diff --git a/cmd/clef/main.go b/cmd/clef/main.go
index 8c8778c249..aef3cfba4f 100644
--- a/cmd/clef/main.go
+++ b/cmd/clef/main.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 	"math/big"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"sort"
@@ -666,8 +665,8 @@ func signer(c *cli.Context) error {
 			Version:   "1.0"},
 	}
 	if c.GlobalBool(utils.HTTPEnabledFlag.Name) {
-		vhosts := splitAndTrim(c.GlobalString(utils.HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
-		cors := splitAndTrim(c.GlobalString(utils.HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name))
+		vhosts := utils.SplitAndTrim(c.GlobalString(utils.HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
+		cors := utils.SplitAndTrim(c.GlobalString(utils.HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name))
 
 		srv := rpc.NewServer()
 		err := node.RegisterApisFromWhitelist(rpcAPI, []string{"account"}, srv, false)
@@ -736,21 +735,11 @@ func signer(c *cli.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// splitAndTrim splits input separated by a comma
-// and trims excessive white space from the substrings.
-func splitAndTrim(input string) []string {
-	result := strings.Split(input, ",")
-	for i, r := range result {
-		result[i] = strings.TrimSpace(r)
-	}
-	return result
-}
-
 // DefaultConfigDir is the default config directory to use for the vaults and other
 // persistence requirements.
 func DefaultConfigDir() string {
 	// Try to place the data folder in the user's home dir
-	home := homeDir()
+	home := utils.HomeDir()
 	if home != "" {
 		if runtime.GOOS == "darwin" {
 			return filepath.Join(home, "Library", "Signer")
@@ -769,15 +758,6 @@ func DefaultConfigDir() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-func homeDir() string {
-	if home := os.Getenv("HOME"); home != "" {
-		return home
-	}
-	if usr, err := user.Current(); err == nil {
-		return usr.HomeDir
-	}
-	return ""
-}
 func readMasterKey(ctx *cli.Context, ui core.UIClientAPI) ([]byte, error) {
 	var (
 		file      string
diff --git a/cmd/geth/retesteth.go b/cmd/geth/retesteth.go
index 1d4c15d1e6..debee1182b 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/retesteth.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/retesteth.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import (
 	"math/big"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/cmd/utils"
@@ -840,16 +839,6 @@ func (api *RetestethAPI) ClientVersion(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return "Geth-" + params.VersionWithCommit(gitCommit, gitDate), nil
 }
 
-// splitAndTrim splits input separated by a comma
-// and trims excessive white space from the substrings.
-func splitAndTrim(input string) []string {
-	result := strings.Split(input, ",")
-	for i, r := range result {
-		result[i] = strings.TrimSpace(r)
-	}
-	return result
-}
-
 func retesteth(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	log.Info("Welcome to retesteth!")
 	// register signer API with server
@@ -887,8 +876,8 @@ func retesteth(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 			Version:   "1.0",
 		},
 	}
-	vhosts := splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(utils.HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
-	cors := splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(utils.HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name))
+	vhosts := utils.SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(utils.HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
+	cors := utils.SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(utils.HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name))
 
 	// register apis and create handler stack
 	srv := rpc.NewServer()
diff --git a/cmd/utils/customflags.go b/cmd/utils/customflags.go
index 17dcba5f74..0a72e80349 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/customflags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/customflags.go
@@ -192,14 +192,14 @@ func GlobalBig(ctx *cli.Context, name string) *big.Int {
 // Note, it has limitations, e.g. ~someuser/tmp will not be expanded
 func expandPath(p string) string {
 	if strings.HasPrefix(p, "~/") || strings.HasPrefix(p, "~\\") {
-		if home := homeDir(); home != "" {
+		if home := HomeDir(); home != "" {
 			p = home + p[1:]
 		}
 	}
 	return path.Clean(os.ExpandEnv(p))
 }
 
-func homeDir() string {
+func HomeDir() string {
 	if home := os.Getenv("HOME"); home != "" {
 		return home
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index d47b3a2f66..47d663eeef 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ var (
 	DocRootFlag = DirectoryFlag{
 		Name:  "docroot",
 		Usage: "Document Root for HTTPClient file scheme",
-		Value: DirectoryString(homeDir()),
+		Value: DirectoryString(HomeDir()),
 	}
 	ExitWhenSyncedFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
 		Name:  "exitwhensynced",
@@ -793,9 +793,9 @@ func setBootstrapNodes(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *p2p.Config) {
 	switch {
 	case ctx.GlobalIsSet(BootnodesFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyBootnodesV4Flag.Name):
 		if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyBootnodesV4Flag.Name) {
-			urls = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyBootnodesV4Flag.Name))
+			urls = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyBootnodesV4Flag.Name))
 		} else {
-			urls = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(BootnodesFlag.Name))
+			urls = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(BootnodesFlag.Name))
 		}
 	case ctx.GlobalBool(LegacyTestnetFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalBool(RopstenFlag.Name):
 		urls = params.RopstenBootnodes
@@ -829,9 +829,9 @@ func setBootstrapNodesV5(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *p2p.Config) {
 	switch {
 	case ctx.GlobalIsSet(BootnodesFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyBootnodesV5Flag.Name):
 		if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyBootnodesV5Flag.Name) {
-			urls = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyBootnodesV5Flag.Name))
+			urls = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyBootnodesV5Flag.Name))
 		} else {
-			urls = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(BootnodesFlag.Name))
+			urls = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(BootnodesFlag.Name))
 		}
 	case ctx.GlobalBool(RopstenFlag.Name):
 		urls = params.RopstenBootnodes
@@ -877,13 +877,12 @@ func setNAT(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *p2p.Config) {
 	}
 }
 
-// splitAndTrim splits input separated by a comma
+// SplitAndTrim splits input separated by a comma
 // and trims excessive white space from the substrings.
-func splitAndTrim(input string) (ret []string) {
+func SplitAndTrim(input string) (ret []string) {
 	l := strings.Split(input, ",")
 	for _, r := range l {
-		r = strings.TrimSpace(r)
-		if len(r) > 0 {
+		if r = strings.TrimSpace(r); r != "" {
 			ret = append(ret, r)
 		}
 	}
@@ -917,27 +916,27 @@ func setHTTP(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *node.Config) {
 	}
 
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyRPCCORSDomainFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.HTTPCors = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyRPCCORSDomainFlag.Name))
+		cfg.HTTPCors = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyRPCCORSDomainFlag.Name))
 		log.Warn("The flag --rpccorsdomain is deprecated and will be removed in the future, please use --http.corsdomain")
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.HTTPCors = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name))
+		cfg.HTTPCors = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(HTTPCORSDomainFlag.Name))
 	}
 
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyRPCApiFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.HTTPModules = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyRPCApiFlag.Name))
+		cfg.HTTPModules = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyRPCApiFlag.Name))
 		log.Warn("The flag --rpcapi is deprecated and will be removed in the future, please use --http.api")
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(HTTPApiFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.HTTPModules = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(HTTPApiFlag.Name))
+		cfg.HTTPModules = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(HTTPApiFlag.Name))
 	}
 
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyRPCVirtualHostsFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.HTTPVirtualHosts = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyRPCVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
+		cfg.HTTPVirtualHosts = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyRPCVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
 		log.Warn("The flag --rpcvhosts is deprecated and will be removed in the future, please use --http.vhosts")
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.HTTPVirtualHosts = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
+		cfg.HTTPVirtualHosts = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(HTTPVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -945,10 +944,10 @@ func setHTTP(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *node.Config) {
 // command line flags, returning empty if the GraphQL endpoint is disabled.
 func setGraphQL(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *node.Config) {
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(GraphQLCORSDomainFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.GraphQLCors = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(GraphQLCORSDomainFlag.Name))
+		cfg.GraphQLCors = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(GraphQLCORSDomainFlag.Name))
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(GraphQLVirtualHostsFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.GraphQLVirtualHosts = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(GraphQLVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
+		cfg.GraphQLVirtualHosts = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(GraphQLVirtualHostsFlag.Name))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -974,19 +973,19 @@ func setWS(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *node.Config) {
 	}
 
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyWSAllowedOriginsFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.WSOrigins = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyWSAllowedOriginsFlag.Name))
+		cfg.WSOrigins = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyWSAllowedOriginsFlag.Name))
 		log.Warn("The flag --wsorigins is deprecated and will be removed in the future, please use --ws.origins")
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(WSAllowedOriginsFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.WSOrigins = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(WSAllowedOriginsFlag.Name))
+		cfg.WSOrigins = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(WSAllowedOriginsFlag.Name))
 	}
 
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LegacyWSApiFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.WSModules = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyWSApiFlag.Name))
+		cfg.WSModules = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(LegacyWSApiFlag.Name))
 		log.Warn("The flag --wsapi is deprecated and will be removed in the future, please use --ws.api")
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(WSApiFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.WSModules = splitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(WSApiFlag.Name))
+		cfg.WSModules = SplitAndTrim(ctx.GlobalString(WSApiFlag.Name))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1580,7 +1579,7 @@ func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *eth.Config) {
 		if urls == "" {
 			cfg.DiscoveryURLs = []string{}
 		} else {
-			cfg.DiscoveryURLs = splitAndTrim(urls)
+			cfg.DiscoveryURLs = SplitAndTrim(urls)
 		}
 	}