diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a3dd40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2021 nytpu
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+// For more license details, see LICENSE or <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.html>.
+
+// This file incorporates code from makeworld's amfora:
+// https://github.com/makeworld-the-better-one/amfora/blob/master/subscriptions/structs.go
+// Original source is Copyright 2020 makeworld and is licensed under the
+// terms of the GNU General Public License Version 3.0.
+// https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0-standalone.html
+
+// package core implements the structs and other necessary resources for storing
+// and managing feeds and pages
+package core
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// Global instance of FullData
+var Data = FullData{
+	FeedsMu: &sync.RWMutex{},
+	PagesMu: &sync.RWMutex{},
+	// Maps are created in init()
+}
+
+// have to do this instead of the automatically called init() because
+// initialization stuff requires parsing of command line args first
+func Init(dataPath string) error {
+	f, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(dataPath, "comitium.json"))
+	if err == nil {
+		// File exists and could be opened
+		fi, err := f.Stat()
+		if err == nil && fi.Size() > 0 {
+			// File is not empty
+			jsonBytes, err := ioutil.ReadAll(f)
+			f.Close()
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("read comitium.json error: %w", err)
+			}
+			err = json.Unmarshal(jsonBytes, &Data)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("comitium.json is corrupted: %w", err)
+			}
+		}
+		f.Close()
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		// There's an error opening the file, but it's not bc is doesn't exist
+		return fmt.Errorf("open comitium.json error: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if Data.Feeds == nil {
+		Data.Feeds = make(map[url.URL]*Feed)
+	}
+	if Data.Pages == nil {
+		Data.Pages = make(map[url.URL]*Page)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/core/structs.go b/core/structs.go
index abebed0..28915e1 100644
--- a/core/structs.go
+++ b/core/structs.go
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 // terms of the GNU General Public License Version 3.0.
 // https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0-standalone.html
 
-// package core implements the structs and other necessary resources for storing
-// and managing feeds and pages
 package core
 
 import (
@@ -110,6 +108,30 @@ func (f *Feed) Swap(i, j int) {
 	f.Items[i], f.Items[j] = f.Items[j], f.Items[i]
 }
 
+// Lock locks both feed and page mutexes.
+func (j *JsonData) Lock() {
+	j.FeedsMu.Lock()
+	j.PagesMu.Lock()
+}
+
+// Unlock unlocks both feed and page mutexes.
+func (j *JsonData) Unlock() {
+	j.FeedsMu.Unlock()
+	j.PagesMu.Unlock()
+}
+
+// RLock read-locks both feed and page mutexes.
+func (j *JsonData) RLock() {
+	j.FeedsMu.RLock()
+	j.PagesMu.RLock()
+}
+
+// RUnlock read-unlocks both feed and page mutexes.
+func (j *JsonData) RUnlock() {
+	j.FeedsMu.RUnlock()
+	j.PagesMu.RUnlock()
+}
+
 // PageEntry is a single item on a subscriptions page. It is used for both feeds
 // and pages.
 type PageEntry struct {