4 files changed, 99 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/pyvyos/utils/__init__.py b/pyvyos/utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..adff044
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyvyos/utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+"""Utility functions for PyVyOS."""
+
+from .json import redact_key, safe_dumps
+from .ids import request_id
+from .paths import build_path
+
+__all__ = ["redact_key", "safe_dumps", "request_id", "build_path"]
+
diff --git a/pyvyos/utils/ids.py b/pyvyos/utils/ids.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5807ddf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyvyos/utils/ids.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+"""ID generation utilities."""
+
+import uuid
+
+
+def request_id() -> str:
+    """
+    Generate a unique request ID for tracing.
+    
+    Returns:
+        UUID4 string formatted for logging
+    """
+    return str(uuid.uuid4())
+
diff --git a/pyvyos/utils/json.py b/pyvyos/utils/json.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d9a7c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyvyos/utils/json.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+"""JSON utilities with security (redaction) support."""
+
+import json
+from typing import Any, Dict, List
+
+
+def redact_key(data: Dict[str, Any], keys: List[str] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """
+    Redact sensitive keys from a dictionary.
+    
+    Args:
+        data: Dictionary to redact
+        keys: List of keys to redact (default: ["key", "apikey", "password"])
+    
+    Returns:
+        Copy of data with specified keys redacted as "***REDACTED***"
+    """
+    if keys is None:
+        keys = ["key", "apikey", "password"]
+    
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        return data
+    
+    redacted = data.copy()
+    for key in keys:
+        if key in redacted:
+            redacted[key] = "***REDACTED***"
+    
+    return redacted
+
+
+def safe_dumps(obj: Any, redact_keys: List[str] = None) -> str:
+    """
+    Safely serialize object to JSON with key redaction.
+    
+    Args:
+        obj: Object to serialize
+        redact_keys: Keys to redact if obj is a dict
+    
+    Returns:
+        JSON string with sensitive data redacted
+    """
+    if isinstance(obj, dict):
+        obj = redact_key(obj, redact_keys)
+    
+    return json.dumps(obj, default=str)
+
diff --git a/pyvyos/utils/paths.py b/pyvyos/utils/paths.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b591b09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyvyos/utils/paths.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""Path building utilities for VyOS configuration paths."""
+
+from typing import List, Union
+
+
+def build_path(*segments: Union[str, List[str]]) -> List[str]:
+    """
+    Build a configuration path from segments.
+    
+    Args:
+        *segments: Path segments (strings or lists of strings)
+    
+    Returns:
+        Flattened list of path segments
+    
+    Examples:
+        build_path("interfaces", "ethernet", "eth0") 
+        -> ["interfaces", "ethernet", "eth0"]
+        
+        build_path(["interfaces", "ethernet"], "address", "192.168.1.1/24")
+        -> ["interfaces", "ethernet", "address", "192.168.1.1/24"]
+    """
+    result = []
+    for segment in segments:
+        if isinstance(segment, list):
+            result.extend(segment)
+        else:
+            result.append(str(segment))
+    return result
+