diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index fcd36ab..84123d1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -5,13 +5,54 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/nilock/tuido/tui"
+	"github.com/nilock/tuido/tuido"
 	"github.com/nilock/tuido/utils"
 )
 
 func main() {
+	if len(os.Args) > 1 {
+		switch os.Args[1] {
+		case "list":
+			listCmd := flag.NewFlagSet("list", flag.ExitOnError)
+			maxItems := listCmd.Int("max", 0, "maximum number of items to display")
+			inclSnoozed := listCmd.Bool("z", false, "include snoozed items")
+			listCmd.BoolVar(inclSnoozed, "zzz", false, "include snoozed items")
+			inclAll := listCmd.Bool("a", false, "include snoozed and completed/cancelled items")
+			listCmd.BoolVar(inclAll, "all", false, "include snoozed and completed/cancelled items")
+			listCmd.Parse(os.Args[2:])
+
+			path := "."
+			if listCmd.NArg() > 0 {
+				path = listCmd.Arg(0)
+			}
+
+			runList(path, *maxItems, *inclSnoozed || *inclAll, *inclAll)
+			return
+
+		case "create", "add":
+			text := strings.Join(os.Args[2:], " ")
+			if text == "" {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Usage: tuido create <text>")
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+			runCreate(text)
+			return
+
+		case "version", "-version", "--version":
+			showVersionInfo()
+			return
+
+		case "help", "-help", "--help", "-h":
+			printHelp()
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	var showVersion = flag.Bool("version", false, "show version and platform information")
+	flag.Usage = printHelp
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	if *showVersion {
@@ -22,6 +63,68 @@ func main() {
 	tui.Run()
 }
 
+func runList(path string, max int, inclSnoozed bool, inclDone bool) {
+	files := tui.GetFiles(path, tui.GetConfigExtensions())
+	all := []*tuido.Item{}
+	for _, f := range files {
+		all = append(all, tui.GetItems(f)...)
+	}
+
+	tui.SortItems(all)
+
+	filtered := all[:0]
+	for _, item := range all {
+		s := item.Satus()
+		if !inclDone && (s == tuido.Checked || s == tuido.Obsolete) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !inclSnoozed && !item.Active() {
+			continue
+		}
+		filtered = append(filtered, item)
+	}
+
+	count := len(filtered)
+	if max > 0 && max < count {
+		count = max
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < count; i++ {
+		fmt.Printf("%s\n", filtered[i].String())
+	}
+}
+
+func runCreate(text string) {
+	writeTo := tui.GetConfigWriteTo()
+	item := tuido.New(writeTo, -1, "")
+	err := item.SetText(text)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error creating item: %v\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("Created: %s\n", item.String())
+}
+
+func printHelp() {
+	fmt.Print(`Usage: tuido [command] [options]
+
+Without a command, opens the interactive TUI.
+
+Commands:
+  list [options] [path]   List open/in-progress items (default path: .)
+    -z, --zzz               Include snoozed items
+    -a, --all               Include snoozed and completed/cancelled items
+    --max N                 Limit output to N items
+  create <text>           Create a new todo item
+  add <text>              Alias for create
+  version                 Show version and platform information
+  help                    Show this help
+
+Flags:
+  -version                Show version and platform information
+`)
+}
+
 func showVersionInfo() {
 	version := utils.Version()
 	goos := runtime.GOOS
diff --git a/tui/config.go b/tui/config.go
index cccb28f..cbb2e14 100644
--- a/tui/config.go
+++ b/tui/config.go
@@ -105,3 +105,11 @@ func parseConfig(file *os.File) config {
 
 	return cfg
 }
+
+func GetConfigExtensions() []string {
+	return runConfig.extensions
+}
+
+func GetConfigWriteTo() string {
+	return runConfig.writeto
+}
diff --git a/tui/tui.go b/tui/tui.go
index d75cb9c..f4154cd 100644
--- a/tui/tui.go
+++ b/tui/tui.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func Run() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	if wtStat.IsDir() {
-		writeDirFiles := getFiles(runConfig.writeto, runConfig.extensions)
+		writeDirFiles := GetFiles(runConfig.writeto, runConfig.extensions)
 		for _, f := range writeDirFiles {
 			files[f] = struct{}{}
 		}
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func Run() {
 
 	// [ ] replace with subdir check #active=2022-05-26 #zzz=2
 	if wrkdirStr != runConfig.writeto {
-		wdFiles := getFiles(wrkdirStr, runConfig.extensions)
+		wdFiles := GetFiles(wrkdirStr, runConfig.extensions)
 		for _, f := range wdFiles {
 			files[f] = struct{}{}
 		}
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ func Run() {
 
 	items := []*tuido.Item{}
 	for f := range files {
-		items = append(items, getItems(f)...)
+		items = append(items, GetItems(f)...)
 	}
 
-	sortItems(items)
+	SortItems(items)
 
 	tui := newTUI(items, runConfig)
 	tui.houseKeeping()
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ func (t *tui) populateRenderSelection() {
 
 	// Only sort if no filter is active - preserve fuzzy search ranking
 	if len(t.filter.Value()) == 0 {
-		sortItems(t.renderSelection)
+		SortItems(t.renderSelection)
 	}
 
 	// ensure the previous selection value is still in range
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ func itemHasTag(itemTags []tuido.Tag, filter tuido.Tag) bool {
 
 func (t tui) Init() tea.Cmd { return tick() }
 
-func getItems(file string) []*tuido.Item {
+func GetItems(file string) []*tuido.Item {
 	items := []*tuido.Item{}
 
 	if f, err := os.Open(file); err != nil {
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ func getItems(file string) []*tuido.Item {
 	}
 }
 
-func getFiles(wd string, extensions []string) []string {
+func GetFiles(wd string, extensions []string) []string {
 
 	files := []string{}
 
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ func getFiles(wd string, extensions []string) []string {
 	return files
 }
 
-func sortItems(items []*tuido.Item) {
+func SortItems(items []*tuido.Item) {
 	sort.SliceStable(items, func(i, j int) bool {
 		if items[i].Importance() > items[j].Importance() {
 			return true