diff --git a/core/google/api/core/path_template.py b/core/google/api/core/path_template.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e1cfae360950
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/google/api/core/path_template.py
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+# Copyright 2017 Google Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Expand and validate URL path templates.
+
+This module provides the :func:`expand` and :func:`validate` functions for
+interacting with Google-style URL `path templates`_ which are commonly used
+in Google APIs for `resource names`_.
+
+.. _path templates: https://github.com/googleapis/googleapis/blob
+    /57e2d376ac7ef48681554204a3ba78a414f2c533/google/api/http.proto#L212
+.. _resource names: https://cloud.google.com/apis/design/resource_names
+"""
+
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import functools
+import re
+
+import six
+
+# Regular expression for extracting variable parts from a path template.
+# The variables can be expressed as:
+#
+# - "*": a single-segment positional variable, for example: "books/*"
+# - "**": a multi-segment positional variable, for example: "shelf/**/book/*"
+# - "{name}": a single-segment wildcard named variable, for example
+#   "books/{name}"
+# - "{name=*}: same as above.
+# - "{name=**}": a multi-segment wildcard named variable, for example
+#   "shelf/{name=**}"
+# - "{name=/path/*/**}": a multi-segment named variable with a sub-template.
+_VARIABLE_RE = re.compile(r"""
+    (  # Capture the entire variable expression
+        (?P<positional>\*\*?)  # Match & capture * and ** positional variables.
+        |
+        # Match & capture named variables {name}
+        {
+            (?P<name>[^/]+?)
+            # Optionally match and capture the named variable's template.
+            (?:=(?P<template>.+?))?
+        }
+    )
+    """, re.VERBOSE)
+
+# Segment expressions used for validating paths against a template.
+_SINGLE_SEGMENT_PATTERN = r'([^/]+)'
+_MULTI_SEGMENT_PATTERN = r'(.+)'
+
+
+def _expand_variable_match(positional_vars, named_vars, match):
+    """Expand a matched variable with its value.
+
+    Args:
+        positional_vars (list): A list of positonal variables. This list will
+            be modified.
+        named_vars (dict): A dictionary of named variables.
+        match (re.Match): A regular expression match.
+
+    Returns:
+        str: The expanded variable to replace the match.
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: If a positional or named variable is required by the
+            template but not specified or if an unexpected template expression
+            is encountered.
+    """
+    positional = match.group('positional')
+    name = match.group('name')
+    if name is not None:
+        try:
+            return six.text_type(named_vars[name])
+        except KeyError:
+            raise ValueError(
+                'Named variable \'{}\' not specified and needed by template '
+                '`{}` at position {}'.format(
+                    name, match.string, match.start()))
+    elif positional is not None:
+        try:
+            return six.text_type(positional_vars.pop(0))
+        except IndexError:
+            raise ValueError(
+                'Positional variable not specified and needed by template '
+                '`{}` at position {}'.format(
+                    match.string, match.start()))
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(
+            'Unknown template expression {}'.format(
+                match.group(0)))
+
+
+def expand(tmpl, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Expand a path template with the given variables.
+
+    ..code-block:: python
+
+        >>> expand('users/*/messages/*', 'me', '123')
+        users/me/messages/123
+        >>> expand('/v1/{name=shelves/*/books/*}', name='shelves/1/books/3')
+        /v1/shelves/1/books/3
+
+    Args:
+        tmpl (str): The path template.
+        args: The positional variables for the path.
+        kwargs: The named variables for the path.
+
+    Returns:
+        str: The expanded path
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: If a positional or named variable is required by the
+            template but not specified or if an unexpected template expression
+            is encountered.
+    """
+    replacer = functools.partial(_expand_variable_match, list(args), kwargs)
+    return _VARIABLE_RE.sub(replacer, tmpl)
+
+
+def _replace_variable_with_pattern(match):
+    """Replace a variable match with a pattern that can be used to validate it.
+
+    Args:
+        match (re.Match): A regular expression match
+
+    Returns:
+        str: A regular expression pattern that can be used to validate the
+            variable in an expanded path.
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: If an unexpected template expression is encountered.
+    """
+    positional = match.group('positional')
+    name = match.group('name')
+    template = match.group('template')
+    if name is not None:
+        if not template:
+            return _SINGLE_SEGMENT_PATTERN.format(name)
+        elif template == '**':
+            return _MULTI_SEGMENT_PATTERN.format(name)
+        else:
+            return _generate_pattern_for_template(template)
+    elif positional == '*':
+        return _SINGLE_SEGMENT_PATTERN
+    elif positional == '**':
+        return _MULTI_SEGMENT_PATTERN
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(
+            'Unknown template expression {}'.format(
+                match.group(0)))
+
+
+def _generate_pattern_for_template(tmpl):
+    """Generate a pattern that can validate a path template.
+
+    Args:
+        tmpl (str): The path template
+
+    Returns:
+        str: A regular expression pattern that can be used to validate an
+            expanded path template.
+    """
+    return _VARIABLE_RE.sub(_replace_variable_with_pattern, tmpl)
+
+
+def validate(tmpl, path):
+    """Validate a path against the path template.
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+        >>> validate('users/*/messages/*', 'users/me/messages/123')
+        True
+        >>> validate('users/*/messages/*', 'users/me/drafts/123')
+        False
+        >>> validate('/v1/{name=shelves/*/books/*}', /v1/shelves/1/books/3)
+        True
+        >>> validate('/v1/{name=shelves/*/books/*}', /v1/shelves/1/tapes/3)
+        False
+
+    Args:
+        tmpl (str): The path template.
+        path (str): The expanded path.
+
+    Returns:
+        bool: True if the path matches.
+    """
+    pattern = _generate_pattern_for_template(tmpl) + '$'
+    return True if re.match(pattern, path) is not None else False
diff --git a/core/tests/unit/api_core/test_path_template.py b/core/tests/unit/api_core/test_path_template.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7c290cc4d29c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/unit/api_core/test_path_template.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+# Copyright 2017 Google Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import mock
+import pytest
+
+from google.api.core import path_template
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('tmpl, args, kwargs, expected_result', [
+    # Basic positional params
+    ['/v1/*', ['a'], {}, '/v1/a'],
+    ['/v1/**', ['a/b'], {}, '/v1/a/b'],
+    ['/v1/*/*', ['a', 'b'], {}, '/v1/a/b'],
+    ['/v1/*/*/**', ['a', 'b', 'c/d'], {}, '/v1/a/b/c/d'],
+    # Basic named params
+    ['/v1/{name}', [], {'name': 'parent'}, '/v1/parent'],
+    ['/v1/{name=**}', [], {'name': 'parent/child'}, '/v1/parent/child'],
+    # Named params with a sub-template
+    ['/v1/{name=parent/*}', [], {'name': 'parent/child'}, '/v1/parent/child'],
+    ['/v1/{name=parent/**}', [], {'name': 'parent/child/object'},
+     '/v1/parent/child/object'],
+    # Combining positional and named params
+    ['/v1/*/{name}', ['a'], {'name': 'parent'}, '/v1/a/parent'],
+    ['/v1/{name}/*', ['a'], {'name': 'parent'}, '/v1/parent/a'],
+    ['/v1/{parent}/*/{child}/*', ['a', 'b'],
+     {'parent': 'thor', 'child': 'thorson'}, '/v1/thor/a/thorson/b'],
+    ['/v1/{name}/**', ['a/b'], {'name': 'parent'}, '/v1/parent/a/b'],
+    # Combining positional and named params with sub-templates.
+    ['/v1/{name=parent/*}/*', ['a'], {'name': 'parent/child'},
+     '/v1/parent/child/a'],
+    ['/v1/*/{name=parent/**}', ['a'], {'name': 'parent/child/object'},
+     '/v1/a/parent/child/object'],
+])
+def test_expand_success(tmpl, args, kwargs, expected_result):
+    result = path_template.expand(tmpl, *args, **kwargs)
+    assert result == expected_result
+    assert path_template.validate(tmpl, result)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('tmpl, args, kwargs, exc_match', [
+    # Missing positional arg.
+    ['v1/*', [], {}, 'Positional'],
+    # Missing named arg.
+    ['v1/{name}', [], {}, 'Named'],
+])
+def test_expanded_failure(tmpl, args, kwargs, exc_match):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=exc_match):
+        path_template.expand(tmpl, *args, **kwargs)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('tmpl, path', [
+    # Single segment template, but multi segment value
+    ['v1/*', 'v1/a/b'],
+    ['v1/*/*', 'v1/a/b/c'],
+    # Single segement named template, but multi segment value
+    ['v1/{name}', 'v1/a/b'],
+    ['v1/{name}/{value}', 'v1/a/b/c'],
+    # Named value with a sub-template but invalid value
+    ['v1/{name=parent/*}', 'v1/grandparent/child'],
+])
+def test_validate_failure(tmpl, path):
+    assert not path_template.validate(tmpl, path)
+
+
+def test__expand_variable_match_unexpected():
+    match = mock.Mock(spec=['group'])
+    match.group.return_value = None
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Unknown'):
+        path_template._expand_variable_match([], {}, match)
+
+
+def test__replace_variable_with_pattern():
+    match = mock.Mock(spec=['group'])
+    match.group.return_value = None
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Unknown'):
+        path_template._replace_variable_with_pattern(match)