diff --git a/components/settings/categories.hpp b/components/settings/categories.hpp
index 6a2da2fa10..246d6c2a44 100644
--- a/components/settings/categories.hpp
+++ b/components/settings/categories.hpp
@@ -5,12 +5,24 @@
 #include <set>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
+#include <string_view>
 
 namespace Settings
 {
+    struct Less
+    {
+        using is_transparent = void;
+
+        bool operator()(const std::pair<std::string_view, std::string_view>& l,
+            const std::pair<std::string_view, std::string_view>& r) const
+        {
+            return l < r;
+        }
+    };
+
     using CategorySetting = std::pair<std::string, std::string>;
     using CategorySettingVector = std::set<CategorySetting>;
-    using CategorySettingValueMap = std::map<CategorySetting, std::string>;
+    using CategorySettingValueMap = std::map<CategorySetting, std::string, Less>;
 }
 
 #endif // COMPONENTS_SETTINGS_CATEGORIES_H
diff --git a/components/settings/settings.cpp b/components/settings/settings.cpp
index 99093d7a1d..ff4a40d707 100644
--- a/components/settings/settings.cpp
+++ b/components/settings/settings.cpp
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ void Manager::saveUser(const std::string &file)
     parser.saveSettingsFile(file, mUserSettings);
 }
 
-std::string Manager::getString(const std::string &setting, const std::string &category)
+std::string Manager::getString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
-    CategorySettingValueMap::key_type key (category, setting);
+    const auto key = std::make_pair(category, setting);
     CategorySettingValueMap::iterator it = mUserSettings.find(key);
     if (it != mUserSettings.end())
         return it->second;
@@ -82,11 +82,13 @@ std::string Manager::getString(const std::string &setting, const std::string &ca
     if (it != mDefaultSettings.end())
         return it->second;
 
-    throw std::runtime_error(std::string("Trying to retrieve a non-existing setting: ") + setting
-                             + ".\nMake sure the defaults.bin file was properly installed.");
+    std::string error("Trying to retrieve a non-existing setting: ");
+    error += setting;
+    error += ".\nMake sure the defaults.bin file was properly installed.";
+    throw std::runtime_error(error);
 }
 
-float Manager::getFloat (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+float Manager::getFloat(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& value = getString(setting, category);
     std::stringstream stream(value);
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ float Manager::getFloat (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category
     return number;
 }
 
-double Manager::getDouble (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+double Manager::getDouble(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& value = getString(setting, category);
     std::stringstream stream(value);
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ double Manager::getDouble (const std::string& setting, const std::string& catego
     return number;
 }
 
-int Manager::getInt (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+int Manager::getInt(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& value = getString(setting, category);
     std::stringstream stream(value);
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ int Manager::getInt (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
     return number;
 }
 
-std::int64_t Manager::getInt64 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+std::int64_t Manager::getInt64(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& value = getString(setting, category);
     std::stringstream stream(value);
@@ -122,13 +124,13 @@ std::int64_t Manager::getInt64 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& c
     return number;
 }
 
-bool Manager::getBool (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+bool Manager::getBool(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& string = getString(setting, category);
     return Misc::StringUtils::ciEqual(string, "true");
 }
 
-osg::Vec2f Manager::getVector2 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+osg::Vec2f Manager::getVector2(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& value = getString(setting, category);
     std::stringstream stream(value);
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ osg::Vec2f Manager::getVector2 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& c
     return {x, y};
 }
 
-osg::Vec3f Manager::getVector3 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category)
+osg::Vec3f Manager::getVector3(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category)
 {
     const std::string& value = getString(setting, category);
     std::stringstream stream(value);
@@ -150,75 +152,69 @@ osg::Vec3f Manager::getVector3 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& c
     return {x, y, z};
 }
 
-void Manager::setString(const std::string &setting, const std::string &category, const std::string &value)
+void Manager::setString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const std::string &value)
 {
-    CategorySettingValueMap::key_type key (category, setting);
-
-    auto found = mUserSettings.find(key);
+    auto found = mUserSettings.find(std::make_pair(category, setting));
     if (found != mUserSettings.end())
     {
         if (found->second == value)
             return;
     }
 
+    CategorySettingValueMap::key_type key(category, setting);
+
     mUserSettings[key] = value;
 
-    mChangedSettings.insert(key);
+    mChangedSettings.insert(std::move(key));
 }
 
-void Manager::setInt (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, const int value)
+void Manager::setInt(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const int value)
 {
     std::ostringstream stream;
     stream << value;
     setString(setting, category, stream.str());
 }
 
-void Manager::setInt64 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, const std::int64_t value)
+void Manager::setInt64(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const std::int64_t value)
 {
     std::ostringstream stream;
     stream << value;
     setString(setting, category, stream.str());
 }
 
-void Manager::setFloat (const std::string &setting, const std::string &category, const float value)
+void Manager::setFloat (std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const float value)
 {
     std::ostringstream stream;
     stream << value;
     setString(setting, category, stream.str());
 }
 
-void Manager::setDouble (const std::string &setting, const std::string &category, const double value)
+void Manager::setDouble (std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const double value)
 {
     std::ostringstream stream;
     stream << value;
     setString(setting, category, stream.str());
 }
 
-void Manager::setBool(const std::string &setting, const std::string &category, const bool value)
+void Manager::setBool(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const bool value)
 {
     setString(setting, category, value ? "true" : "false");
 }
 
-void Manager::setVector2 (const std::string &setting, const std::string &category, const osg::Vec2f value)
+void Manager::setVector2 (std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const osg::Vec2f value)
 {
     std::ostringstream stream;
     stream << value.x() << " " << value.y();
     setString(setting, category, stream.str());
 }
 
-void Manager::setVector3 (const std::string &setting, const std::string &category, const osg::Vec3f value)
+void Manager::setVector3 (std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const osg::Vec3f value)
 {
     std::ostringstream stream;
     stream << value.x() << ' ' << value.y() << ' ' << value.z();
     setString(setting, category, stream.str());
 }
 
-void Manager::resetPendingChange(const std::string &setting, const std::string &category)
-{
-    CategorySettingValueMap::key_type key (category, setting);
-    mChangedSettings.erase(key);
-}
-
 CategorySettingVector Manager::getPendingChanges()
 {
     return mChangedSettings;
diff --git a/components/settings/settings.hpp b/components/settings/settings.hpp
index eb35ddbe8c..32157bd3d2 100644
--- a/components/settings/settings.hpp
+++ b/components/settings/settings.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <set>
 #include <map>
 #include <string>
+#include <string_view>
+
 #include <osg/Vec2f>
 #include <osg/Vec3f>
 
@@ -44,9 +46,6 @@ namespace Settings
         static void saveUser (const std::string& file);
         ///< save user settings to file
 
-        static void resetPendingChange(const std::string &setting, const std::string &category);
-        ///< resets a single pending change
-
         static void resetPendingChanges();
         ///< resets the list of all pending changes
 
@@ -59,23 +58,23 @@ namespace Settings
         static CategorySettingVector getPendingChanges(const CategorySettingVector& filter);
         ///< returns the list of changed settings intersecting with the filter
 
-        static int getInt (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static std::int64_t getInt64 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static float getFloat (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static double getDouble (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static std::string getString (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static bool getBool (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static osg::Vec2f getVector2 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
-        static osg::Vec3f getVector3 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category);
+        static int getInt(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static std::int64_t getInt64(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static float getFloat(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static double getDouble(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static std::string getString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static bool getBool(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static osg::Vec2f getVector2(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
+        static osg::Vec3f getVector3(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category);
 
-        static void setInt (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, int value);
-        static void setInt64 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, std::int64_t value);
-        static void setFloat (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, float value);
-        static void setDouble (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, double value);
-        static void setString (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, const std::string& value);
-        static void setBool (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, bool value);
-        static void setVector2 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, osg::Vec2f value);
-        static void setVector3 (const std::string& setting, const std::string& category, osg::Vec3f value);
+        static void setInt(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, int value);
+        static void setInt64(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, std::int64_t value);
+        static void setFloat(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, float value);
+        static void setDouble(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, double value);
+        static void setString(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, const std::string& value);
+        static void setBool(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, bool value);
+        static void setVector2(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, osg::Vec2f value);
+        static void setVector3(std::string_view setting, std::string_view category, osg::Vec3f value);
     };
 
 }