diff --git a/.changeset/big-pans-grin.md b/.changeset/big-pans-grin.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5636816d3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/big-pans-grin.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@effect/cli": patch
+---
+
+add ConfigFile module to cli
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ConfigFile.ts b/packages/cli/src/ConfigFile.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..29e4cda46c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ConfigFile.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ */
+import type { FileSystem } from "@effect/platform/FileSystem"
+import type { Path } from "@effect/platform/Path"
+import type { YieldableError } from "effect/Cause"
+import type { ConfigProvider } from "effect/ConfigProvider"
+import type { Effect } from "effect/Effect"
+import type { Layer } from "effect/Layer"
+import type { NonEmptyReadonlyArray } from "effect/ReadonlyArray"
+import * as Internal from "./internal/configFile.js"
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category models
+ */
+export type Kind = "json" | "yaml" | "ini" | "toml"
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category errors
+ */
+export const ConfigErrorTypeId: unique symbol = Internal.ConfigErrorTypeId
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category errors
+ */
+export type ConfigErrorTypeId = typeof ConfigErrorTypeId
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category errors
+ */
+export interface ConfigFileError extends YieldableError {
+  readonly [ConfigErrorTypeId]: ConfigErrorTypeId
+  readonly _tag: "ConfigFileError"
+  readonly message: string
+}
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category errors
+ */
+export const ConfigFileError: (message: string) => ConfigFileError = Internal.ConfigFileError
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category constructors
+ */
+export const makeProvider: (
+  fileName: string,
+  options?:
+    | {
+      readonly formats?: ReadonlyArray<Kind>
+      readonly searchPaths?: NonEmptyReadonlyArray<string>
+    }
+    | undefined
+) => Effect<Path | FileSystem, ConfigFileError, ConfigProvider> = Internal.makeProvider
+
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ * @category layers
+ */
+export const layer: (
+  fileName: string,
+  options?:
+    | {
+      readonly formats?: ReadonlyArray<Kind>
+      readonly searchPaths?: NonEmptyReadonlyArray<string>
+    }
+    | undefined
+) => Layer<Path | FileSystem, ConfigFileError, never> = Internal.layer
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
index 3688e121b9..4b3ba4d009 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ export * as CommandDescriptor from "./CommandDescriptor.js"
  */
 export * as CommandDirective from "./CommandDirective.js"
 
+/**
+ * @since 2.0.0
+ */
+export * as ConfigFile from "./ConfigFile.js"
+
 /**
  * @since 1.0.0
  */
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/internal/args.ts b/packages/cli/src/internal/args.ts
index 9d508cd578..fa4d49e2af 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/internal/args.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/internal/args.ts
@@ -208,13 +208,20 @@ export const file = (config?: Args.Args.PathArgsConfig): Args.Args<string> =>
 export const fileContent = (
   config?: Args.Args.BaseArgsConfig
 ): Args.Args<readonly [path: string, content: Uint8Array]> =>
-  mapOrFail(file({ ...config, exists: "yes" }), (path) => InternalFiles.read(path))
+  mapOrFail(
+    file({ ...config, exists: "yes" }),
+    (path) => Effect.mapError(InternalFiles.read(path), (e) => InternalHelpDoc.p(e))
+  )
 
 /** @internal */
 export const fileParse = (
   config?: Args.Args.FormatArgsConfig
 ): Args.Args<unknown> =>
-  mapOrFail(fileText(config), ([path, content]) => InternalFiles.parse(path, content, config?.format))
+  mapOrFail(fileText(config), ([path, content]) =>
+    Effect.mapError(
+      InternalFiles.parse(path, content, config?.format),
+      (e) => InternalHelpDoc.p(e)
+    ))
 
 /** @internal */
 export const fileSchema = <I, A>(
@@ -226,7 +233,11 @@ export const fileSchema = <I, A>(
 export const fileText = (
   config?: Args.Args.BaseArgsConfig
 ): Args.Args<readonly [path: string, content: string]> =>
-  mapOrFail(file({ ...config, exists: "yes" }), (path) => InternalFiles.readString(path))
+  mapOrFail(file({ ...config, exists: "yes" }), (path) =>
+    Effect.mapError(
+      InternalFiles.readString(path),
+      (e) => InternalHelpDoc.p(e)
+    ))
 
 /** @internal */
 export const float = (config?: Args.Args.BaseArgsConfig): Args.Args<number> =>
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/internal/configFile.ts b/packages/cli/src/internal/configFile.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..313c64f2af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/internal/configFile.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+import * as FileSystem from "@effect/platform/FileSystem"
+import * as Path from "@effect/platform/Path"
+import * as Cause from "effect/Cause"
+import * as ConfigProvider from "effect/ConfigProvider"
+import * as Context from "effect/Context"
+import * as DefaultServices from "effect/DefaultServices"
+import * as Effect from "effect/Effect"
+import { pipe } from "effect/Function"
+import * as Layer from "effect/Layer"
+import type * as ReadonlyArray from "effect/ReadonlyArray"
+import type * as ConfigFile from "../ConfigFile.js"
+import * as InternalFiles from "./files.js"
+
+const fileExtensions: Record<ConfigFile.Kind, ReadonlyArray<string>> = {
+  json: ["json"],
+  yaml: ["yaml", "yml"],
+  ini: ["ini"],
+  toml: ["toml", "tml"]
+}
+
+const allFileExtensions = Object.values(fileExtensions).flat()
+
+/** @internal */
+export const makeProvider = (fileName: string, options?: {
+  readonly formats?: ReadonlyArray<ConfigFile.Kind>
+  readonly searchPaths?: ReadonlyArray.NonEmptyReadonlyArray<string>
+}): Effect.Effect<Path.Path | FileSystem.FileSystem, ConfigFile.ConfigFileError, ConfigProvider.ConfigProvider> =>
+  Effect.gen(function*(_) {
+    const path = yield* _(Path.Path)
+    const fs = yield* _(FileSystem.FileSystem)
+    const searchPaths = options?.searchPaths ?? ["."]
+    const extensions = options?.formats
+      ? options.formats.flatMap((_) => fileExtensions[_])
+      : allFileExtensions
+    const filePaths = yield* _(Effect.filter(
+      searchPaths.flatMap(
+        (searchPath) => extensions.map((ext) => path.join(searchPath, `${fileName}.${ext}`))
+      ),
+      (path) => Effect.orElseSucceed(fs.exists(path), () => false)
+    ))
+    const providers = yield* _(Effect.forEach(filePaths, (path) =>
+      pipe(
+        fs.readFileString(path),
+        Effect.mapError((_) => ConfigFileError(`Could not read file (${path})`)),
+        Effect.flatMap((content) =>
+          Effect.mapError(
+            InternalFiles.parse(path, content),
+            (message) => ConfigFileError(message)
+          )
+        ),
+        Effect.map((data) => ConfigProvider.fromJson(data))
+      )))
+
+    if (providers.length === 0) {
+      return ConfigProvider.fromMap(new Map())
+    }
+
+    return providers.reduce((acc, provider) => ConfigProvider.orElse(acc, () => provider))
+  })
+
+/** @internal */
+export const layer = (fileName: string, options?: {
+  readonly formats?: ReadonlyArray<ConfigFile.Kind>
+  readonly searchPaths?: ReadonlyArray.NonEmptyReadonlyArray<string>
+}): Layer.Layer<Path.Path | FileSystem.FileSystem, ConfigFile.ConfigFileError, never> =>
+  pipe(
+    makeProvider(fileName, options),
+    Effect.map((provider) =>
+      Layer.fiberRefLocallyScopedWith(DefaultServices.currentServices, (services) => {
+        const current = Context.get(services, ConfigProvider.ConfigProvider)
+        return Context.add(services, ConfigProvider.ConfigProvider, ConfigProvider.orElse(current, () => provider))
+      })
+    ),
+    Layer.unwrapEffect
+  )
+
+/** @internal */
+export const ConfigErrorTypeId: ConfigFile.ConfigErrorTypeId = Symbol.for(
+  "@effect/cli/ConfigFile/ConfigFileError"
+) as ConfigFile.ConfigErrorTypeId
+
+const ConfigFileErrorProto = {
+  __proto__: Cause.YieldableError.prototype,
+  [ConfigErrorTypeId]: ConfigErrorTypeId
+}
+
+/** @internal */
+export const ConfigFileError = (message: string): ConfigFile.ConfigFileError => {
+  const self = Object.create(ConfigFileErrorProto)
+  self._tag = "ConfigFileError"
+  self.message = message
+  return self
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/internal/files.ts b/packages/cli/src/internal/files.ts
index 558f2882d3..5f35ce22da 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/internal/files.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/internal/files.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@ import * as Effect from "effect/Effect"
 import * as Ini from "ini"
 import * as Toml from "toml"
 import * as Yaml from "yaml"
-import type * as HelpDoc from "../HelpDoc.js"
-import * as InternalHelpDoc from "./helpDoc.js"
 
-const fileParsers: Record<string, (content: string) => unknown> = {
+/** @internal */
+export const fileParsers: Record<string, (content: string) => unknown> = {
   json: (content: string) => JSON.parse(content),
   yaml: (content: string) => Yaml.parse(content),
   yml: (content: string) => Yaml.parse(content),
@@ -18,15 +17,12 @@ const fileParsers: Record<string, (content: string) => unknown> = {
 /** @internal */
 export const read = (
   path: string
-): Effect.Effect<FileSystem.FileSystem, HelpDoc.HelpDoc, readonly [path: string, content: Uint8Array]> =>
+): Effect.Effect<FileSystem.FileSystem, string, readonly [path: string, content: Uint8Array]> =>
   Effect.flatMap(
     FileSystem.FileSystem,
     (fs) =>
       Effect.matchEffect(fs.readFile(path), {
-        onFailure: (error) =>
-          Effect.fail(
-            InternalHelpDoc.p(`Could not read file (${path}): ${error}`)
-          ),
+        onFailure: (error) => Effect.fail(`Could not read file (${path}): ${error}`),
         onSuccess: (content) => Effect.succeed([path, content] as const)
       })
   )
@@ -34,15 +30,12 @@ export const read = (
 /** @internal */
 export const readString = (
   path: string
-): Effect.Effect<FileSystem.FileSystem, HelpDoc.HelpDoc, readonly [path: string, content: string]> =>
+): Effect.Effect<FileSystem.FileSystem, string, readonly [path: string, content: string]> =>
   Effect.flatMap(
     FileSystem.FileSystem,
     (fs) =>
       Effect.matchEffect(fs.readFileString(path), {
-        onFailure: (error) =>
-          Effect.fail(
-            InternalHelpDoc.p(`Could not read file (${path}): ${error}`)
-          ),
+        onFailure: (error) => Effect.fail(`Could not read file (${path}): ${error}`),
         onSuccess: (content) => Effect.succeed([path, content] as const)
       })
   )
@@ -52,14 +45,14 @@ export const parse = (
   path: string,
   content: string,
   format?: "json" | "yaml" | "ini" | "toml"
-): Effect.Effect<never, HelpDoc.HelpDoc, unknown> => {
+): Effect.Effect<never, string, unknown> => {
   const parser = fileParsers[format ?? path.split(".").pop() as string]
   if (parser === undefined) {
-    return Effect.fail(InternalHelpDoc.p(`Unsupported file format: ${format}`))
+    return Effect.fail(`Unsupported file format: ${format}`)
   }
 
   return Effect.try({
     try: () => parser(content),
-    catch: (e) => InternalHelpDoc.p(`Could not parse ${format} file (${path}): ${e}`)
+    catch: (e) => `Could not parse ${format} file (${path}): ${e}`
   })
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts b/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts
index 8c533359d3..1c521fda28 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ export const fileContent = (
   mapOrFail(file(name, { exists: "yes" }), (path) =>
     Effect.mapError(
       InternalFiles.read(path),
-      (doc) => InternalValidationError.invalidValue(doc)
+      (msg) => InternalValidationError.invalidValue(InternalHelpDoc.p(msg))
     ))
 
 /** @internal */
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ export const fileParse = (
   mapOrFail(fileText(name), ([path, content]) =>
     Effect.mapError(
       InternalFiles.parse(path, content, format),
-      (error) => InternalValidationError.invalidValue(error)
+      (error) => InternalValidationError.invalidValue(InternalHelpDoc.p(error))
     ))
 
 /** @internal */
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ export const fileText = (
   mapOrFail(file(name, { exists: "yes" }), (path) =>
     Effect.mapError(
       InternalFiles.readString(path),
-      (doc) => InternalValidationError.invalidValue(doc)
+      (error) => InternalValidationError.invalidValue(InternalHelpDoc.p(error))
     ))
 
 /** @internal */
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/ConfigFile.test.ts b/packages/cli/test/ConfigFile.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1bca832c66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/test/ConfigFile.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import * as ConfigFile from "@effect/cli/ConfigFile"
+import * as FileSystem from "@effect/platform-node/FileSystem"
+import * as Path from "@effect/platform-node/Path"
+import { Layer } from "effect"
+import * as Config from "effect/Config"
+import * as Effect from "effect/Effect"
+import { assert, describe, it } from "vitest"
+
+const MainLive = Layer.mergeAll(FileSystem.layer, Path.layer)
+
+const runEffect = <E, A>(
+  self: Effect.Effect<FileSystem.FileSystem | Path.Path, E, A>
+): Promise<A> => Effect.provide(self, MainLive).pipe(Effect.runPromise)
+
+describe("ConfigFile", () => {
+  it("loads json files", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function*(_) {
+      const path = yield* _(Path.Path)
+      const result = yield* _(
+        Config.all([
+          Config.boolean("foo"),
+          Config.string("bar")
+        ]),
+        Effect.provide(ConfigFile.layer("config", {
+          searchPaths: [path.join(__dirname, "fixtures")],
+          formats: ["json"]
+        }))
+      )
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(result, [true, "baz"])
+    }).pipe(runEffect))
+
+  it("loads yaml", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function*(_) {
+      const path = yield* _(Path.Path)
+      const result = yield* _(
+        Config.integer("foo"),
+        Effect.provide(ConfigFile.layer("config-file", {
+          searchPaths: [path.join(__dirname, "fixtures")]
+        }))
+      )
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(result, 123)
+    }).pipe(runEffect))
+})
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/fixtures/config-file.toml b/packages/cli/test/fixtures/config-file.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eba385ff02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/test/fixtures/config-file.toml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+foo = 123