diff --git a/commands/argument.go b/commands/argument.go
index d8b1605e9..6c9c7a3d0 100644
--- a/commands/argument.go
+++ b/commands/argument.go
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ const (
 )
 
 type Argument struct {
-	Name     string
-	Type     ArgumentType
-	Required bool
-	Variadic bool
+	Name        string
+	Type        ArgumentType
+	Required    bool
+	Variadic    bool
+	Description string
 }
diff --git a/commands/command.go b/commands/command.go
index 351b249c5..5d9f584cd 100644
--- a/commands/command.go
+++ b/commands/command.go
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ type Marshaller func(Response) ([]byte, error)
 // Command is a runnable command, with input arguments and options (flags).
 // It can also have Subcommands, to group units of work into sets.
 type Command struct {
+	Description string
 	Help        string
+
 	Options     []Option
 	Arguments   []Argument
 	Run         Function
diff --git a/commands/option.go b/commands/option.go
index 8dbf3c1bd..f068ec228 100644
--- a/commands/option.go
+++ b/commands/option.go
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ const (
 
 // Option is used to specify a field that will be provided by a consumer
 type Option struct {
-	Names []string     // a list of unique names to
-	Type  reflect.Kind // value must be this type
+	Names       []string     // a list of unique names to
+	Type        reflect.Kind // value must be this type
+	Description string       // a short string to describe this option
 
 	// TODO: add more features(?):
 	//Default interface{} // the default value (ignored if `Required` is true)
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ const (
 
 // options that are used by this package
 var globalOptions = []Option{
-	Option{[]string{EncShort, EncLong}, String},
+	Option{[]string{EncShort, EncLong}, String,
+		"The encoding type the output should be encoded with (json, xml, or text)"},
 }
 
 // the above array of Options, wrapped in a Command