only add config dir and folder rc.lua is located in

rc.lua

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 local awful = require("awful")
 local beautiful = require("beautiful")
 local gfile = require("gears.filesystem")
-local gstring = require("gears.string")
 -- Enable hotkeys help widget for VIM and other apps
 -- when client with a matching name is opened:
 -- Don't show the tmux keymaps
@@ -17,13 +16,10 @@ pcall(require, "awful.autofocus") -- Depreciated in V5
 
 -- Add configuration directory to package.?path so awesome --config FILE works right
 local conf_dir = gfile.get_configuration_dir():sub(1, -2) -- Remove slash
-
-if not string.find(package.path, gstring.quote_pattern(conf_dir .. "/?.lua;"), nil, true) then -- contains
-  package.path = string.format("%s/?.lua;%s/?/init.lua;%s", conf_dir, conf_dir, package.path)
-end
-if not string.find(package.cpath, gstring.quote_pattern(conf_dir .. "/?.so;"), nil, true) then -- contains
-  package.cpath = string.format("%s/?.so;%s", conf_dir, package.cpath)
-end
+local this_dir = (debug.getinfo(1, "S").source:sub(2):match("(.*/)") or "./")
+local package_path_utils = require("util.package_path")
+package_path_utils.add_to_path(conf_dir)
+package_path_utils.add_to_path(this_dir)
 
 -- Set environment variables. (ONLY for POSIX systems)
 require("configuration.environment")()

util/package_path.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+local M = {}
+---Whether package.path contains `dir`
+---@param dir string
+---@return boolean
+---@nodiscard
+function M.path_contains(dir)
+  local lua = dir .. "/?.lua;"
+  local init = dir .. "/?/init.lua;"
+  return not string.find(package.path, lua, 1, true) and not string.find(package.path, init, 1, true)
+end
+---Whether package.cpath contains `dir`
+---@param dir string
+---@return boolean
+---@nodiscard
+function M.cpath_contains(dir)
+  local so = dir .. "/?.so;"
+  return not string.find(package.path, so, 1, true)
+end
+
+---A utility for appending to the path and cpath
+---@param prepend boolean prepend to the string?
+---@param to string append or prepend to this string
+---@param format string a format string for string.format
+---@param args unknown[] a table of arguments to pass to string.format. This will be modified!
+---@return string str the new formatted string. The parts will be semicolon delimited.
+---@nodiscard
+local function append_or_prepend(prepend, to, format, args)
+  assert(type(to) == "string")
+  assert(type(format) == "string")
+  assert(type(args) == "table")
+  table.insert(args, prepend and 1 or #args, to) -- order
+  format = prepend and (format .. ";%s") or ("%s;" .. format)
+  return format:format(table.unpack(args))
+end
+
+---Add to packge.cpath
+---@param dir string
+---@param prepend boolean? default true
+---@return string cpath the new cpath (for convenience)
+function M.add_to_cpath(dir, prepend)
+  assert(type(dir) == "string")
+  prepend = prepend == nil and true or not not prepend
+  if M.cpath_contains(dir) then return package.cpath end
+  package.cpath = append_or_prepend(prepend, package.cpath, "%s/?.so", { dir })
+  return package.cpath
+end
+
+---Add to packge.path
+---@param dir string
+---@param prepend boolean? default true
+---@return string cpath the new cpath (for convenience)
+function M.add_to_path(dir, prepend)
+  assert(type(dir) == "string")
+  prepend = prepend == nil and true or not not prepend
+  if M.path_contains(dir) then return package.cpath end
+  local format = "%s/?.lua;%s/?/init.lua"
+  package.path = append_or_prepend(prepend, package.cpath, format, { dir, dir })
+  return package.path
+end
+
+return M