diff --git a/src/commands/commands_list.ts b/src/commands/commands_list.ts
index 519e338..c76ab0b 100644
--- a/src/commands/commands_list.ts
+++ b/src/commands/commands_list.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-export const commandsListCommand = {
+import type { CommandMeta, LobsterCommand } from './types.js';
+
+function parseDescriptionFromHelp(helpText: string): string {
+  const firstLine = helpText.split('\n').find((l) => l.trim().length > 0) ?? '';
+  // Expected pattern: "name — description" but fall back to the line as-is.
+  return firstLine.includes('—') ? firstLine.split('—').slice(1).join('—').trim() : firstLine.trim();
+}
+
+export const commandsListCommand: LobsterCommand = {
   name: 'commands.list',
   help() {
     return (
@@ -7,9 +15,14 @@ export const commandsListCommand = {
       `  commands.list\n\n` +
       `Notes:\n` +
       `  - Intended for agents (e.g. Clawdbot) to discover available pipeline stages dynamically.\n` +
-      `  - Output includes the command name and a short description extracted from help().\n`
+      `  - Output includes name/description plus optional metadata (argsSchema/examples/sideEffects) when provided by commands.\n`
     );
   },
+  meta: {
+    description: 'List available Lobster pipeline commands',
+    argsSchema: { type: 'object', properties: {}, required: [] },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  } satisfies CommandMeta,
   async run({ input, ctx }) {
     // Drain input
     for await (const _ of input) {
@@ -18,16 +31,16 @@ export const commandsListCommand = {
 
     const names = ctx.registry.list();
     const output = names.map((name) => {
-      const cmd = ctx.registry.get(name);
+      const cmd = ctx.registry.get(name) as LobsterCommand | undefined;
       const help = typeof cmd?.help === 'function' ? String(cmd.help()) : '';
-      const firstLine = help.split('\n').find((l) => l.trim().length > 0) ?? '';
-
-      // Expected pattern: "name — description" but fall back to the line as-is.
-      const desc = firstLine.includes('—') ? firstLine.split('—').slice(1).join('—').trim() : firstLine.trim();
+      const description = cmd?.meta?.description ?? parseDescriptionFromHelp(help);
 
       return {
         name,
-        description: desc,
+        description,
+        argsSchema: cmd?.meta?.argsSchema ?? null,
+        examples: cmd?.meta?.examples ?? null,
+        sideEffects: cmd?.meta?.sideEffects ?? null,
       };
     });
 
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/approve.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/approve.ts
index 0872e0e..785b1b5 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/approve.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/approve.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,19 @@ function isInteractive(stdin) {
 
 export const approveCommand = {
   name: 'approve',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Require confirmation to continue',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        prompt: { type: 'string', description: 'Approval prompt text', default: 'Approve?' },
+        emit: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Force emit approval request + halt' },
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' } },
+      },
+      required: [],
+    },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `approve — require confirmation to continue\n\nUsage:\n  ... | approve --prompt "Send these emails?"\n  ... | approve --emit --prompt "Send these emails?"\n\nModes:\n  - Interactive (default): prompts on TTY and passes items through if approved.\n  - Emit (--emit): returns an approval request object and stops the pipeline.\n\nNotes:\n  - In tool mode (or non-interactive), this emits an approval request and halts.\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/clawd_invoke.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/clawd_invoke.ts
index 969cd95..7cafdec 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/clawd_invoke.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/clawd_invoke.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,25 @@
 export const clawdInvokeCommand = {
   name: 'clawd.invoke',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Call a local Clawdbot tool endpoint',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        url: { type: 'string', description: 'Clawdbot control URL (or CLAWD_URL)' },
+        token: { type: 'string', description: 'Bearer token (or CLAWD_TOKEN)' },
+        tool: { type: 'string', description: 'Tool name (e.g. message, cron, github, etc.)' },
+        action: { type: 'string', description: 'Tool action' },
+        'args-json': { type: 'string', description: 'JSON string of tool args' },
+        sessionKey: { type: 'string', description: 'Optional session key attribution' },
+        'session-key': { type: 'string', description: 'Alias for sessionKey' },
+        dryRun: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Dry run' },
+        'dry-run': { type: 'boolean', description: 'Alias for dryRun' },
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' } },
+      },
+      required: ['tool', 'action'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['calls_clawd_tool'],
+  },
   help() {
     return `clawd.invoke — call a local Clawdbot tool endpoint\n\n` +
       `Usage:\n` +
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/diff_last.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/diff_last.ts
index e0c7c7d..51a24ec 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/diff_last.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/diff_last.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,18 @@ import { diffAndStore } from '../../state/store.js';
 
 export const diffLastCommand = {
   name: 'diff.last',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Compare current items to last stored snapshot',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        key: { type: 'string', description: 'State key to diff against' },
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' } },
+      },
+      required: ['key'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['writes_state'],
+  },
   help() {
     return `diff.last — compare current items to last stored snapshot\n\nUsage:\n  <items> | diff.last --key <stateKey>\n\nOutput:\n  { changed, key, before, after }\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/email_triage.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/email_triage.ts
index 68ec0c7..8f5d71d 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/email_triage.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/email_triage.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,18 @@ function isLikelyNoReply(from: string) {
 
 export const emailTriageCommand = {
   name: "email.triage",
+  meta: {
+    description: "Deterministic bucketing + summary for email messages",
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: "object",
+      properties: {
+        limit: { type: "number", description: "Maximum items to consume from input stream", default: 20 },
+        _: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" } },
+      },
+      required: [],
+    },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return (
       `email.triage — deterministic bucketing + summary for email messages\n\n` +
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/exec.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/exec.ts
index 7dc4471..89f690f 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/exec.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/exec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,19 @@ import { spawn } from 'node:child_process';
 
 export const execCommand = {
   name: 'exec',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Run an OS command',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        json: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Parse stdout as JSON (single value).' },
+        shell: { type: 'string', description: 'Run via /bin/sh -lc with this command line.' },
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' }, description: 'Command + args.' },
+      },
+      required: ['_'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['local_exec'],
+  },
   help() {
     return `exec — run an OS command\n\n` +
       `Usage:\n` +
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_search.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_search.ts
index b5e9b3a..c341706 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_search.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_search.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,20 @@ function run(cmd: string, argv: string[], env: Record<string, string | undefined
 
 export const gogGmailSearchCommand = {
   name: "gog.gmail.search",
+  meta: {
+    description: "Fetch Gmail threads via gog (JSON)",
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: "object",
+      properties: {
+        query: { type: "string", description: "Gmail search query", default: "newer_than:1d" },
+        max: { type: "number", description: "Max results", default: 20 },
+        limit: { type: "number", description: "Alias for max" },
+        _: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" } },
+      },
+      required: [],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['reads_email'],
+  },
   help() {
     return (
       `gog.gmail.search — fetch Gmail messages via gog (JSON)\n\n` +
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_send.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_send.ts
index 6cf8b6c..49ab06e 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_send.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/gog_gmail_send.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,19 @@ function parseDraft(item: any): Draft {
 
 export const gogGmailSendCommand = {
   name: "gog.gmail.send",
+  meta: {
+    description: "Send Gmail messages via gog",
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: "object",
+      properties: {
+        dryRun: { type: "boolean", description: "If true, do not send; echo drafts" },
+        "dry-run": { type: "boolean", description: "Alias for dryRun" },
+        _: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" } },
+      },
+      required: [],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['sends_email'],
+  },
   help() {
     return (
       `gog.gmail.send — send Gmail messages via gog\n\n` +
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/head.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/head.ts
index 2ae1710..2855079 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/head.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/head.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 export const headCommand = {
   name: 'head',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Take first N items',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        n: { type: 'number', description: 'Number of items to take', default: 10 },
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' } },
+      },
+      required: [],
+    },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `head — take first N items\n\nUsage:\n  head --n 10\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/json.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/json.ts
index 57f1802..4df9052 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/json.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/json.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 export const jsonCommand = {
   name: 'json',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Render pipeline output as JSON',
+    argsSchema: { type: 'object', properties: {}, required: [] },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `json — render pipeline output as JSON\n\nUsage:\n  ... | json\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/pick.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/pick.ts
index 5cba1e1..b873a8d 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/pick.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/pick.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
 export const pickCommand = {
   name: 'pick',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Project fields from objects',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        _: {
+          type: 'array',
+          items: { type: 'string' },
+          description: 'First positional arg is a comma-separated list of fields',
+        },
+      },
+      required: ['_'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `pick — project fields from objects\n\nUsage:\n  ... | pick id,subject,from\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/state.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/state.ts
index a0b5c9b..7e64215 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/state.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/state.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ import { defaultStateDir, keyToPath } from '../../state/store.js';
 
 export const stateGetCommand = {
   name: 'state.get',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Read a JSON value from Lobster state',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' }, description: 'Key' },
+      },
+      required: ['_'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['reads_state'],
+  },
   help() {
     return `state.get — read a JSON value from Lobster state\n\nUsage:\n  state.get <key>\n\nEnv:\n  LOBSTER_STATE_DIR overrides storage directory\n`;
   },
@@ -32,6 +43,17 @@ export const stateGetCommand = {
 
 export const stateSetCommand = {
   name: 'state.set',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Write a JSON value to Lobster state',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' }, description: 'Key' },
+      },
+      required: ['_'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: ['writes_state'],
+  },
   help() {
     return `state.set — write a JSON value to Lobster state\n\nUsage:\n  <value> | state.set <key>\n\nNotes:\n  - Consumes the entire input stream; stores a single JSON value.\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/table.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/table.ts
index 17c0d36..3c76034 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/table.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/table.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ function stringifyCell(v) {
 
 export const tableCommand = {
   name: 'table',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Render items as a simple table',
+    argsSchema: { type: 'object', properties: {}, required: [] },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `table — render items as a simple table\n\nUsage:\n  ... | table\n\nNotes:\n  - If items are objects, columns are union of keys (first 20 items).\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/stdlib/where.ts b/src/commands/stdlib/where.ts
index 4cb6b34..1a6468d 100644
--- a/src/commands/stdlib/where.ts
+++ b/src/commands/stdlib/where.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,21 @@ function compare(left, op, right) {
 
 export const whereCommand = {
   name: 'where',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Filter objects by a simple predicate',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        _: {
+          type: 'array',
+          items: { type: 'string' },
+          description: 'First positional arg is an expression like field=value or minutes>=30',
+        },
+      },
+      required: ['_'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `where — filter objects by a simple predicate\n\nUsage:\n  ... | where unread=true\n  ... | where minutes>=30\n  ... | where sender.domain==example.com\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/types.ts b/src/commands/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf8e7a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+export type CommandMeta = {
+  description?: string;
+  argsSchema?: unknown;
+  examples?: Array<{ args: Record<string, unknown>; description?: string }>;
+  sideEffects?: string[];
+};
+
+export type LobsterCommand = {
+  name: string;
+  help: () => string;
+  run: (params: any) => Promise<any>;
+  meta?: CommandMeta;
+};
diff --git a/src/commands/workflows/workflows_list.ts b/src/commands/workflows/workflows_list.ts
index 7fea88c..fb4983f 100644
--- a/src/commands/workflows/workflows_list.ts
+++ b/src/commands/workflows/workflows_list.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ import { listWorkflows } from '../../workflows/registry.js';
 
 export const workflowsListCommand = {
   name: 'workflows.list',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'List available Lobster workflows',
+    argsSchema: { type: 'object', properties: {}, required: [] },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `workflows.list — list available Lobster workflows\n\nUsage:\n  workflows.list\n\nNotes:\n  - Intended for Clawdbot to discover workflows dynamically.\n`;
   },
diff --git a/src/commands/workflows/workflows_run.ts b/src/commands/workflows/workflows_run.ts
index 6bf3e63..cd01b84 100644
--- a/src/commands/workflows/workflows_run.ts
+++ b/src/commands/workflows/workflows_run.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,19 @@ const recipeRunners = {};
 
 export const workflowsRunCommand = {
   name: 'workflows.run',
+  meta: {
+    description: 'Run a named Lobster workflow',
+    argsSchema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        name: { type: 'string', description: 'Workflow name' },
+        'args-json': { type: 'string', description: 'JSON string of workflow args' },
+        _: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' } },
+      },
+      required: ['name'],
+    },
+    sideEffects: [],
+  },
   help() {
     return `workflows.run — run a named Lobster workflow\n\nUsage:\n  workflows.run --name <workflow> [--args-json '{...}']\n\nExample:\n  workflows.run --name github.pr.monitor.notify --args-json '{"repo":"clawdbot/clawdbot","pr":1152}'\n`;
   },
diff --git a/test/commands_list.test.ts b/test/commands_list.test.ts
index 6fc16d5..8563160 100644
--- a/test/commands_list.test.ts
+++ b/test/commands_list.test.ts
@@ -42,4 +42,6 @@ test('commands.list returns command inventory including stdlib + workflows', asy
   assert.ok(self);
   assert.equal(typeof self.description, 'string');
   assert.ok(self.description.length > 0);
+  // Schema should be present for commands that declare it.
+  assert.ok(self.argsSchema);
 });