EDIT: folder structure refactoring (src/core)

src/core/assets/locator.h

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <optional>
+#include <string>
+#include <string_view>
+
+struct AssetPaths
+{
+    std::filesystem::path root;
+    std::filesystem::path assets;
+    std::filesystem::path shaders;
+
+    bool valid() const
+    {
+        return (!assets.empty() && std::filesystem::exists(assets)) ||
+               (!shaders.empty() && std::filesystem::exists(shaders));
+    }
+
+    static AssetPaths detect(const std::filesystem::path &startDir = std::filesystem::current_path());
+};
+
+class AssetLocator
+{
+public:
+    void init();
+
+    const AssetPaths &paths() const { return _paths; }
+    void setPaths(const AssetPaths &p) { _paths = p; }
+
+    std::string shaderPath(std::string_view name) const;
+
+    std::string assetPath(std::string_view name) const;
+
+    std::string modelPath(std::string_view name) const { return assetPath(name); }
+
+private:
+    static bool file_exists(const std::filesystem::path &p);
+
+    static std::string resolve_in(const std::filesystem::path &base, std::string_view name);
+
+    AssetPaths _paths{};
+};
+