diff --git a/src/file_utils.cpp b/src/file_utils.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce60e0ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/file_utils.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#include "file_utils.h"
+#include "string_utils.h"
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
+#include <linux/limits.h>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <cstring>
+
+std::string read_line(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    std::string line;
+    std::ifstream file(filename);
+    std::getline(file, line);
+    return line;
+}
+
+bool find_folder(const char* root, const char* prefix, std::string& dest)
+{
+    struct dirent* dp;
+    DIR* dirp = opendir(root);
+    if (!dirp) {
+        std::cerr << "Error opening directory '" << root << "': ";
+        perror("");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    while ((dp = readdir(dirp))) {
+        if ((dp->d_type == DT_LNK || dp->d_type == DT_DIR) && starts_with(dp->d_name, prefix)) {
+            dest = dp->d_name;
+            closedir(dirp);
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    closedir(dirp);
+    return false;
+}
+
+bool find_folder(const std::string& root, const std::string& prefix, std::string& dest)
+{
+    return find_folder(root.c_str(), prefix.c_str(), dest);
+}
+
+std::vector<std::string> ls(const char* root, const char* prefix, LS_FLAGS flags)
+{
+    std::vector<std::string> list;
+    struct dirent* dp;
+
+    DIR* dirp = opendir(root);
+    if (!dirp) {
+        std::cerr << "Error opening directory '" << root << "': ";
+        perror("");
+        return list;
+    }
+
+    while ((dp = readdir(dirp))) {
+        if (dp->d_type == DT_LNK) {
+            struct stat s;
+            std::string path(root);
+            if (path.back() != '/')
+                path += "/";
+            path += dp->d_name;
+
+            if (stat(path.c_str(), &s))
+                continue;
+
+            if (((flags & LS_DIRS) && S_ISDIR(s.st_mode))
+                || ((flags & LS_FILES) && !S_ISDIR(s.st_mode))) {
+                list.push_back(dp->d_name);
+            }
+        } else if (((flags & LS_DIRS) && dp->d_type == DT_DIR)
+            || ((flags & LS_FILES) && dp->d_type == DT_REG)
+        ) {
+            if ((prefix && !starts_with(dp->d_name, prefix))
+                || !strcmp(dp->d_name, ".")
+                || !strcmp(dp->d_name, ".."))
+                continue;
+            list.push_back(dp->d_name);
+        }
+    }
+
+    closedir(dirp);
+    return list;
+}
+
+bool file_exists(const std::string& path)
+{
+    struct stat s;
+    return !stat(path.c_str(), &s) && !S_ISDIR(s.st_mode);
+}
+
+bool dir_exists(const std::string& path)
+{
+    struct stat s;
+    return !stat(path.c_str(), &s) && S_ISDIR(s.st_mode);
+}
diff --git a/src/file_utils.h b/src/file_utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9692837a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/file_utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+enum LS_FLAGS
+{
+    LS_ALL = 0x00,
+    LS_DIRS = 0x01,
+    LS_FILES = 0x02,
+};
+
+std::string read_line(const std::string& filename);
+bool find_folder(const char* root, const char* prefix, std::string& dest);
+bool find_folder(const std::string& root, const std::string& prefix, std::string& dest);
+std::vector<std::string> ls(const char* root, const char* prefix = nullptr, LS_FLAGS flags = LS_DIRS);
+bool file_exists(const std::string& path);
+bool dir_exists(const std::string& path);
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 2b6b4787..6125c8bb 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ vklayer_files = files(
   'cpu.cpp',
   'loaders/loader_nvml.cpp',
   'nvml.cpp',
+  'file_utils.cpp',
 )
 
 vklayer_mesa_overlay = shared_library(
diff --git a/src/string_utils.h b/src/string_utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..780ec38b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/string_utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <string>
+#include <iomanip>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cctype>
+#include <locale>
+
+#pragma GCC diagnostic push
+#pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wunused-function"
+
+// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/216823/whats-the-best-way-to-trim-stdstring#217605
+// trim from start (in place)
+static inline void ltrim(std::string &s) {
+    s.erase(s.begin(), std::find_if(s.begin(), s.end(), [](int ch) {
+        return !std::isspace(ch);
+    }));
+}
+
+// trim from end (in place)
+static inline void rtrim(std::string &s) {
+    s.erase(std::find_if(s.rbegin(), s.rend(), [](int ch) {
+        return !std::isspace(ch);
+    }).base(), s.end());
+}
+
+// trim from both ends (in place)
+static inline void trim(std::string &s) {
+    ltrim(s);
+    rtrim(s);
+}
+
+// trim from start (copying)
+static inline std::string ltrim_copy(std::string s) {
+    ltrim(s);
+    return s;
+}
+
+// trim from end (copying)
+static inline std::string rtrim_copy(std::string s) {
+    rtrim(s);
+    return s;
+}
+
+// trim from both ends (copying)
+static inline std::string trim_copy(std::string s) {
+    trim(s);
+    return s;
+}
+
+static bool starts_with(const std::string& s,  const char *t) {
+    return s.rfind(t, 0) == 0;
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+static std::string itox(T i) {
+    std::stringstream ss;
+    ss << "0x"
+        << std::setfill ('0') << std::setw(sizeof(T) * 2)
+        << std::hex << i;
+    return ss.str();
+}
+
+static bool try_stoi(int& val, const std::string& str, std::size_t* pos = 0, int base = 10)
+{
+    try {
+        val = std::stoi(str, pos, base);
+        return true;
+    } catch (std::invalid_argument& e) {
+        std::cerr << __func__ << ": invalid argument: '" << str << "'" << std::endl;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+#pragma GCC diagnostic pop