diff --git a/lua/lazyvim/util.lua b/lua/lazyvim/util.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c92214a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/lazyvim/util.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+local M = {}
+
+M.root_patterns = { ".git", "/lua" }
+-- returns the root directory based on:
+-- * lsp workspace folders
+-- * lsp root_dir
+-- * root pattern of filename of the current buffer
+-- * root pattern of cwd
+---@return string
+function M.get_root()
+  ---@type string?
+  local path = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(0)
+  path = path ~= "" and vim.loop.fs_realpath(path) or nil
+  ---@type string[]
+  local roots = {}
+  if path then
+    for _, client in pairs(vim.lsp.get_active_clients({ bufnr = 0 })) do
+      local workspace = client.config.workspace_folders
+      local paths = workspace and vim.tbl_map(function(ws)
+        return vim.uri_to_fname(ws.uri)
+      end, workspace) or client.config.root_dir and { client.config.root_dir } or {}
+      for _, p in ipairs(paths) do
+        local r = vim.loop.fs_realpath(p)
+        if path:find(r, 1, true) then
+          roots[#roots + 1] = r
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  table.sort(roots, function(a, b)
+    return #a > #b
+  end)
+  ---@type string?
+  local root = roots[1]
+  if not root then
+    path = path and vim.fs.dirname(path) or vim.loop.cwd()
+    ---@type string?
+    root = vim.fs.find(M.root_patterns, { path = path, upward = true })[1]
+    root = root and vim.fs.dirname(root) or vim.loop.cwd()
+  end
+  ---@cast root string
+  return root
+end
+
+return M