diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 3f0e34fc..f727fddd 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 * Added `btw_tool_files_patch()`, a new files tool that applies a structured diff-style patch envelope to make coordinated changes across multiple files in a single call. One patch can add, update, delete, and rename files atomically: all operations are validated before any file is written, so a partial failure leaves the working tree untouched (#190).
 
+* The `btw info` CLI command group has been replaced by three focused top-level commands: `btw system-info` (platform and R session info), `btw check-installed <pkgs>` (check if packages are installed, exits 0 by default with `--fail` for non-zero exit on missing packages), and `btw installed-packages <pkgs>` (show installed package versions). `btw info` is retained as a deprecated stub that prints migration guidance. All three commands support `--json` output with documented field shapes (#195).
+
 * Added two new commands to the `btw` CLI: `btw app` to launch a `btw_app()` session in the current working directory and `btw skills install` to install skills from the terminal.
 
 * Added `btw docs topics <pkg>` to the `btw` CLI for discovering a package's help topics and vignettes. Use `--only help` or `--only vignettes` to limit output to one section, or `--json` for machine-readable output (#195).
diff --git a/exec/btw.R b/exec/btw.R
index 87a03aa4..422cfddf 100755
--- a/exec/btw.R
+++ b/exec/btw.R
@@ -22,7 +22,16 @@ if (version) {
 has_value <- function(x) !is.na(x) && nzchar(x)
 
 btw_json_output <- function(x) {
-  cat(jsonlite::toJSON(x, auto_unbox = TRUE, pretty = TRUE, na = "null"), "\n")
+  cat(
+    jsonlite::toJSON(
+      x,
+      auto_unbox = TRUE,
+      pretty = TRUE,
+      na = "null",
+      null = "null"
+    ),
+    "\n"
+  )
 }
 
 btw_output <- function(x) {
@@ -227,7 +236,7 @@ btw_pkg_coverage <- function(path, file, json = FALSE) {
   }
 }
 
-btw_info_platform <- function(json = FALSE) {
+btw_system_info <- function(json = FALSE) {
   result <- btw:::btw_tool_sessioninfo_platform_impl()
   if (json) {
     btw_json_output(S7::prop(result, "extra"))
@@ -236,31 +245,51 @@ btw_info_platform <- function(json = FALSE) {
   }
 }
 
-btw_info_packages <- function(packages, deps, check, json = FALSE) {
-  pkgs <- packages
-  if (check && length(pkgs) > 0) {
-    if (json) {
-      results <- lapply(pkgs, function(pkg) {
-        result <- btw:::btw_tool_sessioninfo_is_package_installed_impl(pkg)
-        S7::prop(result, "extra")
-      })
-      btw_json_output(results)
-    } else {
-      for (pkg in pkgs) {
-        btw_output(btw:::btw_tool_sessioninfo_is_package_installed_impl(pkg))
+btw_check_installed <- function(packages, fail = FALSE, json = FALSE) {
+  results <- lapply(packages, function(pkg) {
+    tryCatch(
+      btw:::btw_tool_sessioninfo_is_package_installed_impl(pkg),
+      error = function(e) e
+    )
+  })
+
+  errors <- vapply(results, inherits, logical(1), "error")
+
+  if (json) {
+    data <- unname(Map(
+      function(pkg, r) {
+        if (inherits(r, "error")) {
+          list(package = pkg, version = NULL, installed = FALSE)
+        } else {
+          extra <- S7::prop(r, "extra")
+          extra[["installed"]] <- TRUE
+          extra
+        }
+      },
+      packages,
+      results
+    ))
+    btw_json_output(data)
+  } else {
+    for (r in results) {
+      if (inherits(r, "error")) {
+        cat(cli::ansi_strip(conditionMessage(r)), "\n", file = stderr())
+      } else {
+        btw_output(r)
       }
     }
+  }
+
+  if (fail && any(errors)) quit(status = 1)
+}
+
+btw_installed_packages <- function(packages, deps, json = FALSE) {
+  deps_val <- if (has_value(deps)) deps else ""
+  result <- btw:::btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl(packages, deps_val)
+  if (json) {
+    btw_json_output(S7::prop(result, "extra")$data)
   } else {
-    if (length(pkgs) == 0) {
-      pkgs <- "attached"
-    }
-    deps_val <- if (has_value(deps)) deps else ""
-    result <- btw:::btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl(pkgs, deps_val)
-    if (json) {
-      btw_json_output(S7::prop(result, "extra")$data)
-    } else {
-      btw_output(result)
-    }
+    btw_output(result)
   }
 }
 
@@ -420,36 +449,62 @@ switch(
     if (pkg_cmd == "") btw_self_help("pkg")
   },
 
-  #| title: Inspect the R session and environment
+  #| title: "[Deprecated] Inspect the R session and environment"
   info = {
-    #| description: Output as JSON.
-    json <- FALSE
-
     switch(
       info_cmd <- "",
-
-      #| title: Show platform and session info
-      platform = {
-        tryCatch(btw_info_platform(json), error = btw_error)
-      },
-
-      #| title: Show installed package information
+      platform = {},
       packages = {
-        #| description: Package names to query.
         `packages...` <- c()
-        #| description: Dependency types to include.
         deps <- ""
-        #| description: Check if packages are installed.
-        #| short: 'c'
         check <- FALSE
-
-        tryCatch(
-          btw_info_packages(`packages...`, deps, check, json),
-          error = btw_error
-        )
       }
     )
-    if (info_cmd == "") btw_self_help("info")
+    cat(
+      "btw info is deprecated. Use:\n",
+      "  btw system-info        (was: btw info platform)\n",
+      "  btw check-installed    (was: btw info packages --check)\n",
+      "  btw installed-packages (was: btw info packages)\n",
+      file = stderr()
+    )
+    quit(status = 1)
+  },
+
+  #| title: Show platform and R session info
+  system_info = {
+    #| description: "Output as JSON object with fields: r_version, os, system, ui, language, locale, encoding, timezone, date."
+    json <- FALSE
+
+    tryCatch(btw_system_info(json), error = btw_error)
+  },
+
+  #| title: Check if packages are installed
+  check_installed = {
+    #| description: Package names to check.
+    #| required: true
+    `packages...` <- c()
+    #| description: Exit with a non-zero status if any package is not installed.
+    fail <- FALSE
+    #| description: "Output as JSON array of objects with fields: package (string), version (string or null if not installed), installed (bool)."
+    json <- FALSE
+
+    tryCatch(btw_check_installed(`packages...`, fail, json), error = btw_error)
+  },
+
+  #| title: Show installed package versions
+  installed_packages = {
+    #| description: Package names to query.
+    #| required: true
+    `packages...` <- c()
+    #| description: "Dependency types to include. Use TRUE for all types, FALSE for none, or a comma-separated list of types: Depends, Imports, Suggests, LinkingTo, Enhances."
+    deps <- ""
+    #| description: "Output as JSON array of objects with fields: package, ondiskversion, loadedversion, path, loadedpath, attached, is_base, date, source, md5ok, library."
+    json <- FALSE
+
+    tryCatch(
+      btw_installed_packages(`packages...`, deps, json),
+      error = btw_error
+    )
   },
 
   #| title: Query CRAN package metadata
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/cli.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/cli.md
index 11831955..e4c67222 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/cli.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/cli.md
@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@
       Wraps btw package tools for docs, pkg, info, and cran operations.
       
       Commands:
-        docs    Access R documentation
-        pkg     Work with an R package under development
-        info    Inspect the R session and environment
-        cran    Query CRAN package metadata
-        skills  Manage btw skills
-        help    Show btw CLI usage guide for AI agents
-        app     Run btw_app() in the current directory
+        docs                Access R documentation
+        pkg                 Work with an R package under development
+        info                [Deprecated] Inspect the R session and environment
+        system-info         Show platform and R session info
+        check-installed     Check if packages are installed
+        installed-packages  Show installed package information
+        cran                Query CRAN package metadata
+        skills              Manage btw skills
+        help                Show btw CLI usage guide for AI agents
+        app                 Run btw_app() in the current directory
       
       Options:
         --version / --no-version  Print btw version and exit. [default: false]
@@ -89,28 +92,6 @@
       
       For help with a specific command, run: `btw pkg <command> --help`.
 
-# btw info --help shows info group help
-
-    Code
-      run_btw("info", "--help")
-    Output
-      Inspect the R session and environment
-      
-      Usage: btw info [OPTIONS] <COMMAND>
-      
-      Commands:
-        platform  Show platform and session info
-        packages  Show installed package information
-      
-      Options:
-        --json / --no-json  Output as JSON. [default: false] Enable with `--json`.
-      
-      Global options:
-        --version / --no-version  Print btw version and exit. [default: false]
-                                  Enable with `--version`.
-      
-      For help with a specific command, run: `btw info <command> --help`.
-
 # btw cran --help shows cran group help
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-cli.R b/tests/testthat/test-cli.R
index f1e1930b..0f408bfc 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-cli.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-cli.R
@@ -55,10 +55,6 @@ test_that("btw pkg --help shows pkg group help", {
   expect_snapshot(run_btw("pkg", "--help"))
 })
 
-test_that("btw info --help shows info group help", {
-  expect_snapshot(run_btw("info", "--help"))
-})
-
 test_that("btw cran --help shows cran group help", {
   expect_snapshot(run_btw("cran", "--help"))
 })
@@ -300,78 +296,66 @@ test_that("btw pkg coverage --file passes filename", {
   expect_equal(mock_filename, "utils.R")
 })
 
-# info group -------------------------------------------------------------
+# btw info deprecated ----------------------------------------------------
+
+test_that("btw info exits 1 with deprecation message", {
+  result <- run_btw_subprocess("info", "platform")
+  expect_equal(result$status, 1)
+  expect_match(result$stderr, "deprecated", ignore.case = TRUE)
+  expect_match(result$stderr, "system-info")
+  expect_match(result$stderr, "check-installed")
+  expect_match(result$stderr, "installed-packages")
+})
+
+# btw system-info --------------------------------------------------------
 
-test_that("btw info platform shows platform info", {
+test_that("btw system-info shows platform info", {
   local_sessioninfo_quarto_version()
-  env <- run_btw_quietly("info", "platform")
+  env <- run_btw_quietly("system-info")
   expect_true(is.environment(env))
 })
 
-test_that("btw info packages with no args defaults to attached", {
-  mock_pkgs <- NULL
-  local_mocked_bindings(
-    btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl = function(packages, dependencies) {
-      mock_pkgs <<- packages
-      "package info"
-    }
-  )
-  run_btw_quietly("info", "packages")
-  expect_equal(mock_pkgs, "attached")
+test_that("btw system-info --json outputs valid JSON", {
+  local_sessioninfo_quarto_version()
+  env <- run_btw_quietly("system-info", "--json")
+  parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(paste(env$.output, collapse = "\n"))
+  expect_type(parsed, "list")
+  expect_true("os:" %in% names(parsed))
 })
 
-test_that("btw info packages with package names", {
-  mock_pkgs <- NULL
-  local_mocked_bindings(
-    btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl = function(packages, dependencies) {
-      mock_pkgs <<- packages
-      "package info"
-    }
-  )
-  run_btw_quietly("info", "packages", "dplyr", "ggplot2")
-  expect_equal(mock_pkgs, c("dplyr", "ggplot2"))
-})
+# btw check-installed ----------------------------------------------------
 
-test_that("btw info packages --check calls is_package_installed", {
+test_that("btw check-installed calls is_package_installed for each package", {
   checked_pkgs <- character()
   local_mocked_bindings(
     btw_tool_sessioninfo_is_package_installed_impl = function(package_name) {
       checked_pkgs <<- c(checked_pkgs, package_name)
-      paste(package_name, "is installed")
+      btw:::BtwToolResult(
+        value = paste(package_name, "is installed"),
+        extra = list(package = package_name, version = "1.0.0")
+      )
     }
   )
-  run_btw_quietly("info", "packages", "dplyr", "ggplot2", "--check")
+  run_btw_quietly("check-installed", "dplyr", "ggplot2")
   expect_equal(checked_pkgs, c("dplyr", "ggplot2"))
 })
 
-test_that("btw info platform --json outputs valid JSON", {
-  local_sessioninfo_quarto_version()
-  env <- run_btw_quietly("info", "platform", "--json")
-  parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(paste(env$.output, collapse = "\n"))
-  expect_type(parsed, "list")
-  expect_true("os:" %in% names(parsed))
+test_that("btw check-installed exits 0 when package is not installed", {
+  result <- run_btw_subprocess("check-installed", "completely_nonexistent_xyz_pkg")
+  expect_equal(result$status, 0)
 })
 
-test_that("btw info packages --json outputs valid JSON", {
-  mock_df <- data.frame(
-    package = c("dplyr", "ggplot2"),
-    version = c("1.1.4", "3.5.0"),
-    stringsAsFactors = FALSE
-  )
-  local_mocked_bindings(
-    btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl = function(packages, dependencies) {
-      btw:::BtwPackageInfoToolResult(
-        value = "pkg info",
-        extra = list(data = mock_df)
-      )
-    }
-  )
-  env <- run_btw_quietly("info", "packages", "--json")
-  parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(paste(env$.output, collapse = "\n"))
-  expect_equal(parsed$package, c("dplyr", "ggplot2"))
+test_that("btw check-installed --fail exits 1 when package is not installed", {
+  result <- run_btw_subprocess("check-installed", "completely_nonexistent_xyz_pkg", "--fail")
+  expect_equal(result$status, 1)
 })
 
-test_that("btw info packages --check --json outputs valid JSON", {
+test_that("btw check-installed --fail exits 0 when all packages are installed", {
+  result <- run_btw_subprocess("check-installed", "base", "--fail")
+  expect_equal(result$status, 0)
+})
+
+test_that("btw check-installed --json outputs array with installed field", {
   local_mocked_bindings(
     btw_tool_sessioninfo_is_package_installed_impl = function(package_name) {
       btw:::BtwToolResult(
@@ -380,13 +364,43 @@ test_that("btw info packages --check --json outputs valid JSON", {
       )
     }
   )
-  env <- run_btw_quietly("info", "packages", "dplyr", "ggplot2", "--check", "--json")
+  env <- run_btw_quietly("check-installed", "dplyr", "ggplot2", "--json")
   parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(paste(env$.output, collapse = "\n"))
   expect_equal(nrow(parsed), 2)
   expect_equal(parsed$package, c("dplyr", "ggplot2"))
+  expect_true(all(parsed$installed))
+})
+
+
+test_that("btw check-installed --json has null version for not-installed package", {
+  local_mocked_bindings(
+    btw_tool_sessioninfo_is_package_installed_impl = function(package_name) {
+      stop(paste("Package", package_name, "is not installed."))
+    }
+  )
+  env <- run_btw_quietly("check-installed", "notapkg", "--json")
+  parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(paste(env$.output, collapse = "\n"), simplifyVector = FALSE)
+  expect_length(parsed, 1)
+  expect_equal(parsed[[1]]$package, "notapkg")
+  expect_null(parsed[[1]]$version)
+  expect_false(parsed[[1]]$installed)
+})
+
+# btw installed-packages -------------------------------------------------
+
+test_that("btw installed-packages passes package names", {
+  mock_pkgs <- NULL
+  local_mocked_bindings(
+    btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl = function(packages, dependencies) {
+      mock_pkgs <<- packages
+      "package info"
+    }
+  )
+  run_btw_quietly("installed-packages", "dplyr", "ggplot2")
+  expect_equal(mock_pkgs, c("dplyr", "ggplot2"))
 })
 
-test_that("btw info packages --deps passes dependency types", {
+test_that("btw installed-packages --deps passes dependency types", {
   mock_deps <- NULL
   local_mocked_bindings(
     btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl = function(packages, dependencies) {
@@ -394,10 +408,29 @@ test_that("btw info packages --deps passes dependency types", {
       "package info"
     }
   )
-  run_btw_quietly("info", "packages", "dplyr", "--deps", "Imports,Suggests")
+  run_btw_quietly("installed-packages", "dplyr", "--deps", "Imports,Suggests")
   expect_equal(mock_deps, "Imports,Suggests")
 })
 
+test_that("btw installed-packages --json outputs valid JSON", {
+  mock_df <- data.frame(
+    package = c("dplyr", "ggplot2"),
+    version = c("1.1.4", "3.5.0"),
+    stringsAsFactors = FALSE
+  )
+  local_mocked_bindings(
+    btw_tool_sessioninfo_package_impl = function(packages, dependencies) {
+      btw:::BtwPackageInfoToolResult(
+        value = "pkg info",
+        extra = list(data = mock_df)
+      )
+    }
+  )
+  env <- run_btw_quietly("installed-packages", "dplyr", "ggplot2", "--json")
+  parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(paste(env$.output, collapse = "\n"))
+  expect_equal(parsed$package, c("dplyr", "ggplot2"))
+})
+
 # cran group -------------------------------------------------------------
 
 test_that("btw cran search calls pkgsearch and btw_this", {