diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting.cpp b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..924e96c0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#include "vtr_assert.h"
+
+#include "bitstream_setting.h"
+
+/* namespace openfpga begins */
+namespace openfpga {
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Member functions for class BitstreamSetting
+ ***********************************************************************/
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Public Accessors : aggregates
+ ***********************************************************************/
+BitstreamSetting::bitstream_pb_type_setting_range BitstreamSetting::pb_type_settings() const {
+  return vtr::make_range(pb_type_setting_ids_.begin(), pb_type_setting_ids_.end());
+}
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Constructors
+ ***********************************************************************/
+BitstreamSetting::BitstreamSetting() {
+  return;
+}
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Public Accessors
+ ***********************************************************************/
+std::string BitstreamSetting::pb_type_name(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const {
+  VTR_ASSERT(true == valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(pb_type_setting_id));
+  return pb_type_names_[pb_type_setting_id];
+}
+
+std::vector<std::string> BitstreamSetting::parent_pb_type_names(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const {
+  VTR_ASSERT(true == valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(pb_type_setting_id));
+  return parent_pb_type_names_[pb_type_setting_id];
+}
+
+std::vector<std::string> BitstreamSetting::parent_mode_names(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const {
+  VTR_ASSERT(true == valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(pb_type_setting_id));
+  return parent_mode_names_[pb_type_setting_id];
+}
+
+std::string BitstreamSetting::pb_type_bitstream_source(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const {
+  VTR_ASSERT(true == valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(pb_type_setting_id));
+  return pb_type_bitstream_sources_[pb_type_setting_id];
+}
+
+std::string BitstreamSetting::pb_type_bitstream_content(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const {
+  VTR_ASSERT(true == valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(pb_type_setting_id));
+  return pb_type_bitstream_contents_[pb_type_setting_id];
+}
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Public Mutators
+ ***********************************************************************/
+BitstreamPbTypeSettingId BitstreamSetting::add_bitstream_pb_type_setting(const std::string& pb_type_name,
+                                                                         const std::vector<std::string>& parent_pb_type_names,
+                                                                         const std::vector<std::string>& parent_mode_names,
+                                                                         const std::string& bitstream_source,
+                                                                         const std::string& bitstream_content) {
+  BitstreamPbTypeSettingId pb_type_setting_id = BitstreamPbTypeSettingId(pb_type_setting_ids_.size());
+  pb_type_setting_ids_.push_back(pb_type_setting_id);
+  pb_type_names_.push_back(pb_type_name);
+  parent_pb_type_names_.push_back(parent_pb_type_names);
+  parent_mode_names_.push_back(parent_mode_names);
+  pb_type_bitstream_sources_.push_back(bitstream_source);
+  pb_type_bitstream_contents_.push_back(bitstream_content);
+
+  return pb_type_setting_id;
+}
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Public Validators
+ ***********************************************************************/
+bool BitstreamSetting::valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const {
+  return ( size_t(pb_type_setting_id) < pb_type_setting_ids_.size() ) && ( pb_type_setting_id == pb_type_setting_ids_[pb_type_setting_id] ); 
+}
+
+} /* namespace openfpga ends */
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting.h b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d42ebe430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting.h
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#ifndef BITSTREAM_SETTING_H
+#define BITSTREAM_SETTING_H
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * This file include the declaration of simulation settings
+ * which are used by OpenFPGA 
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include <string>
+
+#include "vtr_vector.h" 
+
+#include "bitstream_setting_fwd.h" 
+
+/* namespace openfpga begins */
+namespace openfpga {
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * A data structure to describe bitstream settings
+ *
+ * Typical usage:
+ * --------------
+ *   // Create an empty bitstream setting
+ *   BitstreamSetting bitstream_setting;
+ *   // call your builder for bitstream_setting
+ *
+ *******************************************************************/
+class BitstreamSetting {
+  public: /* Types */
+    typedef vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, BitstreamPbTypeSettingId>::const_iterator bitstream_pb_type_setting_iterator;
+    /* Create range */
+    typedef vtr::Range<bitstream_pb_type_setting_iterator> bitstream_pb_type_setting_range;
+  public:  /* Constructors */
+    BitstreamSetting();
+  public: /* Accessors: aggregates */
+    bitstream_pb_type_setting_range pb_type_settings() const;
+  public: /* Public Accessors */
+    std::string pb_type_name(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const;
+    std::vector<std::string> parent_pb_type_names(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const;
+    std::vector<std::string> parent_mode_names(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const;
+    std::string pb_type_bitstream_source(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const;
+    std::string pb_type_bitstream_content(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const;
+  public: /* Public Mutators */
+    BitstreamPbTypeSettingId add_bitstream_pb_type_setting(const std::string& pb_type_name,
+                                                           const std::vector<std::string>& parent_pb_type_names,
+                                                           const std::vector<std::string>& parent_mode_names,
+                                                           const std::string& bitstream_source,
+                                                           const std::string& bitstream_content);
+  public: /* Public Validators */
+    bool valid_bitstream_pb_type_setting_id(const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& pb_type_setting_id) const;
+  private: /* Internal data */
+    vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, BitstreamPbTypeSettingId> pb_type_setting_ids_;
+    vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, std::string> pb_type_names_;
+    vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, std::vector<std::string>> parent_pb_type_names_;
+    vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, std::vector<std::string>> parent_mode_names_;
+    vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, std::string> pb_type_bitstream_sources_;
+    vtr::vector<BitstreamPbTypeSettingId, std::string> pb_type_bitstream_contents_;
+};
+
+} /* namespace openfpga ends */
+
+#endif
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting_fwd.h b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting_fwd.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..009bcbfed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/bitstream_setting_fwd.h
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/************************************************************************
+ * A header file for BitstreamSetting class, including critical data declaration
+ * Please include this file only for using any BitstreamSetting data structure
+ * Refer to bitstream_setting.h for more details 
+ ***********************************************************************/
+
+/************************************************************************
+ * Create strong id for the pb_type annotation in Bitstream setting to avoid illegal type casting 
+ ***********************************************************************/
+#ifndef BITSTREAM_SETTING_FWD_H
+#define BITSTREAM_SETTING_FWD_H
+
+#include "vtr_strong_id.h"
+
+struct bitstream_pb_type_setting_id_tag;
+
+typedef vtr::StrongId<bitstream_pb_type_setting_id_tag> BitstreamPbTypeSettingId;
+
+/* Short declaration of class */
+class BitstreamSetting;
+
+#endif
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/openfpga_arch.h b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/openfpga_arch.h
index 38d920c6e..6867a4bb4 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/openfpga_arch.h
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/openfpga_arch.h
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 #include "circuit_library.h"
 #include "technology_library.h"
-#include "simulation_setting.h"
 #include "config_protocol.h"
 #include "arch_direct.h"
 #include "tile_annotation.h"
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_bitstream_setting.cpp b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_bitstream_setting.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02f257ffe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_bitstream_setting.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/********************************************************************
+ * This file includes the top-level function of this library
+ * which reads an XML modeling OpenFPGA architecture to the associated
+ * data structures
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include <string>
+
+/* Headers from pugi XML library */
+#include "pugixml.hpp"
+#include "pugixml_util.hpp"
+
+/* Headers from vtr util library */
+#include "vtr_assert.h"
+
+/* Headers from openfpga util library */
+#include "openfpga_pb_parser.h"
+
+/* Headers from libarchfpga */
+#include "arch_error.h"
+#include "read_xml_util.h"
+
+#include "read_xml_bitstream_setting.h"
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Parse XML description for a pb_type annotation under a <pb_type> XML node
+ *******************************************************************/
+static 
+void read_xml_bitstream_pb_type_setting(pugi::xml_node& xml_pb_type,
+                                        const pugiutil::loc_data& loc_data,
+                                        openfpga::BitstreamSetting& bitstream_setting) {
+  const std::string& name_attr = get_attribute(xml_pb_type, "name", loc_data).as_string();
+  const std::string& source_attr = get_attribute(xml_pb_type, "source", loc_data).as_string();
+  const std::string& content_attr = get_attribute(xml_pb_type, "content", loc_data).as_string();
+
+  /* Parse the attributes for operating pb_type */
+  openfpga::PbParser operating_pb_parser(name_attr);
+
+  /* Add to bitstream setting */
+  bitstream_setting.add_bitstream_pb_type_setting(operating_pb_parser.leaf(),
+                                                  operating_pb_parser.parents(),
+                                                  operating_pb_parser.modes(),
+                                                  source_attr,
+                                                  content_attr);
+}
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Parse XML codes about <openfpga_bitstream_setting> to an object
+ *******************************************************************/
+openfpga::BitstreamSetting read_xml_bitstream_setting(pugi::xml_node& Node,
+                                                      const pugiutil::loc_data& loc_data) {
+  openfpga::BitstreamSetting bitstream_setting;
+
+  /* Iterate over the children under this node,
+   * each child should be named after <pb_type>
+   */
+  for (pugi::xml_node xml_pb_type : Node.children()) {
+    /* Error out if the XML child has an invalid name! */
+    if (xml_pb_type.name() != std::string("pb_type")) {
+      bad_tag(xml_pb_type, loc_data, Node, {"pb_type"});
+    }
+    read_xml_bitstream_pb_type_setting(xml_pb_type, loc_data, bitstream_setting);
+  } 
+
+  return bitstream_setting;
+}
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_bitstream_setting.h b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_bitstream_setting.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d3b16ec82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_bitstream_setting.h
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#ifndef READ_XML_BITSTREAM_SETTING_H
+#define READ_XML_BITSTREAM_SETTING_H
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Include header files that are required by function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include "pugixml_util.hpp"
+#include "pugixml.hpp"
+#include "bitstream_setting.h"
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+
+openfpga::BitstreamSetting read_xml_bitstream_setting(pugi::xml_node& Node,
+                                                      const pugiutil::loc_data& loc_data);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.cpp b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.cpp
index bbeb893c0..ad0c88b4d 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.cpp
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "read_xml_routing_circuit.h"
 #include "read_xml_tile_annotation.h"
 #include "read_xml_pb_type_annotation.h"
+#include "read_xml_bitstream_setting.h"
 #include "read_xml_openfpga_arch.h"
 #include "openfpga_arch_linker.h"
 
@@ -149,3 +150,34 @@ openfpga::SimulationSetting read_xml_openfpga_simulation_settings(const char* si
   return openfpga_sim_setting; 
 }
 
+/********************************************************************
+ * Top-level function to parse an XML file and load data to bitstream settings
+ *******************************************************************/
+openfpga::BitstreamSetting read_xml_openfpga_bitstream_settings(const char* bitstream_setting_file_name) {
+  vtr::ScopedStartFinishTimer timer("Read OpenFPGA bitstream settings");
+
+  openfpga::BitstreamSetting openfpga_bitstream_setting;
+
+  pugi::xml_node Next;
+
+  /* Parse the file */
+  pugi::xml_document doc;
+  pugiutil::loc_data loc_data;
+
+  try {
+    loc_data = pugiutil::load_xml(doc, bitstream_setting_file_name);
+
+    /* Second node should be <openfpga_simulation_setting> */
+    auto xml_bitstream_settings = get_single_child(doc, "openfpga_bitstream_setting", loc_data); 
+
+    /* Parse simulation settings to data structure */
+    openfpga_bitstream_setting = read_xml_bitstream_setting(xml_bitstream_settings, loc_data);
+
+  } catch (pugiutil::XmlError& e) {
+    archfpga_throw(bitstream_setting_file_name, e.line(),
+                   "%s", e.what());
+  }
+
+  return openfpga_bitstream_setting; 
+}
+
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.h b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.h
index 660baeec0..920ba20e1 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.h
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/read_xml_openfpga_arch.h
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
  *******************************************************************/
 #include <string>
 #include "openfpga_arch.h"
+#include "simulation_setting.h"
+#include "bitstream_setting.h"
 
 /********************************************************************
  * Function declaration
@@ -14,4 +16,6 @@ openfpga::Arch read_xml_openfpga_arch(const char* arch_file_name);
 
 openfpga::SimulationSetting read_xml_openfpga_simulation_settings(const char* sim_setting_file_name);
 
+openfpga::BitstreamSetting read_xml_openfpga_bitstream_settings(const char* bitstream_setting_file_name);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/write_xml_bitstream_setting.cpp b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/write_xml_bitstream_setting.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8256573dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/write_xml_bitstream_setting.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/********************************************************************
+ * This file includes functions that outputs a bitstream setting to XML format
+ *******************************************************************/
+/* Headers from system goes first */
+#include <string>
+#include <algorithm>
+
+/* Headers from vtr util library */
+#include "vtr_assert.h"
+#include "vtr_log.h"
+#include "openfpga_digest.h"
+
+/* Headers from readarchopenfpga library */
+#include "write_xml_utils.h" 
+#include "write_xml_bitstream_setting.h"
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Generate the full hierarchy name for a pb_type in bitstream setting
+ *******************************************************************/
+static 
+std::string generate_bitstream_setting_pb_type_hierarchy_name(const openfpga::BitstreamSetting& bitstream_setting,
+                                                              const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& bitstream_pb_type_setting_id) {
+  /* Iterate over the parent_pb_type and modes names, they should well match */
+  VTR_ASSERT_SAFE(bitstream_setting.parent_pb_type_names(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id).size() == bitstream_setting.parent_mode_names(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id).size());
+
+  std::string hie_name;
+
+  for (size_t i = 0 ; i < bitstream_setting.parent_pb_type_names(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id).size(); ++i) {
+    hie_name += bitstream_setting.parent_pb_type_names(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id)[i];
+    hie_name += std::string("[");
+    hie_name += bitstream_setting.parent_mode_names(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id)[i];
+    hie_name += std::string("]");
+    hie_name += std::string(".");
+  }
+
+  /* Add the leaf pb_type */
+  hie_name += bitstream_setting.pb_type_name(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id);
+
+  return hie_name;
+}
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * A writer to output a bitstream pb_type setting to XML format
+ *******************************************************************/
+static 
+void write_xml_bitstream_pb_type_setting(std::fstream& fp,
+                                         const char* fname,
+                                         const openfpga::BitstreamSetting& bitstream_setting,
+                                         const BitstreamPbTypeSettingId& bitstream_pb_type_setting_id) {
+  /* Validate the file stream */
+  openfpga::check_file_stream(fname, fp);
+
+  fp << "\t\t" << "<pb_type";
+
+  /* Generate the full hierarchy name of the pb_type */
+  write_xml_attribute(fp, "name", generate_bitstream_setting_pb_type_hierarchy_name(bitstream_setting, bitstream_pb_type_setting_id).c_str());
+
+  write_xml_attribute(fp, "source", bitstream_setting.pb_type_bitstream_source(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id).c_str());
+  write_xml_attribute(fp, "content", bitstream_setting.pb_type_bitstream_content(bitstream_pb_type_setting_id).c_str());
+
+  fp << "/>" << "\n";
+}
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * A writer to output a bitstream setting to XML format
+ *******************************************************************/
+void write_xml_bitstream_setting(std::fstream& fp,
+                                 const char* fname,
+                                 const openfpga::BitstreamSetting& bitstream_setting) {
+  /* Validate the file stream */
+  openfpga::check_file_stream(fname, fp);
+
+  /* Write the root node <openfpga_bitstream_setting>
+   */
+  fp << "<openfpga_bitstream_setting>" << "\n";
+
+  /* Write clock settings */ 
+  for (const auto& bitstream_pb_type_setting_id : bitstream_setting.pb_type_settings()) {
+    write_xml_bitstream_pb_type_setting(fp, fname, bitstream_setting, bitstream_pb_type_setting_id);
+  }
+
+  /* Write the root node <openfpga_bitstream_setting> */
+  fp << "</openfpga_bitstream_setting>" << "\n";
+}
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/write_xml_bitstream_setting.h b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/write_xml_bitstream_setting.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b4eea0d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/src/write_xml_bitstream_setting.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef WRITE_XML_BITSTREAM_SETTING_H
+#define WRITE_XML_BITSTREAM_SETTING_H
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Include header files that are required by function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include <fstream>
+#include "bitstream_setting.h"
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+void write_xml_bitstream_setting(std::fstream& fp,
+                                 const char* fname,
+                                 const openfpga::BitstreamSetting& bitstream_setting);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/test/read_bitstream_setting_openfpga.cpp b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/test/read_bitstream_setting_openfpga.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d805eb7f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libopenfpga/libarchopenfpga/test/read_bitstream_setting_openfpga.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/********************************************************************
+ * Unit test functions to validate the correctness of 
+ * 1. parser of data structures
+ * 2. writer of data structures
+ *******************************************************************/
+/* Headers from vtrutils */
+#include "vtr_assert.h"
+#include "vtr_log.h"
+
+/* Headers from readarchopenfpga */
+#include "read_xml_openfpga_arch.h"
+#include "write_xml_openfpga_arch.h"
+
+int main(int argc, const char** argv) {
+  /* Ensure we have only one or two argument */
+  VTR_ASSERT((2 == argc) || (3 == argc));
+
+  /* Parse the simulation settings from an XML file */
+  const openfpga::BitstreamSetting& openfpga_sim_setting = read_xml_openfpga_bitstream_settings(argv[1]); 
+  VTR_LOG("Parsed bitstream settings from XML %s.\n",
+          argv[1]);
+
+  /* Output the simulation settings to an XML file
+   * This is optional only used when there is a second argument
+   */
+  if (3 <= argc) { 
+    write_xml_openfpga_bitstream_settings(argv[2], openfpga_bitstream_setting);
+    VTR_LOG("Echo the OpenFPGA bitstream settings to an XML file: %s.\n",
+            argv[2]);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/openfpga/src/base/openfpga_context.h b/openfpga/src/base/openfpga_context.h
index a6ea28ace..0bff4448e 100644
--- a/openfpga/src/base/openfpga_context.h
+++ b/openfpga/src/base/openfpga_context.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include "vpr_context.h"
 #include "openfpga_arch.h"
+#include "simulation_setting.h"
 #include "vpr_netlist_annotation.h"
 #include "vpr_device_annotation.h"
 #include "vpr_clustering_annotation.h"