diff --git a/dirs/dirs.go b/dirs/dirs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..966bd5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dirs/dirs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package dirs
+
+import "os"
+import "strings"
+import "path/filepath"
+
+var homeDirectory string
+var configHome    string
+var configDirs    []string
+var dataHome      string
+var dataDirs      []string
+var cacheHome     string
+
+func init () {
+	var err error
+	homeDirectory, err = os.UserHomeDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic("could not get user home directory: " + err.Error())
+	}
+
+	configHome = os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME")
+	if configHome == "" {
+		configHome = filepath.Join(homeDirectory, "/.config/")
+	}
+	
+	configDirsString := os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS")
+	if configDirsString == "" {
+		configDirsString = "/etc/xdg/"
+	}
+	configDirs = append(strings.Split(configDirsString, ":"), configHome)
+
+	dataHome = os.Getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME")
+	if dataHome == "" {
+		dataHome = filepath.Join(homeDirectory, "/.local/share/")
+	}
+	
+	dataDirsString := os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS")
+	if dataDirsString == "" {
+		dataDirsString = "/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/"
+	}
+	configDirs = append(strings.Split(configDirsString, ":"), configHome)
+
+	cacheHome = os.Getenv("XDG_CACHE_HOME")
+	if cacheHome == "" {
+		cacheHome = filepath.Join(homeDirectory, "/.cache/")
+	}
+}
+
+// ConfigHome returns the path to the directory where user configuration files
+// should be stored.
+func ConfigHome (name string) (home string) {
+	return filepath.Join(configHome, name)
+}
+
+// ConfigDirs returns all paths where configuration files might exist.
+func ConfigDirs (name string) (dirs []string) {
+	dirs = make([]string, len(configDirs))
+	for index, dir := range configDirs {
+		dirs[index] = filepath.Join(dir, name)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// DataHome returns the path to the directory where user data should be stored.
+func DataHome (name string) (home string) {
+	return filepath.Join(dataHome, name)
+}
+
+// DataDirs returns all paths where data files might exist.
+func DataDirs (name string) (dirs []string) {
+	dirs = make([]string, len(dataDirs))
+	for index, dir := range dataDirs {
+		dirs[index] = filepath.Join(dir, name)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// CacheHome returns the path to the directory where user cache files should be
+// stored.
+func CacheHome (name string) (home string) {
+	return filepath.Join(cacheHome, name)
+}