diff --git a/CommandLine/AppVersionCli.cs b/CommandLine/AppVersionCli.cs
index 918e9b8d..4822bc8d 100644
--- a/CommandLine/AppVersionCli.cs
+++ b/CommandLine/AppVersionCli.cs
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
 namespace Wayfarer.CommandLine;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Handles app-version CLI commands that do not require web host startup.
+/// Handles app CLI commands that do not require web host startup.
 /// </summary>
 public static class AppVersionCli
 {
     /// <summary>
-    /// Handles the version command when present.
+    /// Handles supported app CLI commands when present.
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="args">The process arguments.</param>
     /// <param name="appVersionProvider">The provider for the compiled application version.</param>
@@ -26,12 +26,74 @@ public static bool TryHandle(
         _ = error;
         exitCode = 0;
 
-        if (args.Length == 0 || !string.Equals(args[0], "version", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+        if (args.Length == 0)
         {
             return false;
         }
 
-        output.WriteLine($"Wayfarer {appVersionProvider.Version}");
-        return true;
+        if (args.Length == 1 && (IsHelpCommand(args[0]) || IsHelpOption(args[0])))
+        {
+            output.WriteLine(TopLevelHelp);
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        if (string.Equals(args[0], "version", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+        {
+            if (args.Length == 2 && IsHelpOption(args[1]))
+            {
+                output.WriteLine(VersionHelp);
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            output.WriteLine($"Wayfarer {appVersionProvider.Version}");
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        if (args.Length == 2
+            && string.Equals(args[0], "reset-password", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+            && IsHelpOption(args[1]))
+        {
+            output.WriteLine(ResetPasswordHelp);
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    private const string TopLevelHelp = """
+        Wayfarer CLI
+
+        Usage:
+          Wayfarer <command> [options]
+
+        Commands:
+          version                         Print the compiled Wayfarer version.
+          reset-password <user> <pass>    Reset a user's password.
+          help                            Show this help text.
+        """;
+
+    private const string VersionHelp = """
+        Usage:
+          Wayfarer version
+
+        Prints the compiled Wayfarer version and exits before web host startup.
+        """;
+
+    private const string ResetPasswordHelp = """
+        Usage:
+          Wayfarer reset-password <user> <pass>
+
+        Resets a user's password using the configured application database.
+        """;
+
+    private static bool IsHelpCommand(string value)
+    {
+        return string.Equals(value, "help", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+    }
+
+    private static bool IsHelpOption(string value)
+    {
+        return string.Equals(value, "--help", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+            || string.Equals(value, "-h", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
     }
 }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 86da3338..ec5b2b68 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -89,6 +89,15 @@ dotnet ef database update   # apply Postgres/PostGIS migrations
 dotnet run                  # launch locally (reads appsettings.Development.json)
 ```
 
+Useful app CLI commands:
+
+```bash
+dotnet run --no-launch-profile -- help
+dotnet run --no-launch-profile -- version
+```
+
+For deployment/admin CLI details, including password reset, see the Deployment Guide.
+
 For Vue Trip Editor development, run the ASP.NET Core app and the Vite
 dev server side-by-side:
 
diff --git a/docs/14-Setup.md b/docs/14-Setup.md
index bc1fdcab..9a1965c3 100644
--- a/docs/14-Setup.md
+++ b/docs/14-Setup.md
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ Database
 - The app auto‑creates Quartz tables at startup (`QuartzSchemaInstaller`).
 
 Admin CLI
+- Help: `dotnet run --no-launch-profile -- help`
+- Version: `dotnet run --no-launch-profile -- version`
 - Reset password: `dotnet run -- reset-password <username> <new-password>`
 - Use temporary values; rotate immediately. Do not document real passwords.
 
diff --git a/docs/20-Deployment.md b/docs/20-Deployment.md
index de75e56a..d7ef203b 100644
--- a/docs/20-Deployment.md
+++ b/docs/20-Deployment.md
@@ -467,6 +467,12 @@ sudo tail -f /var/log/wayfarer/wayfarer-*.log
 
 ## CLI Commands
 
+List app CLI commands:
+
+```bash
+dotnet run --no-launch-profile -- help
+```
+
 ### Password Reset
 
 Reset a user's password from the command line:
diff --git a/tests/Wayfarer.Tests/Versioning/AppVersionCliTests.cs b/tests/Wayfarer.Tests/Versioning/AppVersionCliTests.cs
index 0ee4fed8..006d9926 100644
--- a/tests/Wayfarer.Tests/Versioning/AppVersionCliTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Wayfarer.Tests/Versioning/AppVersionCliTests.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,57 @@ namespace Wayfarer.Tests.Versioning;
 
 public class AppVersionCliTests
 {
+    private static readonly string TopLevelHelp = string.Join(
+        Environment.NewLine,
+        "Wayfarer CLI",
+        "",
+        "Usage:",
+        "  Wayfarer <command> [options]",
+        "",
+        "Commands:",
+        "  version                         Print the compiled Wayfarer version.",
+        "  reset-password <user> <pass>    Reset a user's password.",
+        "  help                            Show this help text.",
+        "");
+
+    private static readonly string VersionHelp = string.Join(
+        Environment.NewLine,
+        "Usage:",
+        "  Wayfarer version",
+        "",
+        "Prints the compiled Wayfarer version and exits before web host startup.",
+        "");
+
+    private static readonly string ResetPasswordHelp = string.Join(
+        Environment.NewLine,
+        "Usage:",
+        "  Wayfarer reset-password <user> <pass>",
+        "",
+        "Resets a user's password using the configured application database.",
+        "");
+
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("help")]
+    [InlineData("--help")]
+    [InlineData("-h")]
+    public void TryHandle_TopLevelHelpCommands_WriteExactHelpAndExitZero(string command)
+    {
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+
+        var handled = AppVersionCli.TryHandle(
+            new[] { command },
+            new StubAppVersionProvider("1.4.0"),
+            output,
+            error,
+            out var exitCode);
+
+        handled.Should().BeTrue();
+        exitCode.Should().Be(0);
+        NormalizeLineEndings(output.ToString()).Should().Be(NormalizeLineEndings(TopLevelHelp));
+        error.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void TryHandle_VersionCommand_WritesExactVersionLine()
     {
@@ -26,14 +77,37 @@ public void TryHandle_VersionCommand_WritesExactVersionLine()
         error.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
     }
 
-    [Fact]
-    public void TryHandle_VersionCommand_DoesNotRequireWebHostOrDatabaseStartup()
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("--help")]
+    [InlineData("-h")]
+    public void TryHandle_VersionHelpCommands_WriteExactHelpAndExitZero(string option)
     {
         using var output = new StringWriter();
         using var error = new StringWriter();
 
         var handled = AppVersionCli.TryHandle(
-            new[] { "version" },
+            new[] { "version", option },
+            new StubAppVersionProvider("1.4.0"),
+            output,
+            error,
+            out var exitCode);
+
+        handled.Should().BeTrue();
+        exitCode.Should().Be(0);
+        NormalizeLineEndings(output.ToString()).Should().Be(NormalizeLineEndings(VersionHelp));
+        error.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("--help")]
+    [InlineData("-h")]
+    public void TryHandle_ResetPasswordHelpCommands_WriteExactHelpAndExitZero(string option)
+    {
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+
+        var handled = AppVersionCli.TryHandle(
+            new[] { "reset-password", option },
             new StubAppVersionProvider("1.4.0"),
             output,
             error,
@@ -41,6 +115,71 @@ public void TryHandle_VersionCommand_DoesNotRequireWebHostOrDatabaseStartup()
 
         handled.Should().BeTrue();
         exitCode.Should().Be(0);
+        NormalizeLineEndings(output.ToString()).Should().Be(NormalizeLineEndings(ResetPasswordHelp));
+        error.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("help")]
+    [InlineData("--help")]
+    [InlineData("-h")]
+    [InlineData("version")]
+    [InlineData("version", "--help")]
+    [InlineData("version", "-h")]
+    [InlineData("reset-password", "--help")]
+    [InlineData("reset-password", "-h")]
+    public void TryHandle_HostFreeCommands_AreHandledByPureCliSeam(params string[] args)
+    {
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+
+        var handled = AppVersionCli.TryHandle(
+            args,
+            new StubAppVersionProvider("1.4.0"),
+            output,
+            error,
+            out var exitCode);
+
+        handled.Should().BeTrue();
+        exitCode.Should().Be(0);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void TryHandle_UnknownCommand_KeepsCurrentFallThroughBehavior()
+    {
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+
+        var handled = AppVersionCli.TryHandle(
+            new[] { "unknown" },
+            new StubAppVersionProvider("1.4.0"),
+            output,
+            error,
+            out var exitCode);
+
+        handled.Should().BeFalse();
+        exitCode.Should().Be(0);
+        output.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
+        error.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void TryHandle_NormalResetPasswordCommand_RemainsUnhandled()
+    {
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+
+        var handled = AppVersionCli.TryHandle(
+            new[] { "reset-password", "user", "pass" },
+            new StubAppVersionProvider("1.4.0"),
+            output,
+            error,
+            out var exitCode);
+
+        handled.Should().BeFalse();
+        exitCode.Should().Be(0);
+        output.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
+        error.ToString().Should().BeEmpty();
     }
 
     private sealed class StubAppVersionProvider : IAppVersionProvider
@@ -52,4 +191,9 @@ public StubAppVersionProvider(string version)
 
         public string Version { get; }
     }
+
+    private static string NormalizeLineEndings(string value)
+    {
+        return value.ReplaceLineEndings("\n");
+    }
 }