diff --git a/pasterack-parsing-utils.rkt b/pasterack-parsing-utils.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0ea6f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pasterack-parsing-utils.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#lang racket
+(require "pasterack-utils.rkt")
+
+;; parsing utility functions used by pasterack.org
+
+(provide (all-defined-out))
+
+;; lang regexp patterns
+(define hashlang-pat #px"^\\#lang ([\\w/\\-\\+]+)\\s*(.*)")
+(define weblang-pat #px"^web-server.*")
+(define scribblelang-pat #px"^scribble/.*")
+(define htdplang-pat #px"^htdp/(.*)")
+(define TRlang-pat #px"^typed/racket.*")
+
+(define (hashlang? code)
+  (define in (open-input-string code))
+  (begin0 (read-language in (lambda () #f)) (close-input-port in)))
+
+;; ie maps htdp/bsl -> lang/htdp-beginner
+(define (htdplang->modulename lang)
+  (match (cadr (regexp-match htdplang-pat lang))
+    ["bsl"  "lang/htdp-beginner"]
+    ["bsl+" "lang/htdp-beginner-abbr"]
+    ["isl"  "lang/htdp-intermediate"]
+    ["isl+" "lang/htdp-intermediate-lambda"]
+    ["asl"  "lang/htdp-advanced"]
+    [_ "racket"]))
+
+;; returns two string values, one for lang and one for the rest of the program
+(define (hashlang-split code)
+  (match (regexp-match hashlang-pat code)
+    [(list _ lang rst) (values lang rst)]
+    [_ (values "racket" code)]))
+
+(define (scribble-lang? lang) (regexp-match scribblelang-pat lang))
+(define (htdp-lang? lang) (regexp-match htdplang-pat lang))
+(define (TR-lang? lang) (regexp-match TRlang-pat lang))
+(define (web-lang? lang) (regexp-match weblang-pat lang))
+
+;; htdp form patterns
+(define provide-pat #px"^\\(provide (.*)\\)$")
+(define require-pat #px"^\\(require (.*)\\)$")
+(define define-pat #px"^\\(define(.*)\\)$")
+(define check-pat #px"^\\(check-(.*)\\)$")
+
+(define (require-datum? e) (get-require-spec e))
+(define (provide-datum? e) (regexp-match provide-pat (to-string e)))
+(define (define-datum? e) (regexp-match define-pat (to-string e)))
+(define (check-datum? e) (regexp-match check-pat (to-string e)))
+(define (get-require-spec e) (regexp-match require-pat (to-string e)))
+
+(define (not-htdp-expr? e) (or (require-datum? e) (provide-datum? e)
+                               (check-datum? e) (define-datum? e)))
+
+;; wont work if s has a #lang line
+;; returns list of datums
+(define (string->datums s)
+  (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (lambda () null)])
+    (with-input-from-string s (lambda () (for/list ([e (in-port)]) e)))))