StandardServiceRegistryBuilder standardRegistryBuilder = ...; // load some properties via resource lookup standardRegistryBuilder.loadProperties( "org/hibernate/example/MyProperties.properties" ); // configure the registry from a resource lookup for a cfg.xml config file standardRegistryBuilder.configure( "org/hibernate/example/my.cfg.xml" ); // apply a random setting standardRegistryBuilder.applySetting( "myProp", "some value" ); // apply a service initiator standardRegistryBuilder.addInitiator( new CustomServiceInitiator() ); // apply a service impl standardRegistryBuilder.addService( SomeCustomService.class, new SomeCustomServiceImpl() ); // and finally build the StandardServiceRegistry StandardServiceRegistry standardRegistry = standardRegistryBuilder.build();