diff --git a/deploy-config.orig.php b/deploy-config.orig.php
index 2ce17a0..f95b565 100644
--- a/deploy-config.orig.php
+++ b/deploy-config.orig.php
@@ -4,8 +4,20 @@
  * PHP script for automatic code deployment directly from Github or Bitbucket to your server using webhooks
  * Documentation: https://github.com/Lyquix/php-git-deploy
  */
+ 
+/*
+ * For array options, you can use any of the following formats:
+ * define('OPTION', ['value1', 'value2', 'value3']); // works only in PHP 7.0+
+ * define('OPTION', 'value1, value2, value3');
+ * define('OPTION', serialize(array('value1', 'value2', 'value3'))); // for older PHP versions that disallow to use arrays as const value
+ * define('OPTION', ''); // for empty arrays
+ *
+ */
 
-/* DISABLED: Set to true to prevent the execution of this script. cript only when needed */
+/* DISABLED: Set to true to prevent the execution of this script.
+ * Useful to control activation of this script only when needed.
+ *
+ */
 define('DISABLED', false);
 
 /* IP_ALLOW:
@@ -17,8 +29,7 @@
  * (https://confluence.atlassian.com/bitbucket/what-are-the-bitbucket-cloud-ip-addresses-i-should-use-to-configure-my-corporate-firewall-343343385.html)
  *
  */
-define('IP_ALLOW', serialize(array(
-)));
+define('IP_ALLOW', '');
 
 /*
  * REMOTE_REPOSITORY:
@@ -35,11 +46,7 @@
  * Array of branch names allowed to deploy
  * First name in array is considered the default branch and only one allowed for automatic deployments
  */
-define('BRANCH', serialize(array(
-	'branch',
-	'mybranch',
-	'yourbranch'
-)));
+define('BRANCH', 'branch, mybranch, yourbranch');
 
 /*
  * ACCESS_TOKEN:
@@ -69,10 +76,10 @@
  * Array of files excluded from rsync (they will appear in GIT_DIR, but not in TARGET_DIR)
  * By default, only .git directory is excluded.
  * It's recommended to leave '.git' excluded and add something more if needed.
- * Example: define('EXCLUDE_FILES', serialize(array('.git', '.gitignore', '*.less', '*.scss')));
+ * Example: define('EXCLUDE_FILES', ['.git', '.gitignore', '*.less', '*.scss']);
  *
  */
-define('EXCLUDE_FILES', serialize(array('.git')));
+define('EXCLUDE_FILES', '.git');
 
 /* RSYNC_FLAGS:
  * Custom flags to run rsync with
@@ -96,17 +103,17 @@
  * Run commands before running rsync. Default: empty array
  * This commands will be run under GIT_DIR after checkout from remote repository
  * Useful for running build tasks
- * Example: define('COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC', serialize(array('composer install')));
+ * Example: define('COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC', ['composer install']);
  */
-define('COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC', serialize(array()));
+define('COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC', '');
 
 /* COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC:
  * Run commands after running rsync. Default: empty array
  * This commands will be run under TARGET_DIR after copying files from GIT_DIR
  * Useful for doing some cleanups
- * Example: define('COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC', serialize(array('rm cache/*.php -f')));
+ * Example: define('COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC', ['rm cache/*.php -f']);
  */
-define('COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC', serialize(array()));
+define('COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC', '');
 
 /* CLEANUP_WORK_TREE:
  * Clean GIT_DIR from leftovers after custom commands
@@ -125,8 +132,7 @@
  * 	- Class names have to match their file-name (case-sensitive), e.g. "Discord.class.php" has class "Discord"
  * 	- The array keys contain only the class name, e.g. array("Discord") 
  */
-define('CALLBACK_CLASSES', array(
-));
+define('CALLBACK_CLASSES', '');
 
 /* PLUGINS_FOLDER:
  * Folder containing all webhook plugins/classes, default: 'plugins/'
diff --git a/deploy.php b/deploy.php
index 722956f..2246011 100644
--- a/deploy.php
+++ b/deploy.php
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ function endScript($msg = "",$display = false) {
 	if(defined('EMAIL_NOTIFICATIONS') && EMAIL_NOTIFICATIONS !== '') error_log($output, 1, EMAIL_NOTIFICATIONS);
 
 	// Send error callback
-	if(!empty($msg) && defined('CALLBACK_CLASSES') && !empty(CALLBACK_CLASSES)){
-		foreach (CALLBACK_CLASSES as $class) {
+	if(!empty($msg) && defined('CALLBACK_CLASSES') && !empty(getArray(CALLBACK_CLASSES))){
+		foreach (getArray(CALLBACK_CLASSES) as $class) {
 			if(is_callable(array($class,"errorWebhook"))){
 				$callback = $class::errorWebhook($msg);
 				// prevent outputting after errorPage()
@@ -92,6 +92,33 @@ function endScript($msg = "",$display = false) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Return new array from string (possible formats: serialized, json, comma-separated or just single item) or array itself
+// To use with config entries
+function getArray($x = '') {
+	// For empty value (false, null, '', etc) - return empty array
+	if (empty($x)) {
+		return array();
+	}
+	// For array - return array itself
+	if (is_array($x)) {
+		return $x;
+	}
+	if (is_string($x)) {
+		// Serialized array (a:<len>:{<elements>})
+		if (preg_match('/^a:\d+:\{.*\}$/', $x)) {
+			return unserialize($x);
+		}
+		// Json array ([<elements>])
+		if (preg_match('/^\[.*\]$/', $x)) {
+			return json_decode($x, true);				
+		}
+		// Comma-separated list or single element
+		return array_map('trim', explode(',', $x));
+	}
+	// For anything else - push it into single-element array
+	return array($x);
+}
+
 /* Begin Script Execution */
 
 // Prevent caching
@@ -120,7 +147,7 @@ function endScript($msg = "",$display = false) {
 if (!defined('GIT_DIR') || GIT_DIR === '') $err[] = 'Git directory is not configured';
 if (!defined('TARGET_DIR') || TARGET_DIR === '') $err[] = 'Target directory is not configured';
 if (!defined('TIME_LIMIT')) define('TIME_LIMIT', 60);
-if (!defined('EXCLUDE_FILES')) define('EXCLUDE_FILES', serialize(array('.git')));
+if (!defined('EXCLUDE_FILES')) define('EXCLUDE_FILES', '.git');
 if (!defined('RSYNC_FLAGS')) define('RSYNC_FLAGS', '-rltgoDzvO');
 
 // If there is a configuration error
@@ -141,9 +168,9 @@ function endScript($msg = "",$display = false) {
 fclose($fh);
 
 // Check if IP is allowed
-if(defined('IP_ALLOW') && count(unserialize(IP_ALLOW))) {
+if(defined('IP_ALLOW') && count(getArray(IP_ALLOW))) {
 	$allow = false;
-	foreach(unserialize(IP_ALLOW) as $ip_allow) {
+	foreach(getArray(IP_ALLOW) as $ip_allow) {
 		if(strpos($ip_allow, '/') === false) {
 			// Single IP
 			if(inet_pton($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']) == inet_pton($ip_allow)) {
@@ -265,7 +292,7 @@ function getallheaders() {
 // Branch from webhook?
 if($branch) {
 	// Only main branch is allowed for webhook deployments
-	if($branch != unserialize(BRANCH)[0]) {
+	if($branch != getArray(BRANCH)[0]) {
 		$msg = 'Branch ' . $branch . ' not allowed, stopping execution.';
 		echo "\n" . $msg . "\n</pre></body></html>";
 		endScript($msg);
@@ -276,13 +303,13 @@ function getallheaders() {
 	if(isset($_GET['b'])) {
 		$branch = $_GET['b'];
 		// Check if branch is allowed
-		if(!in_array($branch, unserialize(BRANCH))) {
+		if(!in_array($branch, getArray(BRANCH))) {
 			$msg = 'Branch ' . $branch . ' not allowed, stopping execution.';
 			echo "\n" . $msg . "\n</pre></body></html>";
 			endScript($msg);
 			}
 	} else {
-		$branch = unserialize(BRANCH)[0];
+		$branch = getArray(BRANCH)[0];
 		echo "No branch specified, assuming default branch $branch\n";
 	}
 }
@@ -473,15 +500,15 @@ function cmd($command, $print = true, $dir = GIT_DIR) {
 echo "\nNOTE: repository files that have been modfied or removed in target directory will be resynced with repository even if not listed in commits\n";
 
 // Run before rsync commands
-if(defined('COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC') && count(unserialize(COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC))) {
+if(defined('COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC') && count(getArray(COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC))) {
 	echo "\nRunning before rsync commands\n";
-	foreach(unserialize(COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC) as $command) {
+	foreach(getArray(COMMANDS_BEFORE_RSYNC) as $command) {
 		cmd($command);
 	}
 }
 
 // Build exclusion list
-$exclude = unserialize(EXCLUDE_FILES);
+$exclude = getArray(EXCLUDE_FILES);
 array_unshift($exclude, '');
 
 // rsync all added and modified files (by default: no deletes, exclude .git directory)
@@ -498,9 +525,9 @@ function cmd($command, $print = true, $dir = GIT_DIR) {
 foreach($deleted as $file) unlink($file);
 
 // Run after rsync commands
-if(defined('COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC') && count(unserialize(COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC))) {
+if(defined('COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC') && count(getArray(COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC))) {
 	echo "\nRunning after rsync commands\n";
-	foreach(unserialize(COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC) as $command) {
+	foreach(getArray(COMMANDS_AFTER_RSYNC) as $command) {
 		cmd($command, true, TARGET_DIR);
 	}
 }
@@ -524,8 +551,8 @@ function cmd($command, $print = true, $dir = GIT_DIR) {
 ));
 
 // Send success callback
-if(defined('CALLBACK_CLASSES') && !empty(CALLBACK_CLASSES)){
-	foreach (CALLBACK_CLASSES as $class) {
+if(defined('CALLBACK_CLASSES') && !empty(getArray(CALLBACK_CLASSES))){
+	foreach (getArray(CALLBACK_CLASSES) as $class) {
 		if(is_callable(array($class,"successWebhook"))){
 			$callback = $class::successWebhook(array(
 				'remote' => REMOTE_REPOSITORY,