diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b38b8b..9d50026 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,14 +37,18 @@ Note that PHP for Windows does not include CA certificates, so you'll need to in
 
 ## Usage
 
-`vendor/bin/libyear < path to project > [-q|--quiet] [-v|--verbose]`
+`vendor/bin/libyear <path> [-q|--quiet] [-v|--verbose]`
 
-(or `php path/to/libyear.phar < path to project > [-q|--quiet] [-v|--verbose]` for the PHAR version)
+(or `php path/to/libyear.phar <path> [-q|--quiet] [-v|--verbose]` for the PHAR version)
 
 Arguments:
-- `path to project`: required, directory containing `composer.json` and `composer.lock` files
-- `-q`, `--quiet`: optional, quiet mode will only output libraries which are not up-to-date (that is, where "Libyears Behind" > 0)
-- `-v`, `--verbose`: optional, verbose mode will output processing details like when a library isn't found in a repository
+- `path`: required, directory containing `composer.json` and `composer.lock` files
+
+Options:
+- `-h`, `--help`: show help text and exit without checking dependencies
+- `-q`, `--quiet`: quiet mode will only output libraries which are not up-to-date (that is, where "Libyears Behind" > 0)
+- `-u`, `--update`: update mode will write the latest version info to your `composer.json` file (note that you'll still need to run `composer update` to actually update your local dependencies)
+- `-v`, `--verbose`: verbose mode will output processing details like when a library isn't found in a repository
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 2c5c351..4ca3f39 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ecoapm/libyear",
-  "version": "2.2.1",
+  "version": "2.3.0",
   "description": "A simple measure of software dependency freshness",
   "homepage": "https://libyear.com",
   "readme": "README.md",
diff --git a/src/App.php b/src/App.php
index d377940..bd6172d 100644
--- a/src/App.php
+++ b/src/App.php
@@ -29,37 +29,25 @@ public function __construct(Calculator $calculator, ComposerFile $composer, $out
 	 */
 	public function run(array $args): void
 	{
+		if (in_array('-h', $args) || in_array('--help', $args))
+		{
+			$this->showHelp();
+			return;
+		}
+
 		$quiet_mode = in_array('-q', $args) || in_array('--quiet', $args);
 		$update_mode = in_array('-u', $args) || in_array('--update', $args);
 		$verbose_mode = in_array('-v', $args) || in_array('--verbose', $args);
-		$other_args = array_filter(array_slice($args, 1), fn ($a) => !in_array($a, ['-q', '--quiet', '-u', '--update', '-v', '--verbose']));
-		$dir = $other_args ? array_values($other_args)[0] : '.';
+		$known_options = ['-q', '--quiet', '-u', '--update', '-v', '--verbose'];
+		$other_args = array_filter(array_slice($args, 1), fn ($a) => !in_array($a, $known_options));
+		$dir = !empty($other_args) ? array_values($other_args)[0] : '.';
 
 		$real_dir = realpath($dir);
 		fwrite($this->output, "Gathering information for $real_dir...\n");
 
 		$dependencies = $this->getDependencies($dir, $quiet_mode, $verbose_mode);
-
-		$table = new Table(
-			['Package', 'Current Version', 'Released', 'Newest Version', 'Released', 'Libyears Behind'],
-			array_map(
-				fn (Dependency $dependency): array => [
-					$dependency->name,
-					$dependency->current_version->version_number,
-					isset($dependency->current_version->released) ? $dependency->current_version->released->format('Y-m-d') : "",
-					isset($dependency->newest_version->version_number) ? $dependency->newest_version->version_number : "",
-					isset($dependency->newest_version->released) ? $dependency->newest_version->released->format('Y-m-d') : "",
-					$dependency->getLibyearsBehind() !== null ? number_format($dependency->getLibyearsBehind(), 2) : ""
-				],
-				$dependencies
-			)
-		);
-
 		if (!empty($dependencies)) {
-			$rows = $table->getDisplayLines();
-			foreach ($rows as $row) {
-				fwrite($this->output, $row . "\n");
-			}
+			$this->showTable($dependencies);
 		}
 
 		$total = Calculator::getTotalLibyearsBehind($dependencies);
@@ -86,4 +74,49 @@ private function getDependencies(string $dir, bool $quiet_mode, bool $verbose_mo
 			? array_filter($dependencies, fn (Dependency $dependency): bool => $dependency->getLibyearsBehind() > 0)
 			: $dependencies;
 	}
+
+	private function showTable(array $dependencies): void
+	{
+		$table = new Table(
+			['Package', 'Current Version', 'Released', 'Newest Version', 'Released', 'Libyears Behind'],
+			array_map(
+				fn (Dependency $dependency): array => [
+					$dependency->name,
+					$dependency->current_version->version_number,
+					isset($dependency->current_version->released) ? $dependency->current_version->released->format('Y-m-d') : "",
+					isset($dependency->newest_version->version_number) ? $dependency->newest_version->version_number : "",
+					isset($dependency->newest_version->released) ? $dependency->newest_version->released->format('Y-m-d') : "",
+					$dependency->getLibyearsBehind() !== null ? number_format($dependency->getLibyearsBehind(), 2) : ""
+				],
+				$dependencies
+			)
+		);
+
+		$rows = $table->getDisplayLines();
+		foreach ($rows as $row) {
+			fwrite($this->output, $row . "\n");
+		}
+	}
+
+	private function showHelp(): void
+	{
+		$output = 'libyear: a simple measure of dependency freshness' . PHP_EOL
+			. PHP_EOL
+			. 'Calculates the total number of years behind their respective newest versions for all'
+				. ' dependencies listed in composer.json.' . PHP_EOL
+			. PHP_EOL
+			. 'Usage: libyear <path> [-q|--quiet] [-u|--update] [-v|--verbose]' . PHP_EOL
+			. PHP_EOL
+			. 'Arguments:' . PHP_EOL
+			. '- path (required) the directory containing composer.json and composer.lock files' . PHP_EOL
+			. PHP_EOL
+			. 'Options:' . PHP_EOL
+			. '--help    (-h)    show this message and exit' . PHP_EOL
+			. '--quiet   (-q)    only display outdated dependencies' . PHP_EOL
+			. '--update  (-u)    update composer.json with newest versions' . PHP_EOL
+			. '--verbose (-v)    display network debug information' . PHP_EOL
+			. PHP_EOL;
+
+			fwrite($this->output, $output);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/AppTest.php b/tests/AppTest.php
index fec0e46..f8f4428 100644
--- a/tests/AppTest.php
+++ b/tests/AppTest.php
@@ -32,7 +32,24 @@ private static function calculator(): Calculator
 		]);
 	}
 
-	public function testShowsAllDependenciesByDefaut()
+	public function testCanDisplayHelpText()
+	{
+		//arrange
+		$composer = Mockery::mock(ComposerFile::class);
+		$output = fopen('php://memory', 'a+');
+		$app = new App(self::calculator(), $composer, $output);
+
+		//act
+		$app->run(['libyear', '--help']);
+
+		//assert
+		fseek($output, 0);
+		$console = stream_get_contents($output);
+		$this->assertStringContainsString('Arguments:', $console);
+		$this->assertStringContainsString('Options:', $console);
+	}
+
+	public function testShowsAllDependenciesByDefault()
 	{
 		//arrange
 		$composer = Mockery::mock(ComposerFile::class);