diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 00cbb87..655ec9d 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ set(META_APP_AUTHOR "Martchus")
 set(META_APP_URL "https://github.com/${META_APP_AUTHOR}/${META_PROJECT_NAME}")
 set(META_APP_DESCRIPTION "Useful C++ classes and routines such as argument parser, IO and conversion utilities")
 set(META_VERSION_MAJOR 5)
-set(META_VERSION_MINOR 13)
+set(META_VERSION_MINOR 14)
 set(META_VERSION_PATCH 0)
 
 # find required 3rd party libraries
diff --git a/io/misc.cpp b/io/misc.cpp
index ed6290e..61f9cdd 100644
--- a/io/misc.cpp
+++ b/io/misc.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#define CPP_UTILITIES_IOMISC_STRING_VIEW
+
 #include "./misc.h"
 #include "./nativefilestream.h"
 
@@ -11,13 +13,22 @@ namespace CppUtilities {
  * \brief Reads all contents of the specified file in a single call.
  * \throws Throws std::ios_base::failure when an error occurs or the specified \a maxSize
  *         would be exceeded.
- * \todo Use std::string_view to pass \a path in v6.
  */
 std::string readFile(const std::string &path, std::string::size_type maxSize)
+{
+    return readFile(std::string_view(path), maxSize);
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Reads all contents of the specified file in a single call.
+ * \throws Throws std::ios_base::failure when an error occurs or the specified \a maxSize
+ *         would be exceeded.
+ */
+std::string readFile(std::string_view path, std::string_view::size_type maxSize)
 {
     NativeFileStream file;
     file.exceptions(ios_base::failbit | ios_base::badbit);
-    file.open(path, ios_base::in | ios_base::binary);
+    file.open(path.data(), ios_base::in | ios_base::binary);
     file.seekg(0, ios_base::end);
     string res;
     const auto size = static_cast<string::size_type>(file.tellg());
diff --git a/io/misc.h b/io/misc.h
index 86739ba..fcc83a2 100644
--- a/io/misc.h
+++ b/io/misc.h
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 namespace CppUtilities {
 
 CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string readFile(const std::string &path, std::string::size_type maxSize = std::string::npos);
+#ifdef CPP_UTILITIES_IOMISC_STRING_VIEW
+CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string readFile(std::string_view path, std::string_view::size_type maxSize = std::string_view::npos);
+#endif
 CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT void writeFile(std::string_view path, std::string_view contents);
 } // namespace CppUtilities
 
diff --git a/io/path.cpp b/io/path.cpp
index 70a81db..fdc7c36 100644
--- a/io/path.cpp
+++ b/io/path.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#define CPP_UTILITIES_PATHHELPER_STRING_VIEW
+
 #include "./path.h"
 
 #include <cstdlib>
@@ -12,16 +14,32 @@ namespace CppUtilities {
 /*!
  * \brief Returns the file name and extension of the specified \a path string.
  */
-string fileName(const string &path)
+std::string fileName(const std::string &path)
 {
-    size_t lastSlash = path.rfind('/');
-    size_t lastBackSlash = path.rfind('\\');
-    size_t lastSeparator;
-    if (lastSlash == string::npos && lastBackSlash == string::npos) {
+    return std::string(fileName(std::string_view(path)));
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Returns the directory of the specified \a path string (including trailing slash).
+ */
+std::string directory(const std::string &path)
+{
+    return std::string(directory(std::string_view(path)));
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Returns the file name and extension of the specified \a path string.
+ */
+std::string_view fileName(std::string_view path)
+{
+    std::size_t lastSlash = path.rfind('/');
+    std::size_t lastBackSlash = path.rfind('\\');
+    std::size_t lastSeparator;
+    if (lastSlash == std::string::npos && lastBackSlash == std::string::npos) {
         return path;
-    } else if (lastSlash == string::npos) {
+    } else if (lastSlash == std::string::npos) {
         lastSeparator = lastBackSlash;
-    } else if (lastBackSlash == string::npos) {
+    } else if (lastBackSlash == std::string::npos) {
         lastSeparator = lastSlash;
     } else {
         lastSeparator = lastSlash > lastBackSlash ? lastSlash : lastBackSlash;
@@ -32,16 +50,16 @@ string fileName(const string &path)
 /*!
  * \brief Returns the directory of the specified \a path string (including trailing slash).
  */
-string directory(const string &path)
+std::string_view directory(std::string_view path)
 {
-    size_t lastSlash = path.rfind('/');
-    size_t lastBackSlash = path.rfind('\\');
-    size_t lastSeparator;
-    if (lastSlash == string::npos && lastBackSlash == string::npos) {
-        return string();
-    } else if (lastSlash == string::npos) {
+    std::size_t lastSlash = path.rfind('/');
+    std::size_t lastBackSlash = path.rfind('\\');
+    std::size_t lastSeparator;
+    if (lastSlash == std::string::npos && lastBackSlash == std::string::npos) {
+        return std::string_view();
+    } else if (lastSlash == std::string::npos) {
         lastSeparator = lastBackSlash;
-    } else if (lastBackSlash == string::npos) {
+    } else if (lastBackSlash == std::string::npos) {
         lastSeparator = lastSlash;
     } else {
         lastSeparator = lastSlash > lastBackSlash ? lastSlash : lastBackSlash;
diff --git a/io/path.h b/io/path.h
index f42fa1c..8554af4 100644
--- a/io/path.h
+++ b/io/path.h
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ namespace CppUtilities {
 
 CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string fileName(const std::string &path);
 CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string directory(const std::string &path);
+#ifdef CPP_UTILITIES_PATHHELPER_STRING_VIEW
+CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string_view fileName(std::string_view path);
+CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string_view directory(std::string_view path);
+#endif
 CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT void removeInvalidChars(std::string &fileName);
 } // namespace CppUtilities