4 files changed, 83 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/core/src/util/decode.rs b/core/src/util/decode.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8a6522
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/decode.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+use bincode::Decode;
+
+use crate::Result;
+
+/// Decodes a given type `T` from the given slice. returns the decoded value
+/// along with the number of bytes read.
+pub fn decode<T: Decode>(src: &[u8]) -> Result<(T, usize)> {
+    let (result, bytes_read) = bincode::decode_from_slice(src, bincode::config::standard())?;
+    Ok((result, bytes_read))
+}
diff --git a/core/src/util/encode.rs b/core/src/util/encode.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d1061b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/encode.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+use bincode::Encode;
+
+use crate::Result;
+
+/// Encode the given type `T` into a `Vec<u8>`.
+pub fn encode<T: Encode>(msg: &T) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+    let vec = bincode::encode_to_vec(msg, bincode::config::standard())?;
+    Ok(vec)
+}
+
+/// Encode the given type `T` into the given slice..
+pub fn encode_into_slice<T: Encode>(msg: &T, dst: &mut [u8]) -> Result<()> {
+    bincode::encode_into_slice(msg, dst, bincode::config::standard())?;
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/core/src/util/mod.rs b/core/src/util/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a3c3f50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+mod decode;
+mod encode;
+mod path;
+
+pub use decode::decode;
+pub use encode::{encode, encode_into_slice};
+pub use path::{home_dir, tilde_expand};
+
+use rand::{rngs::OsRng, Rng};
+
+/// Generates and returns a random u32 using `rand::rngs::OsRng`.
+pub fn random_32() -> u32 {
+    OsRng.gen()
+}
+
+/// Generates and returns a random u16 using `rand::rngs::OsRng`.
+pub fn random_16() -> u16 {
+    OsRng.gen()
+}
diff --git a/core/src/util/path.rs b/core/src/util/path.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cd900a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/path.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use crate::{error::Error, Result};
+
+/// Returns the user's home directory as a `PathBuf`.
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub fn home_dir() -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    dirs::home_dir().ok_or(Error::PathNotFound("Home dir not found"))
+}
+
+/// Expands a tilde (~) in a path and returns the expanded `PathBuf`.
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub fn tilde_expand(path: &str) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    match path {
+        "~" => home_dir(),
+        p if p.starts_with("~/") => Ok(home_dir()?.join(&path[2..])),
+        _ => Ok(PathBuf::from(path)),
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_tilde_expand() {
+        let path = "~/src";
+        let expanded_path = dirs::home_dir().unwrap().join("src");
+        assert_eq!(tilde_expand(path).unwrap(), expanded_path);
+
+        let path = "~";
+        let expanded_path = dirs::home_dir().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(tilde_expand(path).unwrap(), expanded_path);
+
+        let path = "";
+        let expanded_path = PathBuf::from("");
+        assert_eq!(tilde_expand(path).unwrap(), expanded_path);
+    }
+}