diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/config/alpha.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/config/alpha.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7dd5be94ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/config/alpha.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import { CliInitializer } from '../../wiring/Command';
+import { z } from 'zod';
+
+(async () => {
+  const initializer = new CliInitializer();
+  initializer.addCommand({
+    path: ['config:docs'],
+    description: 'Browse the configuration reference documentation',
+    schema: z.object({
+      package: z.string().optional(),
+    }),
+    execute: async options => {
+      const m = await import('./commands/docs');
+      await m.default(options);
+    },
+  });
+  initializer.addCommand({
+    path: ['config:print'],
+    description: 'Print the app configuration for the current package',
+    schema: z.object({
+      package: z.string().optional(),
+      lax: z.boolean().optional(),
+      frontend: z.boolean().optional(),
+      'with-secrets': z.boolean().optional(),
+      format: z.enum(['json', 'yaml']).optional(),
+      config: z.array(z.string()).optional(),
+    }),
+    execute: async options => {
+      const m = await import('./commands/print');
+      await m.default(options);
+    },
+  });
+  initializer.addCommand({
+    path: ['config:check'],
+    description:
+      'Validate that the given configuration loads and matches schema',
+    schema: z.object({
+      package: z.string().optional(),
+      lax: z.boolean().optional(),
+      frontend: z.boolean().optional(),
+      deprecated: z.boolean().optional(),
+      strict: z.boolean().optional(),
+      config: z.array(z.string()).optional(),
+    }),
+    execute: async options => {
+      const m = await import('./commands/validate');
+      await m.default(options);
+    },
+  });
+  await initializer.run();
+})();
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/wiring/Command.ts b/packages/cli/src/wiring/Command.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4fa9d1d59e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/wiring/Command.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import yargs from 'yargs';
+import { ZodObject, ZodRawShape } from 'zod';
+
+interface BackstageCommand<T extends ZodRawShape = ZodRawShape> {
+  path: string[];
+  description: string;
+  schema: ZodObject<T>;
+  execute: (options: T) => Promise<void>;
+}
+
+type Node<T extends ZodRawShape = ZodRawShape> = TreeNode | LeafNode<T>;
+
+interface TreeNode {
+  type: '$$treeNode';
+  name: string;
+  children: TreeNode[];
+}
+
+interface LeafNode<T extends ZodRawShape> {
+  type: '$$leafNode';
+  name: string;
+  command: BackstageCommand<T>;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A sparse graph of commands.
+ */
+export class CommandGraph {
+  private graph: Node[] = [];
+
+  /**
+   * Adds a command to the graph. The graph is sparse, so we use the path to determine the nodes
+   *    to traverse. Only leaf nodes should have a command/action.
+   */
+  add<T extends ZodRawShape>(command: BackstageCommand<T>) {
+    const path = command.path;
+    let current = this.graph;
+    for (let i = 0; i < path.length - 1; i++) {
+      const name = path[i];
+      let next = current.find(n => n.name === name);
+      if (!next) {
+        next = { type: '$$treeNode', name, children: [] };
+        current.push(next);
+      } else if (next.type === '$$leafNode') {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Command already exists at path: "${path.slice(0, i).join(' ')}"`,
+        );
+      }
+      current = next.children;
+    }
+    const last = current.find(n => n.name === path[path.length - 1]) as Node<T>;
+    if (last && last.type === '$$leafNode') {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Command already exists at path: "${path.slice(0, -1).join(' ')}"`,
+      );
+    } else {
+      current.push({
+        type: '$$leafNode',
+        name: path[path.length - 1],
+        command,
+      } as Node<any>);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Given a path, try to find a command that matches it.
+   */
+  find<T extends ZodRawShape>(path: string[]): BackstageCommand<T> | undefined {
+    let current = this.graph;
+    for (let i = 0; i < path.length - 1; i++) {
+      const name = path[i];
+      const next = current.find(n => n.name === name);
+      if (!next) {
+        return undefined;
+      } else if (next.type === '$$leafNode') {
+        return undefined;
+      }
+      current = next.children;
+    }
+    const last = current.find(n => n.name === path[path.length - 1]) as Node<T>;
+    if (!last || last.type === '$$treeNode') {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    return last?.command;
+  }
+}
+
+export class CliInitializer {
+  private graph = new CommandGraph();
+
+  /**
+   * Add a command to the CLI. This will be mostly used to prevent command overlaps
+   *    and to create `help` commands.
+   */
+  addCommand<T extends ZodRawShape>(command: BackstageCommand<T>) {
+    this.graph.add(command);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Actually parse argv and pass it to the command.
+   */
+  async run() {
+    const {
+      _: commandName,
+      $0: binaryName,
+      ...options
+    } = await yargs(process.argv.slice(2)).parse();
+    const command = this.graph.find(commandName.map(String));
+    if (!command) {
+      console.error(`Command not found: "${commandName.join(' ')}"`);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+    const parsedOptions = command.schema.parse(options);
+    await command?.execute(parsedOptions);
+  }
+}