diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 79df56a..ddf3453 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ local _batteries = {
 	pretty = require_relative("pretty"),
 	measure = require_relative("measure"),
 	make_pooled = require_relative("make_pooled"),
+	pathfind = require_relative("pathfind"),
 }
 
 --assign aliases
diff --git a/pathfind.lua b/pathfind.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cdabecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pathfind.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+--[[
+	general pathfinding with a general goal
+]]
+
+local path = (...):gsub("pathfind", "")
+local sort = require(path .. "sort")
+
+--helper to generate a constant value for default weight, heuristic
+local generate_constant = function() return 1 end
+
+--find a path in a weighted graph
+--	uses A* algorithm internally
+--returns a table of all the nodes from the start to the goal,
+--	or false if no path was found
+--arguments table requires the following fields
+--	start - the value of the node to start from
+--		alias: start_node
+--	is_goal - a function which takes a node, and returns true is a goal
+--		alias: goal
+--	neighbours - a function which takes a node, and returns a table of neighbour nodes
+--		alias: generate_neighbours
+--	distance - a function which given two nodes, returns the distance between them
+--		defaults to a constant distance, which means all steps between nodes have the same cost
+--		alias: weight, g
+--	heuristic - a function which given a node, returns a heuristic indicative of the distance to the goal;
+--		can be used to speed up searches at the cost of accuracy by returning some proportion higher than the actual distance
+--		defaults to a constant value, which means the A* algorithm degrades to breadth-first search
+--		alias: h
+function pathfind(args)
+	local start = args.start or args.start_node
+	local is_goal = args.is_goal or args.goal
+	local neighbours = args.neighbours or args.generate_neighbours
+	local distance = args.distance or args.weight or args.g or generate_constant
+	local heuristic = args.heuristic or args.h or generate_constant
+
+	local predecessor = {}
+	local seen = {}
+	local f_score = {[start] = 0}
+	local g_score = {[start] = 0}
+
+	local function search_compare(a, b)
+		return
+			(f_score[a] or math.huge) >
+			(f_score[b] or math.huge)
+	end
+	local to_search = {}
+
+	local current = start
+	while current and not is_goal(current) do
+		seen[current] = true
+		for i, node in ipairs(neighbours(current)) do
+			if not seen[node] then
+				local tentative_g_score = (g_score[current] or math.huge) + distance(current, node)
+				if g_score[node] == nil then
+					if tentative_g_score < (g_score[node] or math.huge) then
+						predecessor[node] = current
+						g_score[node] = tentative_g_score
+						f_score[node] = tentative_g_score + heuristic(node)
+					end
+					table.insert(to_search, node)
+					sort.insertion_sort(to_search, search_compare)
+				end
+			end
+		end
+		current = table.remove(to_search)
+	end
+
+	--didn't make it to the goal
+	if not current or not is_goal(current) then
+		return false
+	end
+
+	--build up the ordering
+	local path = {}
+	while current do
+		table.insert(path, 1, current)
+		current = predecessor[current]
+	end
+
+	--return a path
+	return path
+end
+
+-- Based on https://github.com/lewtds/pathfinder.lua/blob/master/pathfinder.lua
+-- with modification to allow for generalised goals/heuristics
+-- Modified 2022 Max Cahill
+
+-- Original License:
+-- Copyright © 2016 Trung Ngo
+
+-- Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+-- copy of this software and associated documentation files (the \"Software\"),
+-- to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
+-- the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
+-- and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
+-- Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+--
+-- The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+-- all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+--
+-- THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+-- IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+-- FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+-- AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+-- LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+-- FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+-- DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+return pathfind