diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 52d6382..105b2b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class ConfigTests(unittest.TestCase):
                 password1 = config1["MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD"]
 
                 config1.pop("MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD")
-                tutor_config.save(root, config1)
+                tutor_config.save_config_file(root, config1)
 
                 mock_random_string.return_value = "efgh"
                 config2, _ = tutor_config.load_all(root)
diff --git a/tutor/commands/config.py b/tutor/commands/config.py
index f55ad13..bc11f85 100644
--- a/tutor/commands/config.py
+++ b/tutor/commands/config.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def save(context, interactive, set_, unset):
         tutor_config.merge(config, dict(set_), force=True)
     for key in unset:
         config.pop(key, None)
-    tutor_config.save(context.root, config)
+    tutor_config.save_config_file(context.root, config)
     tutor_config.merge(config, defaults)
     env.save(context.root, config)
 
@@ -78,7 +78,9 @@ def save(context, interactive, set_, unset):
 def render(context, extra_configs, src, dst):
     config = tutor_config.load(context.root)
     for extra_config in extra_configs:
-        tutor_config.merge(config, tutor_config.load_file(extra_config), force=True)
+        tutor_config.merge(
+            config, tutor_config.load_config_file(extra_config), force=True
+        )
 
     renderer = env.Renderer(config, [src])
     renderer.render_all_to(dst)
diff --git a/tutor/commands/plugins.py b/tutor/commands/plugins.py
index 6d2a832..0137c1d 100644
--- a/tutor/commands/plugins.py
+++ b/tutor/commands/plugins.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def enable(context, plugin_names):
     for plugin in plugin_names:
         plugins.enable(config, plugin)
         fmt.echo_info("Plugin {} enabled".format(plugin))
-    tutor_config.save(context.root, config)
+    tutor_config.save_config_file(context.root, config)
     fmt.echo_info(
         "You should now re-generate your environment with `tutor config save`."
     )
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def disable(context, plugin_names):
             shutil.rmtree(plugin_dir)
         fmt.echo_info("Plugin {} disabled".format(plugin))
 
-    tutor_config.save(context.root, config)
+    tutor_config.save_config_file(context.root, config)
     fmt.echo_info(
         "You should now re-generate your environment with `tutor config save`."
     )
diff --git a/tutor/commands/webui.py b/tutor/commands/webui.py
index c3a2f2b..896910e 100644
--- a/tutor/commands/webui.py
+++ b/tutor/commands/webui.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def start(context, port, host):
 )
 @click.pass_obj
 def configure(context, user, password):
-    save_config(context.root, {"user": user, "password": password})
+    save_webui_config_file(context.root, {"user": user, "password": password})
     fmt.echo_info(
         "The web UI configuration has been updated. "
         "If at any point you wish to reset your username and password, "
@@ -122,12 +122,12 @@ def check_gotty_binary(root):
 def load_config(root):
     path = config_path(root)
     if not os.path.exists(path):
-        save_config(root, {"user": None, "password": None})
+        save_webui_config_file(root, {"user": None, "password": None})
     with open(config_path(root)) as f:
         return serialize.load(f)
 
 
-def save_config(root, config):
+def save_webui_config_file(root, config):
     path = config_path(root)
     directory = os.path.dirname(path)
     if not os.path.exists(directory):
diff --git a/tutor/config.py b/tutor/config.py
index 7ef1951..ddd5960 100644
--- a/tutor/config.py
+++ b/tutor/config.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def update(root):
     Load and save the configuration.
     """
     config, defaults = load_all(root)
-    save(root, config)
+    save_config_file(root, config)
     merge(config, defaults)
     return config
 
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ def merge(config, defaults, force=False):
 
 
 def load_defaults():
-    return serialize.load(env.read("config.yml"))
+    return serialize.load(env.read_template_file("config.yml"))
 
 
-def load_file(path):
+def load_config_file(path):
     with open(path) as f:
         return serialize.load(f.read())
 
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ def load_user(root):
     if not os.path.exists(path):
         return {}
 
-    with open(path) as fi:
-        config = serialize.load(fi.read())
+    config = load_config_file(path)
     upgrade_obsolete(config)
     return config
 
@@ -164,16 +163,15 @@ def convert_json2yml(root):
                 root
             )
         )
-    with open(json_path) as fi:
-        config = json.load(fi)
-        save(root, config)
+    config = load_config_file(json_path)
+    save_config_file(root, config)
     os.remove(json_path)
     fmt.echo_info(
         "File config.json detected in {} and converted to config.yml".format(root)
     )
 
 
-def save(root, config):
+def save_config_file(root, config):
     path = config_path(root)
     utils.ensure_file_directory_exists(path)
     with open(path, "w") as of:
diff --git a/tutor/env.py b/tutor/env.py
index c1f7df2..16fd726 100644
--- a/tutor/env.py
+++ b/tutor/env.py
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ class Renderer:
         return self.__render(template)
 
     def render_file(self, path):
+        """
+        Render a template file. Return the corresponding string. If it's a binary file
+        (as indicated by its path), return bytes.
+        """
         if is_binary_file(path):
             # Don't try to render binary files
             with open(self.find_path(path), "rb") as f:
@@ -205,7 +209,7 @@ def save_all_from(prefix, root, config):
 
 def write_to(content, path):
     """
-    Content can be either str or bytes.
+    Write some content to a path. Content can be either str or bytes.
     """
     open_mode = "w"
     if isinstance(content, bytes):
@@ -267,17 +271,19 @@ def check_is_up_to_date(root):
             "\n"
             "    tutor config save"
         )
-        fmt.echo_alert(message.format(base_dir(root), version(root), __version__))
+        fmt.echo_alert(
+            message.format(base_dir(root), current_version(root), __version__)
+        )
 
 
 def is_up_to_date(root):
     """
     Check if the currently rendered version is equal to the current tutor version.
     """
-    return version(root) == __version__
+    return current_version(root) == __version__
 
 
-def version(root):
+def current_version(root):
     """
     Return the current environment version. If the current environment has no version,
     return "0".
@@ -288,7 +294,7 @@ def version(root):
     return open(path).read().strip()
 
 
-def read(*path):
+def read_template_file(*path):
     """
     Read raw content of template located at `path`.
     """
diff --git a/tutor/interactive.py b/tutor/interactive.py
index 36181a6..493f309 100644
--- a/tutor/interactive.py
+++ b/tutor/interactive.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def update(root, interactive=True):
     Load and save the configuration.
     """
     config, defaults = load_all(root, interactive=interactive)
-    tutor_config.save(root, config)
+    tutor_config.save_config_file(root, config)
     tutor_config.merge(config, defaults)
     return config