diff --git a/nbconvert.py b/nbconvert.py
index 68c1ca2..66288ae 100755
--- a/nbconvert.py
+++ b/nbconvert.py
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 # From IPython
 from IPython.external import argparse
 
+# All the stuff needed for the configurable things
+from IPython.config.application import Application, catch_config_error
+from IPython.config.configurable import Configurable, SingletonConfigurable
+from IPython.config.loader import Config, ConfigFileNotFound
+from IPython.utils.traitlets import List, Unicode, Type, Bool, Dict, CaselessStrEnum
+
+
 # local
 from converters.html import ConverterHTML
 from converters.markdown import ConverterMarkdown
@@ -23,6 +30,7 @@ from converters.rst import ConverterRST
 from converters.latex import ConverterLaTeX
 from converters.python import ConverterPy
 from converters.reveal import ConverterReveal
+from converters.base import Converter
 
 
 # When adding a new format, make sure to add it to the `converters`
@@ -46,27 +54,17 @@ default_format = 'rst'
 known_formats = ', '.join([key + " (default)" if key == default_format else key
                            for key in converters])
 
+class NbconvertApp(Application):
 
-    name = Unicode('thisIsNbconvertApp',config=True)
-
-def main(infile, format='rst', preamble=None, exclude=None):
-    """Convert a notebook to html in one step"""
-    try:
-        ConverterClass = converters[format]
-    except KeyError:
-        raise SystemExit("Unknown format '%s', " % format +
-                         "known formats are: " + known_formats)
-
-    preamble = Unicode("" ,
-                        config=True,
-                        help="Path to a user-specified preamble file")
 
-    highlight = Bool(True, 
-                     config=True,
-                     help="Enable syntax highlighting for code blocks.")
+    fmt = CaselessStrEnum(converters.keys(),
+                          default_value='rst',
+                          config=True,
+                          help="Supported conversion format")
 
-    converter = ConverterClass(infile)
-    converter.render()
+    exclude = List( [],
+                    config=True,
+                    help = 'list of cells to exclude while converting')
 
     aliases = {
             'format':'NbconvertApp.fmt',
@@ -85,49 +83,16 @@ def main(infile, format='rst', preamble=None, exclude=None):
         self.classes.insert(0,ConverterLaTeX)
         self.classes.insert(0,ConverterPy)
 
-    converter = ConverterClass(infile, highlight_source=highlight_source, exclude=exclude)
-    converter.render()
-
-
-    aliases = {
-            'format':'NbconvertApp.fmt',
-            'highlight':'Converter.highlight_source',
-            'preamble':'Converter.preamble',
-            'infile' : 'NbconvertApp.infile'
-            }
-
-    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
-        super(NbconvertApp, self).__init__(**kwargs)
-        # ensure those are registerd
-        self.classes.insert(0,Converter)
-        self.classes.insert(0,ConverterRST)
-        self.classes.insert(0,ConverterMarkdown)
-        self.classes.insert(0,ConverterBloggerHTML)
-        self.classes.insert(0,ConverterLaTeX)
-        self.classes.insert(0,ConverterPy)
-
     def initialize(self, argv=None):
-        # don't hook up crash handler before parsing command-line
         self.parse_command_line(argv)
         cl_config = self.config
         self.update_config(cl_config)
-        #self.init_crash_handler()
-        #self.foo = Cnf(config=self.config)
-        #if self.subapp is not None:
-            # stop here if subapp is taking over
-            #return
-        #cl_config = self.config
-        #self.init_profile_dir()
-        #self.init_config_files()
-        #self.load_config_file()
-        # enforce cl-opts override configfile opts:
-        #self.update_config(cl_config)
-
 
     def run(self):
         """Convert a notebook in one step"""
         ConverterClass = converters[self.fmt]
-        converter = ConverterClass(infile=self.extra_args[0],  config=self.config)
+        infile = (self.extra_args or [None])[0]
+        converter = ConverterClass(infile=infile,  config=self.config)
         converter.render()
 
 def main():
@@ -148,20 +113,13 @@ please consider using the new version.
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__,
-            formatter_class=argparse.RawTextHelpFormatter)
     # TODO: consider passing file like object around, rather than filenames
     # would allow us to process stdin, or even http streams
     #parser.add_argument('infile', nargs='?', type=argparse.FileType('r'),
     #                    default=sys.stdin)
 
-    #Require a filename as a positional argument
-    #parser.add_argument('infile', nargs=1)
     #parser.add_argument('-e', '--exclude', default='',
     #                    help='Comma-separated list of cells to exclude')
-    #parser.add_argument('-H', '--no-highlighting', action='store_false',
-    #                    help='Disable syntax highlighting for code blocks.')
-    #args = parser.parse_args()
     #exclude_cells = [s.strip() for s in args.exclude.split(',')]
 
     main()