diff --git a/src/main.py b/src/main.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92cbf7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import argparse
+import sys
+
+__VERSION__ = "1.0.0"
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    # parse cli args
+    arg_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        prog="neb",
+        description="Nebula, the package manager for the Comet programming language.",
+        epilog="Version " + __VERSION__
+    )
+    sub_parsers = arg_parser.add_subparsers(dest="cmd")
+
+    # install command
+    install_cmd = sub_parsers.add_parser(name="install", description="install a rock (package)")
+    install_cmd.add_argument("names", help="name of the rocks to install", nargs="+")
+    install_cmd.add_argument("--max-retries", help="max number of download retries before giving up", type=int, default=3)
+
+    args = arg_parser.parse_args()
+    
+    if not args.cmd:
+        arg_parser.print_help()
+        return 0
+    
+    # really feeling like a C programmer lmao
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
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