diff --git a/config-verify.c b/config-verify.c
index 73d1b47..64efae4 100644
--- a/config-verify.c
+++ b/config-verify.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "particles/map.h"
 #include "particles/progress-bar.h"
 #include "particles/ramp.h"
+#include "particles/string.h"
 
 const char *
 conf_err_prefix(const keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
@@ -164,8 +165,6 @@ conf_verify_font(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
     return conf_verify_dict(chain, node, attrs, sizeof(attrs) / sizeof(attrs[0]));
 }
 
-static bool verify_decoration(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node);
-
 static bool
 verify_decoration_stack(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
 {
@@ -178,15 +177,15 @@ verify_decoration_stack(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
          it.node != NULL;
          yml_list_next(&it))
     {
-        if (!verify_decoration(chain, it.node))
+        if (!conf_verify_decoration(chain, it.node))
             return false;
     }
 
     return true;
 }
 
-static bool
-verify_decoration(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
+bool
+conf_verify_decoration(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
 {
     assert(yml_is_dict(node));
 
@@ -292,15 +291,6 @@ conf_verify_particle_dictionary(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
     {"right-margin", false, &conf_verify_int},     \
     {"on-click", false, &conf_verify_string},
 
-    static const struct attr_info string[] = {
-        {"text", true, &conf_verify_string},
-        {"max", false, &conf_verify_int},
-        {"font", false, &conf_verify_font},
-        {"foreground", false, &conf_verify_color},
-        {"deco", false, &verify_decoration},
-        COMMON_ATTRS
-    };
-
 #undef COMMON_ATTRS
 
     static const struct {
@@ -312,6 +302,7 @@ conf_verify_particle_dictionary(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
         {"map", &particle_map},
         {"progress-bar", &particle_progress_bar},
         {"ramp", &particle_ramp},
+        {"string", &particle_string},
     };
 
     static const struct {
@@ -319,7 +310,6 @@ conf_verify_particle_dictionary(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node)
         const struct attr_info *attrs;
         size_t count;
     } particles[] = {
-        {"string", string, sizeof(string) / sizeof(string[0])},
     };
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(particles_v2) / sizeof(particles_v2[0]); i++) {
diff --git a/config-verify.h b/config-verify.h
index 18c7900..5bdc37c 100644
--- a/config-verify.h
+++ b/config-verify.h
@@ -43,3 +43,5 @@ bool conf_verify_font(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node);
 
 bool conf_verify_particle(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node);
 bool conf_verify_particle_list_items(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node);
+
+bool conf_verify_decoration(keychain_t *chain, const struct yml_node *node);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index cb9f5c6..e6441ef 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -47,10 +47,14 @@ hex_byte(const char hex[2])
     return upper << 4 | lower;
 }
 
-static struct rgba
-color_from_hexstr(const char *hex)
+struct rgba
+conf_to_color(const struct yml_node *node)
 {
+    const char *hex = yml_value_as_string(node);
+
+    assert(hex != NULL);
     assert(strlen(hex) == 8);
+
     uint8_t red = hex_byte(&hex[0]);
     uint8_t green = hex_byte(&hex[2]);
     uint8_t blue = hex_byte(&hex[4]);
@@ -71,8 +75,8 @@ color_from_hexstr(const char *hex)
     return rgba;
 }
 
-static struct font *
-font_from_config(const struct yml_node *node)
+struct font *
+conf_to_font(const struct yml_node *node)
 {
     const struct yml_node *family = yml_get_value(node, "family");
     return font_new(family != NULL ? yml_value_as_string(family) : "monospace");
@@ -82,7 +86,7 @@ static struct deco *
 deco_background_from_config(const struct yml_node *node)
 {
     const struct yml_node *color = yml_get_value(node, "color");
-    return deco_background(color_from_hexstr(yml_value_as_string(color)));
+    return deco_background(conf_to_color(color));
 }
 
 static struct deco *
@@ -90,10 +94,7 @@ deco_underline_from_config(const struct yml_node *node)
 {
     const struct yml_node *size = yml_get_value(node, "size");
     const struct yml_node *color = yml_get_value(node, "color");
-
-    return deco_underline(
-        yml_value_as_int(size),
-        color_from_hexstr(yml_value_as_string(color)));
+    return deco_underline(yml_value_as_int(size), conf_to_color(color));
 }
 
 static struct deco *deco_from_config(const struct yml_node *node);
@@ -137,30 +138,6 @@ deco_from_config(const struct yml_node *node)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-
-static struct particle *
-particle_string_from_config(const struct yml_node *node,
-                            const struct font *parent_font,
-                            int left_margin, int right_margin,
-                            const char *on_click_template)
-{
-    const struct yml_node *text = yml_get_value(node, "text");
-    const struct yml_node *max = yml_get_value(node, "max");
-    const struct yml_node *font = yml_get_value(node, "font");
-    const struct yml_node *foreground = yml_get_value(node, "foreground");
-
-    struct rgba fg_color = foreground != NULL
-        ? color_from_hexstr(yml_value_as_string(foreground)) :
-        (struct rgba){1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0};
-
-    return particle_string_new(
-        yml_value_as_string(text),
-        max != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(max) : 0,
-        font != NULL ? font_from_config(font) : font_clone(parent_font),
-        fg_color, left_margin, right_margin, on_click_template);
-}
-
-
 static struct particle *
 particle_simple_list_from_config(const struct yml_node *node,
                                  const struct font *parent_font)
@@ -217,9 +194,8 @@ conf_to_particle(const struct yml_node *node, const struct font *parent_font)
     else if (strcmp(type, "ramp") == 0)
         ret = particle_ramp.from_conf(
             pair.value, parent_font, left, right, on_click_template);
-
     else if (strcmp(type, "string") == 0)
-        ret = particle_string_from_config(
+        ret = particle_string.from_conf(
             pair.value, parent_font, left, right, on_click_template);
     else
         assert(false);
@@ -252,7 +228,7 @@ conf_to_bar(const struct yml_node *bar)
         ? BAR_TOP : BAR_BOTTOM;
 
     const struct yml_node *background = yml_get_value(bar, "background");
-    conf.background = color_from_hexstr(yml_value_as_string(background));
+    conf.background = conf_to_color(background);
 
     /*
      * Optional attributes
@@ -291,7 +267,7 @@ conf_to_bar(const struct yml_node *bar)
             conf.border.width = yml_value_as_int(width);
 
         if (color != NULL)
-            conf.border.color = color_from_hexstr(yml_value_as_string(color));
+            conf.border.color = conf_to_color(color);
     }
 
     /* Create a default font */
@@ -300,7 +276,7 @@ conf_to_bar(const struct yml_node *bar)
     const struct yml_node *font_node = yml_get_value(bar, "font");
     if (font_node != NULL) {
         font_destroy(font);
-        font = font_from_config(font_node);
+        font = conf_to_font(font_node);
     }
 
     const struct yml_node *left = yml_get_value(bar, "left");
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index c659e0c..0bdbc09 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -12,5 +12,8 @@ struct bar *conf_to_bar(const struct yml_node *bar);
  * Utility functions, for e.g. modules
  */
 
+struct rgba conf_to_color(const struct yml_node *node);
+struct font *conf_to_font(const struct yml_node *node);
+
 struct particle * conf_to_particle(
     const struct yml_node *node, const struct font *parent_font);
diff --git a/particles/string.c b/particles/string.c
index 303e50a..5731692 100644
--- a/particles/string.c
+++ b/particles/string.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #define LOG_MODULE "string"
 #define LOG_ENABLE_DBG 1
 #include "../log.h"
+#include "../config.h"
 
 struct private {
     char *text;
@@ -130,10 +131,10 @@ particle_destroy(struct particle *particle)
     particle_default_destroy(particle);
 }
 
-struct particle *
-particle_string_new(const char *text, size_t max_len, struct font *font,
-                    struct rgba foreground, int left_margin, int right_margin,
-                    const char *on_click_template)
+static struct particle *
+string_new(const char *text, size_t max_len, struct font *font,
+           struct rgba foreground, int left_margin, int right_margin,
+           const char *on_click_template)
 {
     struct private *p = malloc(sizeof(*p));
     p->text = strdup(text);
@@ -150,3 +151,35 @@ particle_string_new(const char *text, size_t max_len, struct font *font,
 
     return particle;
 }
+
+static struct particle *
+from_conf(const struct yml_node *node, const struct font *parent_font,
+          int left_margin, int right_margin, const char *on_click_template)
+{
+    const struct yml_node *text = yml_get_value(node, "text");
+    const struct yml_node *max = yml_get_value(node, "max");
+    const struct yml_node *font = yml_get_value(node, "font");
+    const struct yml_node *foreground = yml_get_value(node, "foreground");
+
+    struct rgba fg_color = foreground != NULL
+        ? conf_to_color(foreground) : (struct rgba){1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0};
+
+    return string_new(
+        yml_value_as_string(text),
+        max != NULL ? yml_value_as_int(max) : 0,
+        font != NULL ? conf_to_font(font) : font_clone(parent_font),
+        fg_color, left_margin, right_margin, on_click_template);
+}
+
+const struct particle_info particle_string = {
+    .from_conf = &from_conf,
+    .attr_count = PARTICLE_COMMON_ATTRS_COUNT + 5,
+    .attrs = {
+        {"text", true, &conf_verify_string},
+        {"max", false, &conf_verify_int},
+        {"font", false, &conf_verify_font},
+        {"foreground", false, &conf_verify_color},
+        {"deco", false, &conf_verify_decoration},
+        PARTICLE_COMMON_ATTRS,
+    },
+};
diff --git a/particles/string.h b/particles/string.h
index 2f51ccb..ca09106 100644
--- a/particles/string.h
+++ b/particles/string.h
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 #pragma once
 #include "../particle.h"
 
-struct particle *particle_string_new(
-    const char *text, size_t max_len, struct font *font, struct rgba foreground,
-    int left_margin, int right_margin, const char *on_click_template);
+extern const struct particle_info particle_string;