diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index b898e6c..9be86c8 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@ language: php
 sudo: false
 dist: trusty
 php:
-  - 5.4
-  - 5.5
-  - 5.6
   - 7.0
   - 7.1
   - 7.2
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5e42a55..6b26bb2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ It is lightweight and has **no 3rd party dependencies**. Note: this is for non-i
 
 Use composer:
 
-```php composer.phar require splitbrain/php-cli```
+```composer require splitbrain/php-cli```
 
 ## Usage and Examples
 
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ for further info.
 ## Exceptions
 
 By default the CLI class registers an exception handler and will print the exception's message to the end user and
-exit the programm with a non-zero exit code. You can disable this behaviour and catch all exceptions yourself by
+exit the program with a non-zero exit code. You can disable this behaviour and catch all exceptions yourself by
 passing false to the constructor.
 
 You can use the provided ``splitbrain\phpcli\Exception`` to signal any problems within your main code yourself. The
-exceptions's code will be used as the exit code then.
+exceptions' code will be used as the exit code then.
 
 Stacktraces will be printed on log level `debug`. 
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ then uses terminal colors. You can always suppress colored output by passing ``-
 Disabling colors will also disable the emoticon prefixes.
 
 Simple colored log messages can be printed by you using the convinence methods ``success()`` (green), ``info()`` (cyan),
-``error()`` (red) or ``fatal()`` (red). The latter will also exit the programm with a non-zero exit code.
+``error()`` (red) or ``fatal()`` (red). The latter will also exit the program with a non-zero exit code.
 
 For more complex coloring you can access the color class through ``$this->colors`` in your script. The ``wrap()`` method
 is probably what you want to use.
@@ -156,3 +156,99 @@ Messages from `warning` level onwards are printed to `STDERR` all below are prin
 The default log level of your script can be set by overwriting the `$logdefault` member.
 
 See `example/logging.php` for an example.
+
+## Command Example
+```php
+#!/usr/bin/php
+<?php
+namespace myapp;
+
+require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
+
+use splitbrain\phpcli\CLI;
+use splitbrain\phpcli\Options;
+
+// an example of creating a registry of commands
+// place in a separate file in the same namespace
+class cliCmds
+{
+    const create = 'create';
+    const delete = 'delete';
+}
+
+// an example of creating a registry of options
+// place in a separate file in the same namespace
+class cliOpts
+{
+    const name = 'name';
+    const nameShort = 'n';
+    const nameArg = 'name';
+}
+
+class app extends CLI
+{
+    // register options and arguments
+    protected function setup( Options $options )
+    {
+        $options->registerCommand( cliCmds::create, 'Create a new entry' );
+        $options->registerCommand( cliCmds::delete, 'Delete an entry' );
+
+        // showing registering an option for two commands
+        $options->registerOption(
+            cliOpts::name,
+            'The entry name',
+            cliOpts::nameShort,
+            cliOpts::nameArg,
+            [cliCmds::create, cliCmds::delete]
+        );
+
+        $options->setHelp( 'An example showing commands' );
+    }
+
+
+    protected function main( Options $options )
+    {
+        // show the name of the program and its version
+        $this->info( $this->options->getBin() . ' v1.0.0' );
+
+        switch ( $options->getCmd() ) {
+            case cliCmds::create:
+                $this->create( $name );
+                break;
+
+            case cliCmds::delete:
+                $this->delete( $name );
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                echo $options->help();
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    protected function delete( $name )
+    {
+        if( ! $name = $this->options->getOpt( cliOpts::name ) )
+        {
+            echo $this->options->help();
+            $this->fatal( 'Missing  --' . cliOpts::name );
+        }
+        $this->success( 'Deleted an entry for ' . $name );
+    }
+
+
+    protected function create( $name )
+    {
+        if( ! $name = $this->options->getOpt( cliOpts::name ) )
+        {
+            echo $this->options->help();
+            $this->fatal( 'Missing  --' . cliOpts::name );
+        }
+        $this->success( 'Created an entry for ' . $name );
+    }
+}
+
+// execute it
+$cli = new app();
+$cli->run();
+```
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 79e2502..60b521e 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     "psr/log": "Allows you to make the CLI available as PSR-3 logger"
   },
   "require-dev": {
-    "phpunit/phpunit": "4.5.*"
+    "phpunit/phpunit": "^6"
   },
   "autoload": {
     "psr-4": {
diff --git a/examples/commands.php b/examples/commands.php
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6abb88d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/commands.php
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+#!/usr/bin/php
+<?php
+namespace myapp;
+
+require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
+
+use splitbrain\phpcli\CLI;
+use splitbrain\phpcli\Options;
+
+// an example of creating a registry of commands
+// place in a separate file in the same namespace
+class cliCmds
+{
+    const create = 'create';
+    const delete = 'delete';
+}
+
+// an example of creating a registry of options
+// place in a separate file in the same namespace
+class cliOpts
+{
+    const name = 'name';
+    const nameShort = 'n';
+    const nameArg = 'name';
+}
+
+class app extends CLI
+{
+    // register options and arguments
+    protected function setup( Options $options )
+    {
+        $options->registerCommand( cliCmds::create, 'Create a new entry' );
+        $options->registerCommand( cliCmds::delete, 'Delete an entry' );
+
+        // showing registering an option for two commands
+        $options->registerOption(
+            cliOpts::name,
+            'The entry name',
+            cliOpts::nameShort,
+            cliOpts::nameArg,
+            [cliCmds::create, cliCmds::delete]
+        );
+
+        $options->setHelp( 'An example showing commands' );
+    }
+
+
+    protected function main( Options $options )
+    {
+        // show the name of the program and its version
+        $this->info( $this->options->getBin() . ' v1.0.0' );
+
+        switch ( $options->getCmd() ) {
+            case cliCmds::create:
+                $this->create( $name );
+                break;
+
+            case cliCmds::delete:
+                $this->delete( $name );
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                echo $options->help();
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    protected function delete( $name )
+    {
+        if( ! $name = $this->options->getOpt( cliOpts::name ) )
+        {
+            echo $this->options->help();
+            $this->fatal( 'Missing  --' . cliOpts::name );
+        }
+        $this->success( 'Deleted an entry for ' . $name );
+    }
+
+
+    protected function create( $name )
+    {
+        if( ! $name = $this->options->getOpt( cliOpts::name ) )
+        {
+            echo $this->options->help();
+            $this->fatal( 'Missing  --' . cliOpts::name );
+        }
+        $this->success( 'Created an entry for ' . $name );
+    }
+}
+
+// execute it
+$cli = new app();
+$cli->run();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/phpunit.xml b/phpunit.xml
index d7e1f24..5dac60e 100644
--- a/phpunit.xml
+++ b/phpunit.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
          syntaxCheck="false">
     <testsuites>
         <testsuite name="Test Suite">
-            <directory suffix=".php">./tests/</directory>
+            <directory suffix="Test.php">./tests/</directory>
         </testsuite>
     </testsuites>
-</phpunit>
\ No newline at end of file
+</phpunit>
diff --git a/src/Options.php b/src/Options.php
index 76733aa..fe30896 100644
--- a/src/Options.php
+++ b/src/Options.php
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ class Options
     /** @var  array passed non-option arguments */
     protected $args = array();
 
+    protected $parsePass = 1;
+
     /** @var  string the executed script */
     protected $bin;
 
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ public function __construct(Colors $colors = null)
 
         $this->options = array();
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * Gets the bin value
      */
@@ -77,6 +79,29 @@ public function setHelp($help)
         $this->setup['']['help'] = $help;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns true if a command has been registered in the main setup class property
+     * or throws an exception if the command or one of an array of commands is not registered
+     * @param string/array of strings The command name
+     * @throws Exception
+    **/
+    public function commandRegistered( $commands ) 
+    {
+        if( is_array( $commands ) )
+        {
+            foreach( $commands as $command ) {
+                $this->commandRegistered( $command );
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        if(!isset($this->setup[$commands])) {
+            throw new Exception("Command $commands not registered");
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Register the names of arguments for help generation and number checking
      *
@@ -90,15 +115,22 @@ public function setHelp($help)
      */
     public function registerArgument($arg, $help, $required = true, $command = '')
     {
-        if (!isset($this->setup[$command])) {
-            throw new Exception("Command $command not registered");
+        $commands = (array)$command;
+        $this->commandRegistered($commands);
+
+        foreach( $commands as $command ) {
+            $this->setup[$command]['args'][] = array(
+                'name' => $arg,
+                'help' => $help,
+                'required' => $required
+            );
         }
+    }
 
-        $this->setup[$command]['args'][] = array(
-            'name' => $arg,
-            'help' => $help,
-            'required' => $required
-        );
+
+    public function getArgument( $index )
+    {
+        return $this->args[$index];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -121,7 +153,6 @@ public function registerCommand($command, $help)
             'args' => array(),
             'help' => $help
         );
-
     }
 
     /**
@@ -136,22 +167,23 @@ public function registerCommand($command, $help)
      */
     public function registerOption($long, $help, $short = null, $needsarg = false, $command = '')
     {
-        if (!isset($this->setup[$command])) {
-            throw new Exception("Command $command not registered");
+        $commands = (array)$command;
+        $this->commandRegistered($commands);
+
+        if ($short && strlen($short) > 1) {
+            throw new Exception("Short options should be exactly one ASCII character");
         }
 
-        $this->setup[$command]['opts'][$long] = array(
-            'needsarg' => $needsarg,
-            'help' => $help,
-            'short' => $short
-        );
+        foreach( $commands as $command ) {
+            $this->setup[$command]['opts'][$long] = array(
+                'needsarg' => $needsarg,
+                'help' => $help,
+                'short' => $short
+            );
 
-        if ($short) {
-            if (strlen($short) > 1) {
-                throw new Exception("Short options should be exactly one ASCII character");
+            if ($short) {
+                $this->setup[$command]['short'][$short] = $long;
             }
-
-            $this->setup[$command]['short'][$short] = $long;
         }
     }
 
@@ -185,7 +217,7 @@ public function checkArguments()
      * Parses the given arguments for known options and command
      *
      * The given $args array should NOT contain the executed file as first item anymore! The $args
-     * array is stripped from any options and possible command. All found otions can be accessed via the
+     * array is stripped from any options and possible command. All found options can be accessed via the
      * getOpt() function
      *
      * Note that command options will overwrite any global options with the same name
@@ -196,6 +228,12 @@ public function checkArguments()
      */
     public function parseOptions()
     {
+        if( $this->parsePass == 1 && substr($this->args[0],0,1) != '-' )
+        {
+            // throw an exception if the supplied command is not a registered command
+            $this->commandRegistered($this->args[0]);
+        }
+
         $non_opts = array();
 
         $argc = count($this->args);
@@ -279,6 +317,8 @@ public function parseOptions()
         if (!$this->command && $this->args && isset($this->setup[$this->args[0]])) {
             // it is a command!
             $this->command = array_shift($this->args);
+            $this->commandRegistered($this->command);
+            $this->parsePass++;
             $this->parseOptions(); // second pass
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/TableFormatter.php b/src/TableFormatter.php
index 23bb894..bff1f94 100644
--- a/src/TableFormatter.php
+++ b/src/TableFormatter.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class TableFormatter
     public function __construct(Colors $colors = null)
     {
         // try to get terminal width
-        $width = $this->getTerminalWidth();
+        $width = trim( $this->getTerminalWidth() );
         if ($width) {
             $this->max = $width - 1;
         }
@@ -89,20 +89,19 @@ public function setMaxWidth($max)
      *
      * @return int terminal width, 0 if unknown
      */
-    protected function getTerminalWidth()
+    protected function getTerminalWidth() : int
     {
         // from environment
         if (isset($_SERVER['COLUMNS'])) return (int)$_SERVER['COLUMNS'];
 
         // via tput
-        $process = proc_open('tput cols', array(
-            1 => array('pipe', 'w'),
-            2 => array('pipe', 'w'),
-        ), $pipes);
-        $width = (int)stream_get_contents($pipes[1]);
-        proc_close($process);
-
-        return $width;
+        $width = shell_exec( 'tput cols' );
+        if( $width != (int)$width )
+        {
+            return 80;
+        }
+
+        return (int)$width;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ protected function getTerminalWidth()
      * @return int[]
      * @throws Exception
      */
-    protected function calculateColLengths($columns)
+    protected function calculateColLengths(array $columns) : array
     {
         $idx = 0;
         $border = $this->strlen($this->border);
diff --git a/tests/ArgumentTest.php b/tests/ArgumentTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ed9ffc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ArgumentTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace splitbrain\phpcli\tests;
+
+class argumentOptions extends \splitbrain\phpcli\Options
+{
+    public $args;
+}
+
+class ArgumentTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
+{
+    private function getOptions() : commandOptions
+    {
+        $options = new commandOptions();
+
+        $options->registerCommand('status', 'display status info');
+        $options->registerCommand('execute', 'execute an action');
+
+        // test an option only for status command
+        $options->registerOption('server', 'server property', 's', 'server', 'status');
+
+        // register an argument for both commands
+        $options->registerArgument('flag', 'display a flag', true, ['status','execute']);
+
+        // register an argument for status command
+        $options->registerArgument('flavor', 'latte flavor', true, 'status');
+
+        // register an argument for execute command
+        $options->registerArgument('size', 'size of latte', false, 'execute');
+
+        return $options;
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_args()
+    {
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        // command, flag, flavor, size
+        $options->args = array('status', '--server=123', '1', 'pumpkin-spice', 'grande' );
+        $options->parseOptions();
+
+        $this->assertEquals('status', $options->getCmd());
+        $this->assertEquals('123', $options->getOpt('server' ) );
+        $this->assertEquals('1', $options->getArgs()[0]);
+        $this->assertEquals('pumpkin-spice', $options->getArgs()[1]);
+        $this->assertEquals('grande', $options->getArgs()[2]);
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_args_exception()
+    {
+        $this->expectException( 'splitbrain\phpcli\Exception' );
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        // command, flag, flavor, size
+        $options->args = array('status', '--notset=123', '1', 'pumpkin-spice', 'grande' );
+        $options->parseOptions();
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_args_command_exception()
+    {
+        // in my opinion, this test should fail because we pass arguments that aren't defined
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        // command, flag, flavor, size
+        $options->args = array('execute', '1', 'pumpkin-spice', 'grande', 'adsf' );
+        $options->parseOptions();
+        $this->assertEquals('1', $options->getArgs()[0]);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/CommandsTest.php b/tests/CommandsTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56c3284
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/CommandsTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace splitbrain\phpcli\tests;
+
+class commandOptions extends \splitbrain\phpcli\Options
+{
+    public $args;
+}
+
+class CommandsTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
+{
+    private function getOptions() : commandOptions
+    {
+        $options = new commandOptions();
+
+        $options->registerCommand('status', 'display status info');
+        $options->registerCommand('execute', 'execute an action');
+        $options->registerOption('long', 'display long lines', 'l', false, ['status','execute']);
+
+        // test an option only for status command
+        $options->registerOption('server', 'server property', 's', 'server', 'status');
+
+        // test an option only for execute command
+        $options->registerOption('username', 'username property', 'u', 'username', 'execute');
+
+        return $options;
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_command()
+    {
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        $options->args = array('status', '--long', 'foo');
+        $options->parseOptions();
+
+        $this->assertEquals('status', $options->getCmd());
+        $this->assertTrue($options->getOpt('long'));
+        $this->assertEquals(array('foo'), $options->args);
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_command_again()
+    {
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        $options->args = array('execute', '--long', 'foo');
+        $options->parseOptions();
+
+        $this->assertEquals('execute', $options->getCmd());
+        $this->assertTrue($options->getOpt('long'));
+        $this->assertEquals(array('foo'), $options->args);
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_command_exception()
+    {
+        $this->expectException( 'splitbrain\phpcli\Exception' );
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        // should throw exception for an unregistered command
+        $options->args = array('foo', '--long', 'foo', '--username=123');
+        $options->parseOptions();
+    }
+
+
+    public function test_argument_exception()
+    {
+        $this->expectException( 'splitbrain\phpcli\Exception' );
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+
+        // should throw exception
+        $options->args = array('status', '-u','123' );
+        $options->parseOptions();
+    }
+
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/OptionsTest.php b/tests/OptionsTest.php
index 47d440b..7adaa01 100644
--- a/tests/OptionsTest.php
+++ b/tests/OptionsTest.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class Options extends \splitbrain\phpcli\Options
     public $args;
 }
 
-class OptionsTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
+class OptionsTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
 {
 
     function test_simpleshort()
@@ -66,4 +66,4 @@ function test_complex()
         $this->assertTrue($options->getOpt('long'));
         $this->assertEquals(array('foo'), $options->args);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/TableFormatterTest.php b/tests/TableFormatterTest.php
index ae2ac95..3ba986a 100644
--- a/tests/TableFormatterTest.php
+++ b/tests/TableFormatterTest.php
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?php
+<?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace splitbrain\phpcli\tests;
 
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 class TableFormatter extends \splitbrain\phpcli\TableFormatter
 {
-    public function calculateColLengths($columns)
+    public function calculateColLengths(array $columns) : array
     {
         return parent::calculateColLengths($columns);
     }
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public function wordwrap($str, $width = 75, $break = "\n", $cut = false)
 
 }
 
-class TableFormatterTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
+class TableFormatterTest extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase
 {
 
     /**
@@ -138,4 +138,4 @@ public function test_onewrap()
         $result = $tf->format([5, '*'], [$col1, $col2]);
         $this->assertEquals($expect, $result);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}