diff --git a/core/src/platform.cpp b/core/src/platform.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd3cc2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/platform.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#include "platform.h"
+#include <filesystem>
+
+// GNU/Linux implementation
+#if defined(_POSIX_VERSION) || defined(__linux) || defined(__linux__)
+
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <pwd.h>
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
+
+std::string getProgramDataDir() {
+    // https://stackoverflow.com/a/26696759/16255372
+
+    const char *homedir;
+
+    if ((homedir = getenv("HOME")) == NULL) {
+        homedir = getpwuid(getuid())->pw_dir;
+    }
+
+    return std::string(homedir) + "/openblocks";
+}
+
+void printErrorMessage(std::string message) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message.c_str());
+}
+
+#endif // GNU/Linux
+
+// Windows implementation
+#if defined(WIN32) || defined(_WIN32) || defined(__WIN32__) || defined(__NT__)
+
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <shlobj.h>
+#include <winuser.h>
+
+std::string getProgramDataDir() {
+    CHAR localAppData[MAX_PATH];
+    int status = SHGetFolderPathA(NULL, CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA, NULL, 0, localAppData);
+    if (status != 0) {
+        printErrorMessage("Failed to find local appdata folder");
+        abort();
+    }
+    return localAppData + "/openblocks";
+}
+
+void printErrorMessage(std::string message) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message.c_str());
+    MessageBoxA(NULL, message.c_str(), "Fatal Error", MB_OK);
+}
+
+#endif // WIN32
+
+std::string getProgramLogsDir() {
+    return getProgramDataDir() + "/logs";
+}
+
+void initProgramDataDir() {
+    std::filesystem::create_directories(getProgramDataDir());
+}
+
+void initProgramLogsDir() {
+    std::filesystem::create_directories(getProgramLogsDir());
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/platform.h b/core/src/platform.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92a8767
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/platform.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <string>
+
+// Collection of platform-dependent APIs
+
+// Gets the local data directory under the user's home directory
+// Windows: %localappdata%/openblocks
+// Linux: ~/.local/share/openblocks 
+std::string getProgramDataDir();
+
+// Gets the local logs directory under the program's data directory
+// Windows: %localappdata%/openblocks/logs
+// Linux: ~/.local/share/openblocks/logs
+std::string getProgramLogsDir();
+
+// Creates the local data directory
+void initProgramDataDir();
+// Creates the local logs directory
+void initProgramLogsDir();
+
+// Displays an error message box on Windows, or prints to eprintf
+void printErrorMessage(std::string message);
\ No newline at end of file