diff --git a/tools/cli/option-from-string.go b/tools/cli/option-from-string.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c4812004a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/cli/option-from-string.go
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2022, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+// OptionFromString {{{
+
+/*
+Create an [Option] from a string. Syntax is::
+
+	--option-name, --option-alias, -s
+	type: string
+	dest: destination
+	choices: choice1, choice2, choice 3
+	depth: 0
+	Help text on multiple lines. Indented lines are peserved as indented blocks. Blank lines
+	are preserved as blank lines. #placeholder_for_formatting# is replaced by the empty string.
+
+Available types are: string, str, list, int, float, count, bool-set, bool-reset, choices
+The default dest is the first --option-name which must be a long option.
+If choices are specified type is set to choices automatically.
+If depth is negative option is added to all subcommands. If depth is positive option is added to sub-commands upto
+the specified depth.
+Set the help text to "!" to have an option hidden.
+*/
+func OptionFromString(entries ...string) (*Option, error) {
+	if mpat == nil {
+		mpat = regexp.MustCompile("^([a-z]+)=(.+)")
+	}
+	ans := Option{}
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(strings.NewReader(strings.Join(entries, "\n")))
+	in_help := false
+	prev_indent := 0
+	help := strings.Builder{}
+	help.Grow(2048)
+
+	indent_of_line := func(x string) int {
+		return len(x) - len(strings.TrimLeft(x, " \n\t\v\f"))
+	}
+
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		if ans.Aliases == nil {
+			if strings.HasPrefix(line, "--") {
+				parts := strings.Split(line, " ")
+				ans.Name = strings.ReplaceAll(parts[0], "-", "_")
+				ans.Aliases = make([]Alias, 0, len(parts))
+				for i, x := range parts {
+					ans.Aliases[i] = Alias{NameWithoutHyphens: strings.TrimLeft(x, "-"), IsShort: !strings.HasPrefix(x, "--")}
+				}
+			}
+		} else if in_help {
+			if line != "" {
+				current_indent := indent_of_line(line)
+				if current_indent > 1 {
+					if prev_indent == 0 {
+						help.WriteString("\n")
+					} else {
+						line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
+					}
+				}
+				prev_indent = current_indent
+				if !strings.HasSuffix(help.String(), "\n") {
+					help.WriteString(" ")
+				}
+				help.WriteString(line)
+			} else {
+				prev_indent = 0
+				help.WriteString("\n")
+				if !strings.HasSuffix(help.String(), "::") {
+					help.WriteString("\n")
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			matches := mpat.FindStringSubmatch(line)
+			if matches == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			k, v := matches[1], matches[2]
+			switch k {
+			case "choices":
+				parts := strings.Split(v, ",")
+				ans.Choices = make(map[string]bool, len(parts))
+				ans.OptionType = StringOption
+				for i, x := range parts {
+					x = strings.TrimSpace(x)
+					ans.Choices[x] = true
+					if i == 0 && ans.Default == "" {
+						ans.Default = x
+					}
+				}
+			case "default":
+				ans.Default = v
+			case "dest":
+				ans.Name = v
+			case "depth":
+				depth, err := strconv.ParseInt(v, 0, 0)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				ans.Depth = int(depth)
+			case "condition", "completion":
+			default:
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unknown option metadata key: %s", k)
+			case "type":
+				switch v {
+				case "choice", "choices":
+					ans.OptionType = StringOption
+				case "int":
+					ans.OptionType = IntegerOption
+				case "float":
+					ans.OptionType = FloatOption
+				case "count":
+					ans.OptionType = CountOption
+				case "bool-set":
+					ans.OptionType = BoolOption
+				case "bool-reset":
+					ans.OptionType = BoolOption
+					for _, a := range ans.Aliases {
+						a.IsUnset = true
+					}
+				case "list", "str", "string":
+					ans.OptionType = StringOption
+				default:
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unknown option type: %s", v)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	ans.HelpText = help.String()
+	ans.Hidden = ans.HelpText == "!"
+	return &ans, nil
+} // }}}
diff --git a/tools/cli/parse-args.go b/tools/cli/parse-args.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb7bb69c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/cli/parse-args.go
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2022, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+func (self *Command) parse_args(ctx *Context, args []string) error {
+	args_to_parse := make([]string, 0, len(args))
+	copy(args_to_parse, args)
+	ctx.SeenCommands = append(ctx.SeenCommands, self)
+
+	var expecting_arg_for *Option
+	options_allowed := true
+
+	consume_arg := func() string { ans := args_to_parse[0]; args_to_parse = args_to_parse[1:]; return ans }
+
+	handle_option := func(opt_str string, has_val bool, opt_val string) error {
+		opt := self.FindOption(opt_str)
+		if opt == nil {
+			return &ParseError{Message: fmt.Sprintf("Unknown option: :yellow:`%s`", opt_str)}
+		}
+		opt.seen_option = opt_str
+		if has_val {
+			if !opt.needs_argument() {
+				return &ParseError{Message: fmt.Sprintf("The option: :yellow:`%s` does not take values", opt_str)}
+			}
+			return opt.add_value(opt_val)
+		} else if opt.needs_argument() {
+			expecting_arg_for = opt
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	for len(self.args) > 0 {
+		arg := consume_arg()
+
+		if expecting_arg_for == nil {
+			if options_allowed && strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-") && arg != "-" {
+				// handle option arg
+				if arg == "--" {
+					options_allowed = false
+					continue
+				}
+				opt_str := ""
+				opt_val := ""
+				has_val := false
+				if strings.HasPrefix(opt_str, "--") || len(opt_str) == 2 {
+					parts := strings.SplitN(arg, "=", 2)
+					if len(parts) > 1 {
+						has_val = true
+						opt_val = parts[1]
+					}
+					opt_str = parts[0]
+					handle_option(opt_str, has_val, opt_val)
+				} else {
+					for _, sl := range opt_str[1:] {
+						err := handle_option("-"+string(sl), false, "")
+						if err != nil {
+							return err
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				// handle non option arg
+				if self.AllowOptionsAfterArgs <= len(self.args) {
+					options_allowed = false
+				}
+				if self.HasSubCommands() {
+					sc := self.FindSubCommand(arg)
+					if sc == nil {
+						if !self.SubCommandIsOptional {
+							return &ParseError{Message: fmt.Sprintf(":yellow:`%s` is not a known subcommand for :emph:`%s`. Use --help to get a list of valid subcommands.", arg, self.Name)}
+						}
+					} else {
+						return sc.parse_args(ctx, args_to_parse)
+					}
+				}
+				self.args = append(self.args, arg)
+			}
+		} else {
+			// handle option value
+			err := expecting_arg_for.add_value(arg)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			expecting_arg_for = nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/tools/cli/types.go b/tools/cli/types.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..36d84ca7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/cli/types.go
@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2022, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+type OptionType int
+
+const (
+	StringOption OptionType = iota
+	IntegerOption
+	FloatOption
+	BoolOption
+	CountOption
+)
+
+type Alias struct {
+	NameWithoutHyphens string
+	IsShort            bool
+	IsUnset            bool
+}
+
+func (self *Alias) String() string {
+	if self.IsShort {
+		return "-" + self.NameWithoutHyphens
+	}
+	return "--" + self.NameWithoutHyphens
+}
+
+type Option struct {
+	Name       string
+	Aliases    []Alias
+	Choices    map[string]bool
+	Default    string
+	OptionType OptionType
+	Hidden     bool
+	Depth      int
+	HelpText   string
+	Parent     *Command
+
+	values_from_cmdline        []string
+	parsed_values_from_cmdline []interface{}
+	seen_option                string
+}
+
+func (self *Option) needs_argument() bool {
+	return self.OptionType != BoolOption && self.OptionType != CountOption
+}
+
+func (self *Option) HasAlias(name_without_hyphens string, is_short bool) bool {
+	for _, a := range self.Aliases {
+		if a.IsShort == is_short && a.NameWithoutHyphens == name_without_hyphens {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+var mpat *regexp.Regexp
+
+type ParseError struct {
+	Option  *Option
+	Message string
+}
+
+func (self *ParseError) Error() string { return self.Message }
+
+func NormalizeOptionName(name string) string {
+	return strings.ReplaceAll(strings.TrimLeft(name, "-"), "_", "-")
+}
+
+func (self *Option) add_value(val string) error {
+	name_without_hyphens := NormalizeOptionName(self.seen_option)
+	switch self.OptionType {
+	case BoolOption:
+		for _, x := range self.Aliases {
+			if x.NameWithoutHyphens == name_without_hyphens {
+				if x.IsUnset {
+					self.values_from_cmdline = append(self.values_from_cmdline, "false")
+					self.parsed_values_from_cmdline = append(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline, false)
+				} else {
+					self.values_from_cmdline = append(self.values_from_cmdline, "true")
+					self.parsed_values_from_cmdline = append(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline, true)
+				}
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+	case StringOption:
+		if self.Choices != nil && !self.Choices[val] {
+			c := make([]string, len(self.Choices))
+			for k := range self.Choices {
+				c = append(c, k)
+			}
+			return &ParseError{Option: self, Message: fmt.Sprintf(":yellow:`%s` is not a valid value for :bold:`%s`. Valid values: %s",
+				val, self.seen_option, strings.Join(c, ", "),
+			)}
+		}
+		self.values_from_cmdline = append(self.values_from_cmdline, val)
+		self.parsed_values_from_cmdline = append(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline, val)
+	case IntegerOption:
+		pval, err := strconv.ParseInt(val, 0, 0)
+		if err != nil {
+			return &ParseError{Option: self, Message: fmt.Sprintf(
+				":yellow:`%s` is not a valid number for :bold:`%s`. Only integers in decimal, hexadecimal, binary or octal notation are accepted.", val, self.seen_option)}
+		}
+		self.values_from_cmdline = append(self.values_from_cmdline, val)
+		self.parsed_values_from_cmdline = append(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline, pval)
+	case FloatOption:
+		pval, err := strconv.ParseFloat(val, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return &ParseError{Option: self, Message: fmt.Sprintf(
+				":yellow:`%s` is not a valid number for :bold:`%s`. Only floats in decimal and hexadecimal notation are accepted.", val, self.seen_option)}
+		}
+		self.values_from_cmdline = append(self.values_from_cmdline, val)
+		self.parsed_values_from_cmdline = append(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline, pval)
+	case CountOption:
+		self.values_from_cmdline = append(self.values_from_cmdline, val)
+		self.parsed_values_from_cmdline = append(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline, 1)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+type CommandGroup struct {
+	SubCommands []*Command
+	Title       string
+}
+
+func (self *CommandGroup) AddSubCommand(parent *Command, name string) (*Command, error) {
+	for _, c := range self.SubCommands {
+		if c.Name == name {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("A subcommand with the name %#v already exists in the parent command: %#v", name, parent.Name)
+		}
+	}
+	ans := Command{
+		Name:   name,
+		Parent: parent,
+	}
+	return &ans, nil
+}
+
+type OptionGroup struct {
+	Options []*Option
+	Title   string
+}
+
+func (self *OptionGroup) AddOption(parent *Command, items ...string) (*Option, error) {
+	ans, err := OptionFromString(items...)
+	if err == nil {
+		ans.Parent = parent
+	}
+	return ans, err
+}
+
+func (self *OptionGroup) FindOption(name_with_hyphens string) *Option {
+	is_short := !strings.HasPrefix(name_with_hyphens, "--")
+	option_name := NormalizeOptionName(name_with_hyphens)
+	for _, q := range self.Options {
+		if q.HasAlias(option_name, is_short) {
+			return q
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+type Command struct {
+	Name             string
+	Usage, HelpText  string
+	Hidden           bool
+	SubCommandGroups []*CommandGroup
+	OptionGroups     []*OptionGroup
+	Parent           *Command
+
+	AllowOptionsAfterArgs int
+	SubCommandIsOptional  bool
+
+	args []string
+}
+
+func NewRootCommand() *Command {
+	ans := Command{
+		SubCommandGroups: make([]*CommandGroup, 0, 8),
+		OptionGroups:     make([]*OptionGroup, 0, 8),
+		args:             make([]string, 0, 8),
+	}
+	return &ans
+}
+
+func (self *Command) AddSubCommandGroup(title string) *CommandGroup {
+	for _, g := range self.SubCommandGroups {
+		if g.Title == title {
+			return g
+		}
+	}
+	ans := CommandGroup{Title: title, SubCommands: make([]*Command, 0, 8)}
+	self.SubCommandGroups = append(self.SubCommandGroups, &ans)
+	return &ans
+}
+
+func (self *Command) AddSubCommand(group string, name string) (*Command, error) {
+	return self.AddSubCommandGroup(group).AddSubCommand(self, name)
+}
+
+func (self *Command) HasSubCommands() bool {
+	for _, g := range self.SubCommandGroups {
+		if len(g.SubCommands) > 0 {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func (self *Command) FindSubCommand(name string) *Command {
+	for _, g := range self.SubCommandGroups {
+		for _, c := range g.SubCommands {
+			if c.Name == name {
+				return c
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (self *Command) AddOptionGroup(title string) *OptionGroup {
+	for _, g := range self.OptionGroups {
+		if g.Title == title {
+			return g
+		}
+	}
+	ans := OptionGroup{Title: title, Options: make([]*Option, 0, 8)}
+	self.OptionGroups = append(self.OptionGroups, &ans)
+	return &ans
+}
+
+func (self *Command) AddOption(items ...string) (*Option, error) {
+	return self.AddOptionGroup("").AddOption(self, items...)
+}
+
+func (self *Command) AddOptionToGroup(group string, items ...string) (*Option, error) {
+	return self.AddOptionGroup(group).AddOption(self, items...)
+}
+
+func (self *Command) FindOption(name_with_hyphens string) *Option {
+	for _, g := range self.OptionGroups {
+		q := g.FindOption(name_with_hyphens)
+		if q != nil {
+			return q
+		}
+	}
+	depth := 0
+	for p := self.Parent; p != nil; p = p.Parent {
+		depth++
+		q := p.FindOption(name_with_hyphens)
+		if q != nil && q.Depth >= depth {
+			return q
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+type Context struct {
+	SeenCommands []*Command
+}