diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_alarm.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_alarm.erl
index ea96f14ff..086447c8c 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_alarm.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_alarm.erl
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 -boot_mnesia({mnesia, [boot]}).
 -copy_mnesia({mnesia, [copy]}).
 
--export([handle_update_config/2]).
+-export([pre_config_update/2]).
 
 -export([ start_link/0
         , stop/0
@@ -153,10 +153,10 @@ get_alarms(activated) ->
 get_alarms(deactivated) ->
     gen_server:call(?MODULE, {get_alarms, deactivated}).
 
-handle_update_config(#{<<"validity_period">> := Period0} = NewConf, OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update(#{<<"validity_period">> := Period0} = NewConf, OldConf) ->
     ?MODULE ! {update_timer, hocon_postprocess:duration(Period0)},
     maps:merge(OldConf, NewConf);
-handle_update_config(NewConf, OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update(NewConf, OldConf) ->
     maps:merge(OldConf, NewConf).
 
 format(#activated_alarm{name = Name, message = Message, activate_at = At, details = Details}) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config.erl
index 88ba41bdf..fb9d82fc1 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config.erl
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
         , find_listener_conf/3
         ]).
 
--export([ update_config/2
+-export([ update/2
         ]).
 
 %% raw configs is the config that is now parsed and tranlated by hocon schema
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ put(Config) ->
 put(KeyPath, Config) ->
     put(emqx_map_lib:deep_put(KeyPath, get(), Config)).
 
--spec update_config(emqx_map_lib:config_key_path(), update_request()) ->
+-spec update(emqx_map_lib:config_key_path(), update_request()) ->
     ok | {error, term()}.
-update_config(ConfKeyPath, UpdateReq) ->
+update(ConfKeyPath, UpdateReq) ->
     emqx_config_handler:update_config(ConfKeyPath, UpdateReq, get_raw()).
 
 -spec get_raw() -> map().
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl
index 627cb4c98..e051b27eb 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
         ]).
 
 %% emqx_config_handler callbacks
--export([ handle_update_config/2
+-export([ pre_config_update/2
         ]).
 
 %% gen_server callbacks
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@
 -type handler_name() :: module().
 -type handlers() :: #{emqx_config:config_key() => handlers(), ?MOD => handler_name()}.
 
--optional_callbacks([ handle_update_config/2
-                    , post_update_config/2
+-optional_callbacks([ pre_config_update/2
+                    , post_config_update/2
                     ]).
 
--callback handle_update_config(emqx_config:update_request(), emqx_config:raw_config()) ->
+-callback pre_config_update(emqx_config:update_request(), emqx_config:raw_config()) ->
     emqx_config:update_request().
 
--callback post_update_config(emqx_config:config(), emqx_config:config()) -> any().
+-callback post_config_update(emqx_config:config(), emqx_config:config()) -> any().
 
 -type state() :: #{
     handlers := handlers(),
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ handle_call({update_config, ConfKeyPath, UpdateReq, RawConf}, _From,
     OldConf = emqx_config:get(),
     try {RootKeys, Conf} = do_update_config(ConfKeyPath, Handlers, RawConf, UpdateReq),
         Result = emqx_config:save_configs(Conf, #{overridden_keys => RootKeys}),
-        do_post_update_config(ConfKeyPath, Handlers, OldConf, emqx_config:get()),
+        do_post_config_update(ConfKeyPath, Handlers, OldConf, emqx_config:get()),
         {reply, Result, State}
     catch
         Error : Reason : ST ->
@@ -113,43 +113,43 @@ code_change(_OldVsn, State, _Extra) ->
     {ok, State}.
 
 do_update_config([], Handlers, OldRawConf, UpdateReq) ->
-    call_handle_update_config(Handlers, OldRawConf, UpdateReq);
+    call_pre_config_update(Handlers, OldRawConf, UpdateReq);
 do_update_config([ConfKey | ConfKeyPath], Handlers, OldRawConf, UpdateReq) ->
     SubOldRawConf = get_sub_config(bin(ConfKey), OldRawConf),
     SubHandlers = maps:get(ConfKey, Handlers, #{}),
     NewUpdateReq = do_update_config(ConfKeyPath, SubHandlers, SubOldRawConf, UpdateReq),
-    call_handle_update_config(Handlers, OldRawConf, #{bin(ConfKey) => NewUpdateReq}).
+    call_pre_config_update(Handlers, OldRawConf, #{bin(ConfKey) => NewUpdateReq}).
 
-do_post_update_config([], Handlers, OldConf, NewConf) ->
-    call_post_update_config(Handlers, OldConf, NewConf);
-do_post_update_config([ConfKey | ConfKeyPath], Handlers, OldConf, NewConf) ->
+do_post_config_update([], Handlers, OldConf, NewConf) ->
+    call_post_config_update(Handlers, OldConf, NewConf);
+do_post_config_update([ConfKey | ConfKeyPath], Handlers, OldConf, NewConf) ->
     SubOldConf = get_sub_config(ConfKey, OldConf),
     SubNewConf = get_sub_config(ConfKey, NewConf),
     SubHandlers = maps:get(ConfKey, Handlers, #{}),
-    _ = do_post_update_config(ConfKeyPath, SubHandlers, SubOldConf, SubNewConf),
-    call_post_update_config(Handlers, OldConf, NewConf).
+    _ = do_post_config_update(ConfKeyPath, SubHandlers, SubOldConf, SubNewConf),
+    call_post_config_update(Handlers, OldConf, NewConf).
 
 get_sub_config(ConfKey, Conf) when is_map(Conf) ->
     maps:get(ConfKey, Conf, undefined);
 get_sub_config(_, _Conf) -> %% the Conf is a primitive
     undefined.
 
-call_handle_update_config(Handlers, OldRawConf, UpdateReq) ->
+call_pre_config_update(Handlers, OldRawConf, UpdateReq) ->
     HandlerName = maps:get(?MOD, Handlers, undefined),
-    case erlang:function_exported(HandlerName, handle_update_config, 2) of
-        true -> HandlerName:handle_update_config(UpdateReq, OldRawConf);
+    case erlang:function_exported(HandlerName, pre_config_update, 2) of
+        true -> HandlerName:pre_config_update(UpdateReq, OldRawConf);
         false -> merge_to_old_config(UpdateReq, OldRawConf)
     end.
 
-call_post_update_config(Handlers, OldConf, NewConf) ->
+call_post_config_update(Handlers, OldConf, NewConf) ->
     HandlerName = maps:get(?MOD, Handlers, undefined),
-    case erlang:function_exported(HandlerName, post_update_config, 2) of
-        true -> _ = HandlerName:post_update_config(NewConf, OldConf);
+    case erlang:function_exported(HandlerName, post_config_update, 2) of
+        true -> _ = HandlerName:post_config_update(NewConf, OldConf);
         false -> ok
     end.
 
 %% callbacks for the top-level handler
-handle_update_config(UpdateReq, OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update(UpdateReq, OldConf) ->
     FullRawConf = merge_to_old_config(UpdateReq, OldConf),
     {maps:keys(UpdateReq), FullRawConf}.
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_alarm_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_alarm_SUITE.erl
index e21dff30a..1157f94bc 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_alarm_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_alarm_SUITE.erl
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ all() -> emqx_ct:all(?MODULE).
 init_per_testcase(t_size_limit, Config) ->
     emqx_ct_helpers:boot_modules(all),
     emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    emqx_config:update_config([alarm], #{
+    emqx_config:update([alarm], #{
             <<"size_limit">> => 2
         }),
     Config;
 init_per_testcase(t_validity_period, Config) ->
     emqx_ct_helpers:boot_modules(all),
     emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    emqx_config:update_config([alarm], #{
+    emqx_config:update([alarm], #{
             <<"validity_period">> => <<"1s">>
         }),
     Config;
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/src/emqx_authz.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/src/emqx_authz.erl
index 784889954..8a85dc417 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/src/emqx_authz.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/src/emqx_authz.erl
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         , match/4
         ]).
 
--export([post_update_config/2, handle_update_config/2]).
+-export([post_config_update/2, pre_config_update/2]).
 
 -define(CONF_KEY_PATH, [emqx_authz, rules]).
 
@@ -49,24 +49,24 @@ lookup() ->
     emqx_config:get(?CONF_KEY_PATH, []).
 
 update(Cmd, Rules) ->
-    emqx_config:update_config(?CONF_KEY_PATH, {Cmd, Rules}).
+    emqx_config:update(?CONF_KEY_PATH, {Cmd, Rules}).
 
 %% For now we only support re-creating the entire rule list
-handle_update_config({head, Rule}, OldConf) when is_map(Rule), is_list(OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update({head, Rule}, OldConf) when is_map(Rule), is_list(OldConf) ->
     [Rule | OldConf];
-handle_update_config({tail, Rule}, OldConf) when is_map(Rule), is_list(OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update({tail, Rule}, OldConf) when is_map(Rule), is_list(OldConf) ->
     OldConf ++ [Rule];
-handle_update_config({_, NewConf}, _OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update({_, NewConf}, _OldConf) ->
     %% overwrite the entire config!
     case is_list(NewConf) of
         true -> NewConf;
         false -> [NewConf]
     end.
 
-post_update_config(undefined, _OldConf) ->
+post_config_update(undefined, _OldConf) ->
     %_ = [release_rules(Rule) || Rule <- OldConf],
     ok;
-post_update_config(NewRules, _OldConf) ->
+post_config_update(NewRules, _OldConf) ->
     %_ = [release_rules(Rule) || Rule <- OldConf],
     InitedRules = [init_rule(Rule) || Rule <- NewRules],
     Action = find_action_in_hooks(),
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_SUITE.erl
index 770adad6e..94a312c9e 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_SUITE.erl
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ groups() ->
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
     ok = emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([emqx_authz]),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
     emqx_authz:update(replace, []),
     Config.
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_http_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_http_SUITE.erl
index d785acca2..405f216ff 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_http_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_http_SUITE.erl
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
     meck:new(emqx_resource, [non_strict, passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     meck:expect(emqx_resource, create, fun(_, _, _) -> {ok, meck_data} end ),
     ok = emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([emqx_authz]),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
     Rules = [#{ <<"config">> => #{
                     <<"url">> => <<"https://fake.com:443/">>,
                     <<"headers">> => #{},
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mongo_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mongo_SUITE.erl
index ecf47021d..81a95e9a5 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mongo_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mongo_SUITE.erl
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
 
     ok = emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([emqx_authz]),
     ct:pal("---- emqx_hooks: ~p", [ets:tab2list(emqx_hooks)]),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
     Rules = [#{ <<"config">> => #{
                         <<"mongo_type">> => <<"single">>,
                         <<"server">> => <<"127.0.0.1:27017">>,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mysql_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mysql_SUITE.erl
index 386b5a1ad..6426cbe4d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mysql_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_mysql_SUITE.erl
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
     meck:new(emqx_resource, [non_strict, passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     meck:expect(emqx_resource, create, fun(_, _, _) -> {ok, meck_data} end ),
     ok = emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([emqx_authz]),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
     Rules = [#{ <<"config">> => #{
                     <<"server">> => <<"127.0.0.1:27017">>,
                     <<"pool_size">> => 1,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_pgsql_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_pgsql_SUITE.erl
index 78c29b176..dfad14ca4 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_pgsql_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_pgsql_SUITE.erl
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
     meck:new(emqx_resource, [non_strict, passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     meck:expect(emqx_resource, create, fun(_, _, _) -> {ok, meck_data} end ),
     ok = emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([emqx_authz]),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
     Rules = [#{ <<"config">> => #{
                     <<"server">> => <<"127.0.0.1:27017">>,
                     <<"pool_size">> => 1,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_redis_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_redis_SUITE.erl
index 4cc9ed48e..0b35c9de3 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_redis_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authz/test/emqx_authz_redis_SUITE.erl
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
     meck:new(emqx_resource, [non_strict, passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     meck:expect(emqx_resource, create, fun(_, _, _) -> {ok, meck_data} end ),
     ok = emqx_ct_helpers:start_apps([emqx_authz]),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, cache, enable], false),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([zones, default, authorization, enable], true),
     Rules = [#{ <<"config">> => #{
                     <<"server">> => <<"127.0.0.1:27017">>,
                     <<"pool_size">> => 1,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge.erl b/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge.erl
index e37b2f94b..9c27ff8d5 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge.erl
@@ -60,4 +60,4 @@ config_key_path() ->
     [emqx_data_bridge, bridges].
 
 update_config(ConfigReq) ->
-    emqx_config:update_config(config_key_path(), ConfigReq).
+    emqx_config:update(config_key_path(), ConfigReq).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge_app.erl b/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge_app.erl
index ccd98f010..26128841b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge_app.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_data_bridge/src/emqx_data_bridge_app.erl
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 -behaviour(emqx_config_handler).
 
--export([start/2, stop/1, handle_update_config/2]).
+-export([start/2, stop/1, pre_config_update/2]).
 
 start(_StartType, _StartArgs) ->
     {ok, Sup} = emqx_data_bridge_sup:start_link(),
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ stop(_State) ->
     ok.
 
 %% internal functions
-handle_update_config({update, Bridge = #{<<"name">> := Name}}, OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update({update, Bridge = #{<<"name">> := Name}}, OldConf) ->
     [Bridge | remove_bridge(Name, OldConf)];
-handle_update_config({delete, Name}, OldConf) ->
+pre_config_update({delete, Name}, OldConf) ->
     remove_bridge(Name, OldConf);
-handle_update_config(NewConf, _OldConf) when is_list(NewConf) ->
+pre_config_update(NewConf, _OldConf) when is_list(NewConf) ->
     %% overwrite the entire config!
     NewConf.
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_statsd/src/emqx_statsd_api.erl b/apps/emqx_statsd/src/emqx_statsd_api.erl
index 13391646a..ce3296ba5 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_statsd/src/emqx_statsd_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_statsd/src/emqx_statsd_api.erl
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ statsd(put, Request) ->
     {ok, Body, _} = cowboy_req:read_body(Request),
     Params = emqx_json:decode(Body, [return_maps]),
     Enable = maps:get(<<"enable">>, Params),
-    ok = emqx_config:update_config([emqx_statsd], Params),
+    ok = emqx_config:update([emqx_statsd], Params),
     enable_statsd(Enable).
 
 enable_statsd(true) ->