob": "0.0.4",
     "data-uri-to-buffer": "^4.0.0",
+    "dotenv": "^16.0.3",
     "express": "^4.17.1",
     "html-loader": "^4.2.0",
     "lit": "^2.0.2",
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..740114b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Sample configuration file
+# Copy this to a file named .env to change server settings
+
+# Key to use for hashing user ID's. This allows users to be given a stable, unique ID per browser,
+# but not expose their actual fingerprint to other users on the server or be able to track users
+# across seatcamp instances. This value should be unique to the server you're running it on and
+# sufficiently long (10+ characters recommended).
+SEATCAMP_ID_KEY=seatcamp
+# Port to bind the webserver on
+SEATCAMP_PORT=3456
+# Host to bind the webserver on (optional)
+#SEATCAMP_HOST=127.0.0.1
+# Google Analytics ID (optional)
+#SEATCAMP_GA_ID=UA-12345678-9
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index b3b9887..9cf8e36 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -12,19 +12,18 @@ import createFfmpegRunner from './lib/ffmpeg-runner'
 import ChatSockets from './lib/chat-sockets'
 
 import webpackConfig from './webpack.config'
-import config from './conf.json'
 
-const userIdKey = config.idKey
+const userIdKey = process.env.SEATCAMP_ID_KEY
 if (!userIdKey) {
-  throw new Error('idKey must be specified in conf.json!')
+  throw new Error('SEATCAMP_ID_KEY must be specified!')
 }
 
 const app = express()
 app.set('x-powered-by', false).set('view engine', 'pug')
 
 const httpServer = http.Server(app)
-const listenPort = config.port
-const listenHost = config.host
+const listenPort = process.env.SEATCAMP_PORT ?? 3456
+const listenHost = process.env.SEATCAMP_HOST
 
 const io = socketIo(httpServer)
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
 app.use(compression())
 app
   .get('/', (req, res) =>
-    res.render('index', { theme: req.cookies.theme, trackingId: config.gaTrackingId }),
+    res.render('index', { theme: req.cookies.theme, trackingId: process.env.SEATCAMP_GA_ID }),
   )
   .get('/styles.css', serveCss(__dirname + '/css/styles.css'))
 
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ const readyPromise = compilePromise.then(async stats => {
   await new Promise(resolve => httpServer.listen(listenPort, listenHost, resolve))
   const host = httpServer.address().address
   const port = httpServer.address().port
-  console.log('Listening at http%s://%s:%s', config.sslCert ? 's' : '', host, port)
+  console.log('Listening at http://%s:%s', host, port)
 })
 
 export default {