diff --git a/vlib/io/util/util.v b/vlib/io/util/util.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8d4031119d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/io/util/util.v
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+module util
+
+import os
+import rand
+import rand.wyrand
+import rand.util as rutil
+
+const (
+	retries = 10000
+)
+
+pub struct TempFileOptions {
+	path    string = os.temp_dir()
+	pattern string = ''
+}
+
+// temp_file returns an uniquely named, open, writable, `os.File` and it's path
+pub fn temp_file(tfo TempFileOptions) ?(os.File, string) {
+	mut d := tfo.path
+	if d == '' {
+		d = os.temp_dir()
+	}
+	os.is_writable_folder(d) or {
+		return error(@FN +
+			' could not create temporary file in "$d". Please ensure write permissions.')
+	}
+	d = d.trim_right(os.path_separator)
+	mut rng := rand.new_default(rand.PRNGConfigStruct{})
+	prefix, suffix := prefix_and_suffix(tfo.pattern) or {
+		return error(@FN + ' ' + err)
+	}
+	for retry := 0; retry < retries; retry++ {
+		path := os.join_path(d, prefix + random_number(mut rng) + suffix)
+		mut mode := 'rw+'
+		$if windows {
+			mode = 'w+'
+		}
+		mut file := os.open_file(path, mode, 0o600) or {
+			rng.seed(rutil.time_seed_array(2))
+			continue
+		}
+		if os.exists(path) && os.is_file(path) {
+			return file, path
+		}
+	}
+	return error(@FN +
+		' could not create temporary file in "$d". Retry limit ($retries) exhausted. Please ensure write permissions.')
+}
+
+pub struct TempDirOptions {
+	path    string = os.temp_dir()
+	pattern string = ''
+}
+
+// temp_dir returns an uniquely named, writable, directory path
+pub fn temp_dir(tdo TempFileOptions) ?string {
+	mut d := tdo.path
+	if d == '' {
+		d = os.temp_dir()
+	}
+	os.is_writable_folder(d) or {
+		return error(@FN +
+			' could not create temporary directory "$d". Please ensure write permissions.')
+	}
+	d = d.trim_right(os.path_separator)
+	mut rng := rand.new_default(rand.PRNGConfigStruct{})
+	prefix, suffix := prefix_and_suffix(tdo.pattern) or {
+		return error(@FN + ' ' + err)
+	}
+	for retry := 0; retry < retries; retry++ {
+		path := os.join_path(d, prefix + random_number(mut rng) + suffix)
+		os.mkdir_all(path) or {
+			rng.seed(rutil.time_seed_array(2))
+			continue
+		}
+		if os.is_dir(path) && os.exists(path) {
+			os.is_writable_folder(path) or {
+				return error(@FN +
+					' could not create temporary directory "$d". Please ensure write permissions.')
+			}
+			return path
+		}
+	}
+	return error(@FN +
+		' could not create temporary directory "$d". Retry limit ($retries) exhausted. Please ensure write permissions.')
+}
+
+// * Utility functions
+fn random_number(mut rng wyrand.WyRandRNG) string {
+	s := (u32(1e9) + (u32(os.getpid()) + rng.u32() % u32(1e9))).str()
+	return s.substr(1, s.len)
+}
+
+fn prefix_and_suffix(pattern string) ?(string, string) {
+	mut pat := pattern
+	if pat.contains(os.path_separator) {
+		return error('pattern cannot contain path separators ($os.path_separator).')
+	}
+	pos := pat.last_index('*') or {
+		-1
+	}
+	mut prefix := ''
+	mut suffix := ''
+	if pos != -1 {
+		prefix = pat.substr(0, pos)
+		suffix = pat.substr(pos + 1, pat.len)
+	} else {
+		prefix = pat
+	}
+	return prefix, suffix
+}
diff --git a/vlib/io/util/util_test.v b/vlib/io/util/util_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ddc08db963
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/io/util/util_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+import os
+import io.util
+
+const (
+	// tfolder will contain all the temporary files/subfolders made by
+	// the different tests. It would be removed in testsuite_end(), so
+	// individual os tests do not need to clean up after themselves.
+	tfolder = os.join_path(os.temp_dir(), 'v', 'tests', 'io_util_test')
+)
+
+fn testsuite_begin() {
+	eprintln('testsuite_begin, tfolder = $tfolder')
+	os.rmdir_all(tfolder)
+	assert !os.is_dir(tfolder)
+	os.mkdir_all(tfolder)
+	os.chdir(tfolder)
+	assert os.is_dir(tfolder)
+}
+
+fn testsuite_end() {
+	os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup)
+	os.rmdir_all(tfolder)
+	assert !os.is_dir(tfolder)
+	// eprintln('testsuite_end  , tfolder = $tfolder removed.')
+}
+
+fn test_temp_file() {
+	// Test defaults
+	mut f, mut path := util.temp_file({}) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	mut prev_path := path
+	defer {
+		f.close()
+	}
+	assert os.is_file(path)
+	assert f.is_opened
+	// Test pattern
+	f.close()
+	f, path = util.temp_file({
+		pattern: 'some_*_test.file'
+	}) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert path != prev_path
+	assert os.is_file(path)
+	assert f.is_opened
+	mut filename := os.file_name(path)
+	assert filename.contains('_test.file')
+	// Check for 9 digits where the wildcard is placed in the pattern
+	for i, c in filename {
+		if i > 4 && i <= 4 + 9 {
+			assert c.is_digit()
+		}
+	}
+	// Test custom path
+	prev_path = path
+	f.close()
+	f, path = util.temp_file({
+		path: tfolder
+	}) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert path != prev_path
+	assert os.is_file(path)
+	assert path.contains(tfolder)
+	assert f.is_opened
+	filename = os.file_name(path)
+	for c in filename {
+		assert c.is_digit()
+	}
+}
+
+fn test_temp_dir() {
+	// Test defaults
+	mut path := util.temp_dir({}) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert os.is_dir(path)
+	mut writable := os.is_writable_folder(path) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert writable
+	mut prev_path := path
+	// Test pattern
+	path = util.temp_dir({
+		pattern: 'some_*_test_dir'
+	}) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert path != prev_path
+	assert os.is_dir(path)
+	mut filename := os.file_name(path)
+	assert filename.contains('_test_dir')
+	// Check for 9 digits where the wildcard is placed in the pattern
+	for i, c in filename {
+		if i > 4 && i <= 4 + 9 {
+			assert c.is_digit()
+		}
+	}
+	// Test custom path
+	prev_path = path
+	path = util.temp_dir({
+		path: tfolder
+	}) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert path != prev_path
+	assert os.is_dir(path)
+	writable = os.is_writable_folder(path) or {
+		assert false
+		return
+	}
+	assert writable
+	assert path.contains(tfolder)
+	filename = os.file_name(path)
+	for c in filename {
+		assert c.is_digit()
+	}
+}