The configuration framework is a very small framework at the lowest level (first layer built) of the Java Layered Frameworks. You can see it at the bottom of the Architectural Layer Diagram. Its main purpose in life is to get very basic JVM (Java Virtual Machine) configuration information, most notably the name of the main application properties file (which configures the basic information for the rest of the layers in JLF) and an application property file directory (so you can create your own sub-property files specific to your own needs, but not have to worry about their correct placement/deployment to servers). See the Getting Started with JLF page for more information on how to configure JLF for use in your Java environment..
See the Configuration Framework Class Diagram for the major classes and methods involved in the framework. The key class is AppInfo, serviced by a polymorphic information gathering mechanism that can be overridden when starting the JVM via -D option. The source code for the framework begins here. Here is the JavaDoc for all of JLF, including the configuration framework.