diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index cb26a5a..c4debf4 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -40,6 +40,20 @@
 - `pnpm format` / `pnpm format:check`
 - `pnpm test`
 
+**Scaffolding a new CLI:**
+
+```
+pnpm scaffold:cli -- --name=my-cli --description="What it does"
+```
+
+Creates `src/cli/my-cli/` with starter files. After scaffolding:
+
+1. Add `"run:my-cli": "tsx src/cli/my-cli/main.ts"` to `package.json`
+2. Implement logic in `main.ts`
+3. Follow the checklist in `CHECKLIST.md`
+
+**Rule:** When creating a new CLI, use `pnpm scaffold:cli` — don't create ad-hoc folders.
+
 ---
 
 ## 3) Hard rules (security & repo safety)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4543f75..bd0366e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     "run:guestbook": "tsx src/cli/guestbook/main.ts",
     "run:name-explorer": "pnpm -s node:tsx -- src/cli/name-explorer/main.ts",
     "run:scrape-publications": "tsx src/cli/scrape-publications/main.ts",
+    "scaffold:cli": "pnpm -s node:tsx -- scripts/scaffold-cli.ts",
     "node:tsx": "node --disable-warning=ExperimentalWarning --import tsx",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "lint": "eslint .",
diff --git a/scripts/scaffold-cli.ts b/scripts/scaffold-cli.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40f43dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/scaffold-cli.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env tsx
+
+/**
+ * Scaffold a new CLI from the basic template.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ *   pnpm scaffold:cli -- --name=my-cli --description="My CLI description"
+ *   pnpm scaffold:cli -- --name=my-cli  # description defaults to "TODO: Add description"
+ */
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { argv } from "zx";
+
+const TEMPLATE_DIR = path.join(process.cwd(), "templates", "cli-basic");
+const CLI_DIR = path.join(process.cwd(), "src", "cli");
+
+type Placeholders = {
+  _CLI_NAME_: string;
+  _CLI_TITLE_: string;
+  _CLI_DESCRIPTION_: string;
+};
+
+const KEBAB_CASE_REGEX = /^[a-z][a-z0-9]*(-[a-z0-9]+)*$/;
+
+const validateCliName = (name: string): void => {
+  if (!KEBAB_CASE_REGEX.test(name)) {
+    console.error(
+      `Error: CLI name "${name}" must be kebab-case (e.g., "my-cli", "scrape-data")`
+    );
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const reserved = ["cli", "test", "tmp", "node_modules"];
+  if (reserved.includes(name)) {
+    console.error(`Error: "${name}" is a reserved name`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+};
+
+const checkTargetNotExists = async (
+  targetDir: string,
+  name: string
+): Promise<void> => {
+  try {
+    await fs.access(targetDir);
+    console.error(`Error: CLI directory already exists: src/cli/${name}/`);
+    console.error("Remove it first or choose a different name.");
+    process.exit(1);
+  } catch {
+    // Directory doesn't exist - expected
+  }
+};
+
+const toTitleCase = (kebabName: string): string => {
+  return kebabName
+    .split("-")
+    .map((word) => word.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + word.slice(1))
+    .join(" ");
+};
+
+const replacePlaceholders = (
+  content: string,
+  placeholders: Placeholders
+): string => {
+  let result = content;
+  for (const [placeholder, value] of Object.entries(placeholders)) {
+    result = result.replaceAll(placeholder, value);
+  }
+  return result;
+};
+
+const copyTemplateFile = async (
+  srcPath: string,
+  destPath: string,
+  placeholders: Placeholders
+): Promise<void> => {
+  const content = await fs.readFile(srcPath, "utf-8");
+  const processed = replacePlaceholders(content, placeholders);
+  await fs.writeFile(destPath, processed, "utf-8");
+};
+
+const main = async (): Promise<void> => {
+  const name = argv.name as string | undefined;
+  const description =
+    (argv.description as string | undefined) ?? "TODO: Add description";
+
+  if (!name) {
+    console.error("Error: --name is required");
+    console.error(
+      'Usage: pnpm scaffold:cli -- --name=my-cli --description="My description"'
+    );
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  validateCliName(name);
+
+  const targetDir = path.join(CLI_DIR, name);
+  await checkTargetNotExists(targetDir, name);
+
+  try {
+    await fs.access(TEMPLATE_DIR);
+  } catch {
+    console.error(`Error: Template directory not found: ${TEMPLATE_DIR}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const placeholders: Placeholders = {
+    _CLI_NAME_: name,
+    _CLI_TITLE_: toTitleCase(name),
+    _CLI_DESCRIPTION_: description,
+  };
+
+  console.log(`Scaffolding new CLI: ${name}`);
+  console.log(`  Title: ${placeholders._CLI_TITLE_}`);
+  console.log(`  Description: ${description}`);
+  console.log(`  Target: src/cli/${name}/`);
+  console.log();
+
+  await fs.mkdir(targetDir, { recursive: true });
+
+  const templateFiles = await fs.readdir(TEMPLATE_DIR);
+
+  for (const file of templateFiles) {
+    const srcPath = path.join(TEMPLATE_DIR, file);
+    const destPath = path.join(targetDir, file);
+
+    const stat = await fs.stat(srcPath);
+    if (stat.isFile()) {
+      await copyTemplateFile(srcPath, destPath, placeholders);
+      console.log(`  Created: src/cli/${name}/${file}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  console.log();
+  console.log("Done! Next steps:");
+  console.log();
+  console.log(`  1. Add to package.json scripts:`);
+  console.log(`     "run:${name}": "tsx src/cli/${name}/main.ts"`);
+  console.log();
+  console.log(`  2. Implement your CLI logic in src/cli/${name}/main.ts`);
+  console.log();
+  console.log(`  3. Run your CLI:`);
+  console.log(`     pnpm run:${name}`);
+  console.log();
+  console.log(`  4. See src/cli/${name}/CHECKLIST.md for full checklist`);
+};
+
+main().catch((err: unknown) => {
+  console.error("Scaffold failed:", err);
+  process.exit(1);
+});
diff --git a/templates/cli-basic/CHECKLIST.md b/templates/cli-basic/CHECKLIST.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..986ce0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/cli-basic/CHECKLIST.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Post-Scaffold Checklist
+
+## Setup
+
+- [ ] Update `main.ts` with CLI logic
+- [ ] Add CLI arguments to the Zod schema
+- [ ] Update `README.md` description and flowchart
+
+## Optional Structure
+
+- [ ] Create `./clients/` for pipeline/client classes
+- [ ] Create `./types/` for Zod schemas
+- [ ] Create `./tools/` for CLI-specific agent tools
+
+## Before Committing
+
+- [ ] `pnpm typecheck`
+- [ ] `pnpm lint`
+- [ ] `pnpm format:check`
+- [ ] Add tests if behavior is testable
+- [ ] `pnpm test`
+
+## Cleanup
+
+- [ ] Delete this CHECKLIST.md when done
diff --git a/templates/cli-basic/README.md b/templates/cli-basic/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90e312b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/cli-basic/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# _CLI_TITLE_
+
+_CLI_DESCRIPTION_
+
+## Run
+
+```
+pnpm run:_CLI_NAME_
+```
+
+## Arguments
+
+- `--verbose` (optional): Enable verbose logging.
+
+## Output
+
+Writes under `tmp/_CLI_NAME_/`.
+
+## Flowchart
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart TD
+  A["Start"] --> B["Parse args"]
+  B --> C["Main logic"]
+  C --> D["Done"]
+```
+
+## Notes
+
+- See `CHECKLIST.md` for post-scaffold setup tasks.
diff --git a/templates/cli-basic/main.ts b/templates/cli-basic/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a967611
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/cli-basic/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// pnpm run:_CLI_NAME_
+
+// _CLI_DESCRIPTION_
+
+import "dotenv/config";
+
+import { Logger } from "~clients/logger";
+import { parseArgs } from "~utils/parse-args";
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+const logger = new Logger();
+
+logger.info("_CLI_NAME_ running...");
+
+// --- Parse CLI arguments ---
+const { verbose } = parseArgs({
+  logger,
+  schema: z.object({
+    verbose: z.coerce.boolean().default(false),
+  }),
+});
+
+if (verbose) {
+  logger.debug("Verbose mode enabled");
+}
+
+// --- Main logic ---
+// TODO: Implement your CLI logic here
+//
+// Common patterns:
+// - Create a Pipeline class in ./clients/ for multi-step workflows
+// - Use QuestionHandler from ~utils/question-handler for interactive prompts
+// - Store output under tmp/_CLI_NAME_/
+// - Use Zod schemas in ./types/ for data validation
+
+logger.info("_CLI_NAME_ completed.");
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index c61d911..15b5eb0 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@
     "moduleResolution": "Bundler",
     "noEmit": true
   },
-  "include": ["src", "eslint.config.ts", "prettier.config.ts"],
+  "include": [
+    "src",
+    "scripts",
+    "templates",
+    "eslint.config.ts",
+    "prettier.config.ts"
+  ],
   "exclude": ["node_modules"]
 }