  We give $\mathbb{Z}$-bases for the homology and cohomology of the
configuration space $\operatorname{config}(n,w)$ of $n$ unit disks in an
infinite strip of width $w$, first studied by Alpert, Kahle and MacPherson. We
also study the way these spaces evolve both as $n$ increases (using the
framework of representation stability) and as $w$ increases (using the
framework of persistent homology). Finally, we include some results about the
cup product in the cohomology and about the configuration space of unordered
disks.
