diff --git a/.github/workflows/end2end.yml b/.github/workflows/end2end.yml
index 3954a3ad7f..bb016ca5e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/end2end.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/end2end.yml
@@ -64,3 +64,52 @@ jobs:
               EB_ARGS='--filter-deps=binutils'
           fi
           sudo -u easybuild bash -l -c "source /tmp/eb_env; eb bzip2-1.0.8.eb --trace --robot ${EB_ARGS}"
+
+      - name: Ensure `python3 -m venv` can be used
+        if: startsWith(matrix.container, 'ubuntu')
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          apt update && apt install -y python3-venv
+
+      - name: Create a virtual environment and install EasyBuild with the click cli extra
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          export VENVDIR=/home/easybuild/venv
+          python3 -m venv $VENVDIR
+          source $VENVDIR/bin/activate
+          pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install .[eb_click]
+          pip install $HOME/easybuild-easyblocks-develop
+          pip install $HOME/easybuild-easyconfigs-develop
+          chown -R easybuild $VENVDIR
+
+      - name: Run commands to check test environment using the click cli
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          export VENVDIR=/home/easybuild/venv
+          cmds=(
+            "whoami"
+            "pwd"
+            "env | sort"
+            "eb --help"
+            "eb --version"
+            "eb --help | grep '─ Options ─'"
+            "eb --show-system-info"
+            "eb --check-eb-deps"
+            "eb --show-config"
+            "eb -x bzip2-1.0.8.eb"
+          )
+          for cmd in "${cmds[@]}"; do
+              echo ">>> $cmd"
+              sudo -u easybuild bash -l -c "export EB_CLI_CLICK=1; source $VENVDIR/bin/activate; $cmd"
+          done
+
+      - name: End-to-end test of installing bzip2 with EasyBuild using the click cli
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          export VENVDIR=/home/easybuild/venv
+          EB_ARGS=''
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.container }}" == "fedora-41" ]] || [[ "${{ matrix.container }}" == "ubuntu-24.04" ]]; then
+              EB_ARGS='--filter-deps=binutils'
+          fi
+          sudo -u easybuild bash -l -c "export EB_CLI_CLICK=1; source $VENVDIR/bin/activate; eb bzip2-1.0.8.eb --rebuild --trace --robot ${EB_ARGS}"
diff --git a/easybuild/cli/__init__.py b/easybuild/cli/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cc14040833
--- /dev/null
+++ b/easybuild/cli/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# #
+# Copyright 2009-2026 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://www.vscentrum.be),
+# Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) (http://www.fwo.be/en)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+# #
+from easybuild.main import main_with_hooks
+
+try:
+    import click as original_click
+except ImportError:
+    def eb(*args, **kwargs):
+        """Placeholder function to inform the user that `click` is required."""
+        main_with_hooks()
+else:
+    try:
+        import rich_click as click
+    except ImportError:
+        import click
+
+    try:
+        from rich.traceback import install
+    except ImportError:
+        pass
+    else:
+        install(suppress=[
+            click, original_click
+        ])
+
+    from .options import EasyBuildCliOption, EasyconfigParam
+    from easybuild.tools.version import this_is_easybuild
+
+    @click.command()
+    @EasyBuildCliOption.apply_options
+    @click.argument('other_args', nargs=-1, type=EasyconfigParam(), required=False)
+    @click.version_option(version=this_is_easybuild(), message='%(version)s')
+    def eb(other_args):
+        """EasyBuild command line interface."""
+        # Really no need to re-build the arguments if we support the exact same syntax we can just let them pass
+        # through to optparse
+        main_with_hooks()
diff --git a/easybuild/cli/__main__.py b/easybuild/cli/__main__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..20976142b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/easybuild/cli/__main__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# #
+# Copyright 2009-2026 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://www.vscentrum.be),
+# Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) (http://www.fwo.be/en)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+# #
+from easybuild.cli import eb
+
+# Ensure Click to recognizes the program name as `eb` when invoked as `python -m easybuild.cli` or similar
+eb(prog_name='eb')
diff --git a/easybuild/cli/options/__init__.py b/easybuild/cli/options/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..921968e198
--- /dev/null
+++ b/easybuild/cli/options/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,337 @@
+# #
+# Copyright 2009-2026 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://www.vscentrum.be),
+# Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) (http://www.fwo.be/en)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+# #
+import os
+import re
+
+from typing import Callable, Any, List, Dict
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+from click.shell_completion import CompletionItem
+from easybuild.tools.options import EasyBuildOptions, set_up_configuration
+from easybuild.tools.robot import search_easyconfigs
+
+
+opt_group = {}
+try:
+    import rich_click as click
+except ImportError:
+    import click
+else:
+    opt_group = click.rich_click.OPTION_GROUPS
+    opt_group.clear()  # Clear existing groups to avoid conflicts
+
+
+KNOWN_FILEPATH_OPTS = [
+    'hooks',
+    'modules-footer',
+    'modules-header',
+]
+
+KNOWN_DIRPATH_OPTS = [
+    'locks-dir',
+
+    'failed-install-build-dirs-path',
+    'failed-install-logs-path',
+    'installpath-data',
+    'installpath-modules',
+    'installpath-software',
+    'prefix',
+    'sourcepath-data',
+    'testoutput',
+    'tmp-logdir',
+    'tmpdir',
+
+    'buildpath',
+    'containerpath',
+    'installpath',
+    'sourcepath',
+]
+
+
+class OptionExtracter(EasyBuildOptions):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self._option_dicts = {}
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def add_group_parser(self, opt_dict, descr, *args, prefix='', **kwargs):
+        super().add_group_parser(opt_dict, descr, *args, prefix=prefix, **kwargs)
+        self._option_dicts[descr[0]] = (prefix, opt_dict)
+
+
+extracter = OptionExtracter(go_args=[])
+
+
+class DelimitedPathList(click.Path):
+    """Custom Click parameter type for delimited lists."""
+    name = 'pathlist'
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, delimiter=',', **kwargs):
+        self.resolve_full = kwargs.setdefault('resolve_path', False)
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.delimiter = delimiter
+        name = self.name
+        self.name = f'[{name}[{self.delimiter}{name}]]'
+
+    def convert(self, value, param, ctx):
+        if isinstance(value, str):
+            res = value.split(self.delimiter)
+        elif isinstance(value, (list, tuple)):
+            res = value
+        elif value is False or value is None:
+            res = value
+        else:
+            raise click.BadParameter(f"Expected a comma-separated string, got {value}")
+        if self.resolve_full:
+            res = [os.path.abspath(v) for v in res]
+        return res
+
+    def shell_complete(self, ctx, param, incomplete):
+        others, last = ([None] + incomplete.rsplit(self.delimiter, 1))[-2:]
+        dir_path, prefix = os.path.split(last)
+        dir_path = dir_path or '.'
+        # logging.warning(f"Shell completion for delimited path list: dir_path={dir_path}, prefix={prefix}")
+        possibles = []
+        for path in os.listdir(dir_path):
+            if not path.startswith(prefix):
+                continue
+            full_path = os.path.join(dir_path, path)
+            if os.path.isdir(full_path):
+                if self.dir_okay:
+                    possibles.append(full_path)
+                    possibles.append(full_path + os.sep)
+            elif os.path.isfile(full_path):
+                if self.file_okay:
+                    possibles.append(full_path)
+        if others is None:
+            start = ''
+        elif others == '':
+            start = self.delimiter
+        else:
+            start = f'{others}{self.delimiter}'
+        res = [CompletionItem(f"{start}{path}") for path in possibles]
+        # logging.warning(f"Shell completion for delimited path list: res={possibles}")
+        return res
+
+
+class DelimitedString(click.ParamType):
+    """Custom Click parameter type for delimited strings."""
+    def __init__(self, *args, delimiter=',', **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.delimiter = delimiter
+        self.name = f'[STR[{self.delimiter}STR]]'
+
+    def convert(self, value, param, ctx):
+        if isinstance(value, str):
+            res = value.split(self.delimiter)
+        elif isinstance(value, (list, tuple)):
+            res = value
+        elif value is False or value is None:
+            res = value
+        else:
+            raise click.BadParameter(f"Expected a string or a comma-separated string, got {value}")
+        return res
+
+    def shell_complete(self, ctx, param, incomplete):
+        last = incomplete.rsplit(self.delimiter, 1)[-1]
+        return super().shell_complete(ctx, param, last)
+
+
+class EasyconfigParam(click.ParamType):
+    """Custom Click parameter type for easyconfig parameters."""
+    name = 'easyconfig'
+
+    def shell_complete(self, ctx, param, incomplete):
+        incomplete = re.escape(incomplete)
+        set_up_configuration(args=["--ignore-index"], silent=True, reconfigure=True)
+        return [
+            CompletionItem(ec, help='') for ec in search_easyconfigs(
+                fr'^(?={incomplete}).*\.eb$',
+                filename_only=True
+            )
+        ]
+
+
+@dataclass
+class OptionData:
+    name: str
+    description: str
+    type: str
+    action: str
+    default: Any
+    group: str = None
+    short: str = None
+    meta: Dict = None
+    lst: List = None
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        if self.short is not None and not isinstance(self.short, str):
+            raise TypeError(f"Short option must be a string, got {type(self.short)}")
+        if self.meta is not None and not isinstance(self.meta, dict):
+            raise TypeError(f"Meta must be a dictionary, got {type(self.meta)}")
+        if self.lst is not None and not isinstance(self.lst, (list, tuple)):
+            raise TypeError(f"List must be a list or tuple, got {type(self.lst)}")
+
+    def to_click_option_dec(self):
+        """Convert OptionData to a click.Option."""
+        decl = f"--{self.name}"
+        other_decls = []
+        if self.short:
+            other_decls.insert(0, f"-{self.short}")
+
+        kwargs = {
+            'help': self.description,
+            'default': self.default,
+            'is_flag': False,
+            'show_default': True,
+            'type': None
+        }
+
+        # Manually enforced FILE types
+        if self.name in KNOWN_FILEPATH_OPTS:
+            kwargs['type'] = click.Path(dir_okay=False, file_okay=True)
+        # Manually enforced DIRECTORY types
+        elif self.name in KNOWN_DIRPATH_OPTS:
+            kwargs['type'] = click.Path(dir_okay=True, file_okay=False)
+        # Convert options from easybuild.tools.options
+        elif self.type in ['strlist', 'strtuple']:
+            kwargs['type'] = DelimitedString(delimiter=',')
+            # kwargs['multiple'] = True
+        elif self.type in ['pathlist', 'pathtuple']:
+            kwargs['type'] = DelimitedPathList(delimiter=os.pathsep)
+            # kwargs['multiple'] = True
+        elif self.type in ['urllist', 'urltuple']:
+            kwargs['type'] = DelimitedString(delimiter='|')
+            # kwargs['multiple'] = True
+        elif self.type == 'choice':
+            if self.lst is None:
+                raise ValueError(f"Choice type requires a list of choices for option {self.name}")
+            kwargs['type'] = click.Choice(self.lst, case_sensitive=True)
+            # if self.default is not None:
+            #     kwargs['is_flag'] = True
+        elif self.type in ['int', int]:
+            kwargs['type'] = click.INT
+        elif self.type in ['float', float]:
+            kwargs['type'] = click.FLOAT
+        elif self.type in ['str', str]:
+            kwargs['type'] = click.STRING
+        # If type is None assume type based on default value
+        elif self.type is None:
+            if self.default is False or self.default is True:
+                kwargs['is_flag'] = True
+                kwargs['type'] = click.BOOL
+                if self.default is True:
+                    decl = f"--{self.name}/--disable-{self.name}"
+            elif isinstance(self.default, (list, tuple)):
+                kwargs['multiple'] = True
+                kwargs['type'] = click.STRING
+
+        # store_or_None implies that the option can be used as a flag with no value
+        if self.action == 'store_or_None':
+            kwargs['default'] = None
+            kwargs['flag_value'] = self.default
+        elif self.action == 'store_or_False':
+            kwargs['default'] = False
+            kwargs['flag_value'] = self.default
+
+        decls = other_decls + [decl]
+
+        return click.option(
+            *decls,
+            expose_value=False,
+            **kwargs
+        )
+
+
+class EasyBuildCliOption():
+    OPTIONS: List[OptionData] = []
+    OPTIONS_MAP: Dict[str, OptionData] = {}
+
+    @classmethod
+    def apply_options(cls, function: Callable) -> Callable:
+        """Decorator to apply EasyBuild options to a function."""
+        group_data = {}
+        for opt_obj in cls.OPTIONS:
+            group_data.setdefault(opt_obj.group, []).append(f'--{opt_obj.name}')
+            function = opt_obj.to_click_option_dec()(function)
+        lst = []
+        for key, value in group_data.items():
+            lst.append({
+                'name': key,
+                # 'description': f'Options for {key}',
+                'options': value
+            })
+        opt_group[function.__name__] = lst
+        return function
+
+    @classmethod
+    def register_option(cls, group: str, name: str, data: tuple, prefix: str = '') -> None:
+        """Register an EasyBuild option."""
+        if prefix:
+            name = f"{prefix}-{name}"
+        if name == 'help':
+            return
+        short = None
+        meta = None
+        lst = None
+        descr, typ, action, default, *others = data
+        while others:
+            opt = others.pop(0)
+            if isinstance(opt, str):
+                if short is not None:
+                    raise ValueError(f"Short option already set: {short} for {name}")
+                short = opt
+            elif isinstance(opt, dict):
+                if meta is not None:
+                    raise ValueError(f"Meta already set: {meta} for {name}")
+                meta = opt
+            elif isinstance(opt, (list, tuple)):
+                if lst is not None:
+                    raise ValueError(f"List already set: {lst} for {name}")
+                lst = opt
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(f"Unexpected type for others: {type(others[0])} in {others}")
+
+        opt = OptionData(
+            group=group,
+            name=name,
+            description=descr,
+            type=typ,
+            action=action,
+            default=default,
+            short=short,
+            meta=meta,
+            lst=lst
+        )
+        cls.OPTIONS_MAP[name] = opt
+        cls.OPTIONS.append(opt)
+
+
+for grp, dct in extracter._option_dicts.items():
+    prefix, dct = dct
+    if dct is None:
+        continue
+    for key, value in dct.items():
+        # print(f"Registering option: group={grp}, key={key}, value={value}, prefix={prefix}")
+        EasyBuildCliOption.register_option(grp, key, value, prefix=prefix)
diff --git a/easybuild/main.py b/easybuild/main.py
index dda45eb00d..ea65fb2a54 100755
--- a/easybuild/main.py
+++ b/easybuild/main.py
@@ -865,6 +865,9 @@ def main_with_hooks(args=None):
         init_session_state, eb_go, cfg_settings = prepare_main(args=args)
     except EasyBuildError as err:
         print_error_and_exit(err.msg, exit_code=err.exit_code)
+    else:
+        # Avoid running double initialization in `main` afterward if `prepare_main` succeeded
+        args = None
 
     hooks = load_hooks(eb_go.options.hooks)
 
diff --git a/eb b/eb
index ae68bbe888..5b2c03af15 100755
--- a/eb
+++ b/eb
@@ -44,7 +44,12 @@ trap keyboard_interrupt SIGINT
 # Python 3.6+ required
 REQ_MIN_PY3VER=6
 
-EASYBUILD_MAIN='easybuild.main'
+if [ "${EB_CLI_CLICK}" == "1" ]; then
+    # opt-in to using Click-based CLI (if click is available)
+    EASYBUILD_MAIN='easybuild.cli'
+else
+    EASYBUILD_MAIN='easybuild.main'
+fi
 
 # easybuild module to import to check whether EasyBuild framework is available;
 # don't use easybuild.main here, since that's a very expensive module to import (it makes the 'eb' command slow)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 2f1a798a28..14810f24bd 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ def find_rel_test():
     "easybuild.tools.module_naming_scheme", "easybuild.tools.package", "easybuild.tools.package.package_naming_scheme",
     "easybuild.tools.py2vs3", "easybuild.tools.repository",
     "easybuild.tools.tomllib", "easybuild.tools.tomllib.tomli", "easybuild.tools._toml_writer",
+    "easybuild.cli", "easybuild.cli.options",
     "test.framework", "test",
 ]
 
@@ -119,6 +120,9 @@ def find_rel_test():
         # utility scripts
         'easybuild/scripts/install_eb_dep.sh',
     ],
+    extras_require={
+        'eb_click': ['click', 'rich', 'rich_click'],
+    },
     data_files=[
         ('easybuild/scripts', glob.glob('easybuild/scripts/*')),
         ('etc', glob.glob('etc/*')),