diff --git a/cmd/api/main.go b/cmd/api/main.go
index 88ba7c7..27cb25c 100644
--- a/cmd/api/main.go
+++ b/cmd/api/main.go
@@ -1,8 +1,38 @@
-// Package main provides the nightd API control plane.
+// Package main provides the nightd API control plane CLI.
 package main
 
-import "fmt"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:          "api",
+	Short:        "nightd API",
+	Long:         "The nightd API manages Omnigent servers and routing.",
+	SilenceUsage: true,
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "nightd API - use 'api start' to run")
+	},
+}
+
+var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "start",
+	Short: "Start the API",
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "nightd API started")
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(startCmd)
+}
 
 func main() {
-	fmt.Println("nightd API control plane")
+	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/gateway/main.go b/cmd/gateway/main.go
index 95a4efa..85be363 100644
--- a/cmd/gateway/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gateway/main.go
@@ -1,8 +1,38 @@
-// Package main provides the nightd gateway proxy.
+// Package main provides the nightd gateway proxy CLI.
 package main
 
-import "fmt"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:          "gateway",
+	Short:        "nightd gateway",
+	Long:         "The nightd gateway proxies authenticated requests to the correct Omnigent server for a workspace.",
+	SilenceUsage: true,
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "nightd gateway - use 'gateway start' to run")
+	},
+}
+
+var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "start",
+	Short: "Start the gateway",
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "nightd gateway started")
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(startCmd)
+}
 
 func main() {
-	fmt.Println("nightd gateway proxy")
+	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/node/main.go b/cmd/node/main.go
index ad9cc67..cba18fe 100644
--- a/cmd/node/main.go
+++ b/cmd/node/main.go
@@ -1,8 +1,38 @@
-// Package main provides the nightd node data plane.
+// Package main provides the nightd node data plane CLI.
 package main
 
-import "fmt"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:          "node",
+	Short:        "nightd node",
+	Long:         "The nightd node launches an Omnigent server for a specified workspace.",
+	SilenceUsage: true,
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "nightd node - use 'node start' to run")
+	},
+}
+
+var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "start",
+	Short: "Start the node",
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "nightd node started")
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(startCmd)
+}
 
 func main() {
-	fmt.Println("nightd node data plane")
+	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/mise.toml b/mise.toml
index 528ed2f..0809538 100644
--- a/mise.toml
+++ b/mise.toml
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ depends = ["up"]
 run = ["gofmt -l .", "go build ./...", "golangci-lint run", "go test ./..."]
 
 [tasks."dev:api"]
-run = "go run ./cmd/api"
+run = "go run ./cmd/api start"
 
 [tasks."dev:gateway"]
-run = "go run ./cmd/gateway"
+run = "go run ./cmd/gateway start"
 
 [tasks."dev:node"]
-run = "go run ./cmd/node"
+run = "go run ./cmd/node start"
 
 [tasks.docs]
 run = "uvx zensical build --clean"