Joomla USES configuration. PHP to store simple data

 
// Get the path of the configuration file 
$fname = JPATH_CONFIGURATION.DS.'configuration.php'; 
// clear cache 
$cache = JFactory::getCache(); 
$cache->clean(); 
// Update the credentials with the new settings 
$config =& JFactory::getConfig(); 
$config->setValue('config.custom_var', 'xxx'); 
// Get the config registry in PHP class format and write it to configuation.php 
jimport('joomla.filesystem.file'); 
if (!JFile::write($fname, $config->toString('PHP', 'config', array('class' => 'JConfig')))) { 
die(JText::_('ERRORCONFIGFILE')); 
} 

 
global $mainframe; 
$mainframe->getCfg('custom_var');