In order to improve configuration processing and maintenance we have to use Java annotations. We could keep all current configuration beans, that is all subclasses of AbstractConfigurationBean but introduce annotation(s) for those beans that would:

• annotate each bean setter with a reference to the XML element in question (full path to it - e.g., infinispan/namedCache/cluster/sync)
• provide default configuration value
• include human readable documentation for each configuration option in plain english
• references to classes to process certain complex elements

and others as the need arise.

Furthermore, we could also:

• remove current hand maintained schema
• create schema by automated tools given metadata in annotations
• create all human readable documentation from these annotations for manuals. wiki etc etc
• read all configuration elements from xml configuration files using metadata in annotations thus avoiding "by hand" reading we have now