diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/feathers b/packages/cli/bin/feathers
index c27794d2fc..7266b01c6f 100755
--- a/packages/cli/bin/feathers
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/feathers
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
-'use strict';
+'use strict'
 
-const { yargs } = require('@feathershq/pinion')
-const { command } = require('../lib')
+const { program } = require('../lib')
 
-const cli = cmd => command(yargs(cmd)).argv
-
-cli(process.argv.slice(2));
+program.parse()
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index fb526ce4f2..f4e382c3cc 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -47,15 +47,13 @@
     "mocha": "mocha --timeout 60000 --config ../../.mocharc.json --recursive test/**.test.ts test/**/*.test.ts",
     "test": "npm run compile && npm run mocha"
   },
-  "directories": {
-    "lib": "lib/cli"
-  },
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@feathershq/pinion": "^0.3.5",
     "chalk": "^4.0.1",
+    "commander": "^9.4.0",
     "lodash": "^4.17.21",
     "prettier": "^2.7.1"
   },
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/app/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/app/index.ts
index e5216f0045..d3d017fec4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/app/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/app/index.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export type AppGeneratorArguments = FeathersBaseContext & Partial<AppGeneratorDa
 
 export const generate = (ctx: AppGeneratorArguments) =>
   generator(ctx)
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
     .then((ctx) => ({
       ...ctx,
       dependencies: [],
@@ -104,7 +105,8 @@ export const generate = (ctx: AppGeneratorArguments) =>
           message: 'Which package manager are you using?',
           choices: [
             { value: 'npm', name: 'npm' },
-            { value: 'yarn', name: 'Yarn' }
+            { value: 'yarn', name: 'Yarn' },
+            { value: 'pnpm', name: 'pnpm' }
           ]
         },
         ...connectionPrompts(ctx),
@@ -149,50 +151,58 @@ export const generate = (ctx: AppGeneratorArguments) =>
       )
     )
     .then(
-      install<AppGeneratorContext>(({ transports, framework, dependencyVersions, dependencies }) => {
-        const hasSocketio = transports.includes('websockets')
+      install<AppGeneratorContext>(
+        ({ transports, framework, dependencyVersions, dependencies }) => {
+          const hasSocketio = transports.includes('websockets')
 
-        dependencies.push(
-          '@feathersjs/feathers',
-          '@feathersjs/errors',
-          '@feathersjs/schema',
-          '@feathersjs/configuration',
-          '@feathersjs/transport-commons',
-          '@feathersjs/authentication',
-          'winston'
-        )
+          dependencies.push(
+            '@feathersjs/feathers',
+            '@feathersjs/errors',
+            '@feathersjs/schema',
+            '@feathersjs/configuration',
+            '@feathersjs/transport-commons',
+            '@feathersjs/authentication',
+            'winston'
+          )
 
-        if (hasSocketio) {
-          dependencies.push('@feathersjs/socketio')
-        }
+          if (hasSocketio) {
+            dependencies.push('@feathersjs/socketio')
+          }
 
-        if (framework === 'koa') {
-          dependencies.push('@feathersjs/koa', 'koa-static')
-        }
+          if (framework === 'koa') {
+            dependencies.push('@feathersjs/koa', 'koa-static')
+          }
 
-        if (framework === 'express') {
-          dependencies.push('@feathersjs/express', 'compression')
-        }
+          if (framework === 'express') {
+            dependencies.push('@feathersjs/express', 'compression')
+          }
 
-        return addVersions(dependencies, dependencyVersions)
-      })
+          return addVersions(dependencies, dependencyVersions)
+        },
+        false,
+        ctx.packager
+      )
     )
     .then(
-      install<AppGeneratorContext>(({ language, framework, devDependencies, dependencyVersions }) => {
-        devDependencies.push('nodemon', 'axios', 'mocha', 'cross-env', 'prettier')
+      install<AppGeneratorContext>(
+        ({ language, framework, devDependencies, dependencyVersions }) => {
+          devDependencies.push('nodemon', 'axios', 'mocha', 'cross-env', 'prettier', '@feathersjs/cli')
 
-        if (language === 'ts') {
-          devDependencies.push(
-            '@types/mocha',
-            framework === 'koa' ? '@types/koa-static' : '@types/compression',
-            '@types/node',
-            'nodemon',
-            'ts-node',
-            'typescript',
-            'shx'
-          )
-        }
+          if (language === 'ts') {
+            devDependencies.push(
+              '@types/mocha',
+              framework === 'koa' ? '@types/koa-static' : '@types/compression',
+              '@types/node',
+              'nodemon',
+              'ts-node',
+              'typescript',
+              'shx'
+            )
+          }
 
-        return addVersions(devDependencies, dependencyVersions)
-      }, true)
+          return addVersions(devDependencies, dependencyVersions)
+        },
+        true,
+        ctx.packager
+      )
     )
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/authentication/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/authentication/index.ts
index 8577312216..4f4fce804f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/authentication/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/authentication/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import chalk from 'chalk'
 import { generator, runGenerators, prompt, install } from '@feathershq/pinion'
-import { addVersions, FeathersBaseContext, getDatabaseAdapter } from '../commons'
+import {
+  addVersions,
+  checkPreconditions,
+  FeathersBaseContext,
+  getDatabaseAdapter,
+  initializeBaseContext
+} from '../commons'
 import { generate as serviceGenerator, ServiceGeneratorContext } from '../service/index'
 
 export interface AuthenticationGeneratorContext extends ServiceGeneratorContext {
@@ -67,6 +73,8 @@ export const prompts = (ctx: AuthenticationGeneratorArguments) => [
 
 export const generate = (ctx: AuthenticationGeneratorArguments) =>
   generator(ctx)
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
+    .then(checkPreconditions())
     .then(prompt<AuthenticationGeneratorArguments, AuthenticationGeneratorContext>(prompts))
     .then(async (ctx) => {
       const serviceContext = await serviceGenerator({
@@ -74,7 +82,7 @@ export const generate = (ctx: AuthenticationGeneratorArguments) =>
         name: ctx.service,
         path: ctx.service,
         isEntityService: true,
-        type: getDatabaseAdapter(ctx.feathers.database)
+        type: getDatabaseAdapter(ctx.feathers?.database)
       })
 
       return {
@@ -99,5 +107,9 @@ export const generate = (ctx: AuthenticationGeneratorArguments) =>
         }
       }
 
-      return install<AuthenticationGeneratorContext>(addVersions(dependencies, ctx.dependencyVersions))(ctx)
+      return install<AuthenticationGeneratorContext>(
+        addVersions(dependencies, ctx.dependencyVersions),
+        false,
+        ctx.feathers.packager
+      )(ctx)
     })
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/authentication/templates/knex.tpl.ts b/packages/cli/src/authentication/templates/knex.tpl.ts
index dcacd96937..311ea8a2e0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/authentication/templates/knex.tpl.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/authentication/templates/knex.tpl.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export async function down(knex: Knex): Promise<void> {
 export const generate = (ctx: AuthenticationGeneratorContext) =>
   generator(ctx).then(
     when(
-      (ctx) => getDatabaseAdapter(ctx.feathers.database) === 'knex',
+      (ctx) => getDatabaseAdapter(ctx.feathers?.database) === 'knex',
       renderSource(
         migrationTemplate,
         toFile(
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6495686698
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import chalk from 'chalk'
+import { Command } from 'commander'
+import { generator, runGenerator, getContext } from '@feathershq/pinion'
+import { FeathersBaseContext, version } from './commons'
+
+export * from 'commander'
+
+export const commandRunner = (name: string) => async (options: any) => {
+  const ctx = getContext<FeathersBaseContext>({
+    ...options
+  })
+
+  await generator(ctx)
+    .then(runGenerator(__dirname, name, 'index'))
+    .catch((error) => {
+      const { logger } = ctx.pinion
+
+      logger.error(`Error: ${chalk.white(error.message)}`)
+    })
+}
+
+export const program = new Command()
+
+program
+  .name('feathers')
+  .description('The Feathers command line interface 🕊️')
+  .version(version)
+  .showHelpAfterError()
+
+const generate = program.command('generate').alias('g')
+
+generate
+  .command('app')
+  .description('Generate a new application')
+  .option('--name <name>', 'The name of the application')
+  .action(commandRunner('app'))
+
+generate
+  .command('service')
+  .description('Generate a new service')
+  .option('--name <name>', 'The service name')
+  .option('--path <path>', 'The path to register the service on')
+  .option('--type <type>', 'The service type (knex, mongodb, custom)')
+  .action(commandRunner('service'))
+
+generate
+  .command('hook')
+  .description('Generate a hook')
+  .option('--name <name>', 'The name of the hook')
+  .option('--type <type>', 'The hook type (around or regular)')
+  .action(commandRunner('hook'))
+
+generate
+  .command('connection')
+  .description('Add a new database connection')
+  .action(commandRunner('connection'))
+
+generate
+  .command('authentication')
+  .description('Add authentication to the application')
+  .action(commandRunner('authentication'))
+
+generate.description(
+  `Run a generator. Currently available: \n  ${generate.commands
+    .map((cmd) => `${chalk.blue(cmd.name())}: ${cmd.description()} `)
+    .join('\n  ')}`
+)
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commons.ts b/packages/cli/src/commons.ts
index 21ec41ebe6..72f3e88412 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commons.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commons.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import fs from 'fs'
+import { join } from 'path'
 import { PackageJson } from 'type-fest'
 import { readFile, writeFile } from 'fs/promises'
 import {
@@ -14,6 +16,8 @@ import * as ts from 'typescript'
 import prettier, { Options as PrettierOptions } from 'prettier'
 import path from 'path'
 
+export const { version } = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(join(__dirname, '..', 'package.json')).toString())
+
 export type DependencyVersions = { [key: string]: string }
 
 /**
@@ -110,7 +114,8 @@ export const initializeBaseContext =
         loadJSON(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'package.json'), (pkg: PackageJson) => ({
           dependencyVersions: {
             ...pkg.devDependencies,
-            ...ctx.dependencyVersions
+            ...ctx.dependencyVersions,
+            '@feathersjs/cli': version
           }
         }))
       )
@@ -122,6 +127,26 @@ export const initializeBaseContext =
         feathers: ctx.pkg?.feathers
       }))
 
+/**
+ * Checks if the current context contains a valid generated application. This is necesary for most
+ * generators (besides the app generator).
+ *
+ * @param ctx The context to check against
+ * @returns Throws an error or returns the original context
+ */
+export const checkPreconditions =
+  () =>
+  async <T extends FeathersBaseContext>(ctx: T) => {
+    if (!ctx.feathers) {
+      console.log(ctx)
+      throw new Error(`Can not run generator since the current folder does not appear to be a Feathers application.
+Either your package.json is missing or it does not have \`feathers\` property.
+`)
+    }
+
+    return ctx
+  }
+
 const importRegex = /from '(\..*)'/g
 const escapeNewLines = (code: string) => code.replace(/\n\n/g, '\n/* :newline: */')
 const restoreNewLines = (code: string) => code.replace(/\/\* :newline: \*\//g, '\n')
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/connection/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/connection/index.ts
index f94cbb4fcb..3d57c4a6cf 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/connection/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/connection/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 import { generator, runGenerator, prompt, install, mergeJSON, toFile } from '@feathershq/pinion'
 import chalk from 'chalk'
-import { FeathersBaseContext, DatabaseType, getDatabaseAdapter, addVersions } from '../commons'
+import {
+  FeathersBaseContext,
+  DatabaseType,
+  getDatabaseAdapter,
+  addVersions,
+  checkPreconditions,
+  initializeBaseContext
+} from '../commons'
 
 export interface ConnectionGeneratorContext extends FeathersBaseContext {
   database: DatabaseType
@@ -60,6 +67,8 @@ export const getDatabaseClient = (database: DatabaseType) => DATABASE_CLIENTS[da
 
 export const generate = (ctx: ConnectionGeneratorArguments) =>
   generator(ctx)
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
+    .then(checkPreconditions())
     .then(prompt<ConnectionGeneratorArguments, ConnectionGeneratorContext>(prompts))
     .then(
       runGenerator<ConnectionGeneratorContext>(
@@ -105,5 +114,9 @@ export const generate = (ctx: ConnectionGeneratorArguments) =>
         }
       }
 
-      return install<ConnectionGeneratorContext>(addVersions(dependencies, ctx.dependencyVersions))(ctx)
+      return install<ConnectionGeneratorContext>(
+        addVersions(dependencies, ctx.dependencyVersions),
+        false,
+        ctx.feathers.packager
+      )(ctx)
     })
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/hook/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/hook/index.ts
index 5427b9c040..3f0b430d98 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/hook/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/hook/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { generator, prompt, runGenerators } from '@feathershq/pinion'
 import _ from 'lodash'
-import { FeathersBaseContext } from '../commons'
+import { checkPreconditions, FeathersBaseContext, initializeBaseContext } from '../commons'
 
 export interface HookGeneratorContext extends FeathersBaseContext {
   name: string
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ export interface HookGeneratorContext extends FeathersBaseContext {
 
 export const generate = (ctx: HookGeneratorContext) =>
   generator(ctx)
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
+    .then(checkPreconditions())
     .then(
       prompt<HookGeneratorContext>(({ type, name }) => [
         {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
index 7d2900e68a..f717fbb249 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -1,28 +1,2 @@
-import { Argv, generator, runGenerator, getContext } from '@feathershq/pinion'
-import { FeathersBaseContext, initializeBaseContext } from './commons'
-
-export const commandRunner = (yarg: any) => {
-  const ctx = getContext<FeathersBaseContext>({
-    ...yarg.argv
-  })
-
-  return generate(ctx)
-}
-
-export const generate = (ctx: FeathersBaseContext) =>
-  generator(ctx)
-    .then(initializeBaseContext())
-    .then(runGenerator(__dirname, (ctx: FeathersBaseContext) => `${ctx._[1]}`, 'index'))
-
-export const command = (yargs: Argv) =>
-  yargs
-    .command('generate', 'Run a generator', (yarg) =>
-      yarg
-        .command('app', 'Generate a new app', commandRunner)
-        .command('service', 'Generate a service', commandRunner)
-        .command('hook', 'Generate a hook', commandRunner)
-        .command('connection', 'Connect to a different database', commandRunner)
-        .command('authentication', 'Set up authentication with a custom entity', commandRunner)
-    )
-    .usage('Usage: $0 <command> [options]')
-    .help()
+export * from './cli'
+export * from './commons'
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/service/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/service/index.ts
index 578bee305d..16108085af 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/service/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/service/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 import _ from 'lodash'
 import { generator, runGenerator, runGenerators, prompt } from '@feathershq/pinion'
 
-import { FeathersBaseContext, getDatabaseAdapter } from '../commons'
+import {
+  checkPreconditions,
+  FeathersBaseContext,
+  getDatabaseAdapter,
+  initializeBaseContext
+} from '../commons'
 
 export interface ServiceGeneratorContext extends FeathersBaseContext {
   /**
@@ -62,6 +67,8 @@ export type ServiceGeneratorArguments = FeathersBaseContext &
 
 export const generate = (ctx: ServiceGeneratorArguments) =>
   generator(ctx)
+    .then(initializeBaseContext())
+    .then(checkPreconditions())
     .then(
       prompt<ServiceGeneratorArguments, ServiceGeneratorContext>(
         ({ name, path, type, authentication, isEntityService }) => [
@@ -89,7 +96,7 @@ export const generate = (ctx: ServiceGeneratorArguments) =>
             type: 'list',
             when: !type,
             message: 'What kind of service is it?',
-            default: getDatabaseAdapter(ctx.feathers.database),
+            default: getDatabaseAdapter(ctx.feathers?.database),
             choices: [
               {
                 value: 'knex',
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/generators.test.ts b/packages/cli/test/generators.test.ts
index 688a5f602f..07808a2db9 100644
--- a/packages/cli/test/generators.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/test/generators.test.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@ import assert from 'assert'
 import { getContext } from '@feathershq/pinion'
 
 import { AppGeneratorContext } from '../src/app'
-import { generate } from '../lib'
 import { FeathersBaseContext } from '../src/commons'
 import { ConnectionGeneratorArguments } from '../src/connection'
 import { ServiceGeneratorArguments } from '../src/service'
 import { combinate, dependencyVersions } from './utils'
 
+import { generate as generateApp } from '../lib/app'
+import { generate as generateConnection } from '../lib/connection'
+import { generate as generateService } from '../lib/service'
+
 const matrix = {
   language: ['js', 'ts'] as const,
   framework: ['koa', 'express'] as const
@@ -35,7 +38,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/cli', () => {
 
       before(async () => {
         cwd = await mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), name + '-'))
-        context = await generate(
+        context = await generateApp(
           getContext<AppGeneratorContext>(
             {
               name,
@@ -64,7 +67,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/cli', () => {
       })
 
       it('generates a MongoDB connection and service and passes tests', async () => {
-        const connectionContext = await generate(
+        const connectionContext = await generateConnection(
           getContext<ConnectionGeneratorArguments>(
             {
               dependencyVersions,
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/cli', () => {
             { cwd }
           )
         )
-        const mongoServiceContext = await generate(
+        const mongoServiceContext = await generateService(
           getContext<ServiceGeneratorArguments>(
             {
               dependencyVersions,
@@ -96,7 +99,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/cli', () => {
       })
 
       it('generates a custom service and passes tests', async () => {
-        const customServiceContext = await generate(
+        const customServiceContext = await generateService(
           getContext<ServiceGeneratorArguments>(
             {
               dependencyVersions,
diff --git a/packages/create-feathers-app/bin/create-feathers-app b/packages/create-feathers-app/bin/create-feathers-app
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..da5069547b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-feathers-app/bin/create-feathers-app
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+'use strict';
+
+const { comandRunner } = require('@feathersjs/cli')
+
+export const program = new Command()
+
+program
+  .name('create-feathers-app')
+  .description('Create a new Feathers application 🕊️')
+  .argument('<name>', 'The name of your new application')
+  // .version(version)
+  .showHelpAfterError()
+  .action((name, options) => {
+    console.log(name, options)
+  })
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/create-feathers-app/package.json b/packages/create-feathers-app/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74bd187b72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-feathers-app/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+{
+    "name": "create-feathers-app",
+    "description": "Create a new Feathers application",
+    "version": "5.0.0-pre.29",
+    "homepage": "https://feathersjs.com",
+    "bin": {
+      "feathers": "./bin/create-feathers-app"
+    },
+    "keywords": [
+      "feathers",
+      "feathers-plugin"
+    ],
+    "license": "MIT",
+    "funding": {
+      "type": "github",
+      "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/daffl"
+    },
+    "repository": {
+      "type": "git",
+      "url": "git://github.com/feathersjs/feathers.git"
+    },
+    "author": {
+      "name": "Feathers contributors",
+      "email": "hello@feathersjs.com",
+      "url": "https://feathersjs.com"
+    },
+    "contributors": [],
+    "bugs": {
+      "url": "https://github.com/feathersjs/feathers/issues"
+    },
+    "engines": {
+      "node": ">= 14"
+    },
+    "files": [
+      "CHANGELOG.md",
+      "LICENSE",
+      "README.md",
+      "lib/**",
+      "bin/**",
+      "*.d.ts",
+      "*.js"
+    ],
+    "scripts": {
+      "test": "echo \"No tests necessary\""
+    },
+    "publishConfig": {
+      "access": "public"
+    },
+    "dependencies": {
+      "@feathersjs/cli": "^5.0.0-pre.29"
+    },
+    "devDependencies": {
+    },
+    "gitHead": "4314dc89a41a8bbaabf00b47697bf7887861d17d"
+  }
+  
\ No newline at end of file