diff --git a/docs.go b/docs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..21fde022d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,289 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"text/template"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/md2man"
+)
+
+const markdownTemplateString = `% {{ .App.Name }}(8) {{ .App.Description }}
+% {{ .App.Author }}
+% {{ .Date }}
+
+# NAME
+
+{{ .App.Name }}{{ if .App.Usage }} - {{ .App.Usage }}{{ end }}
+
+# SYNOPSIS
+
+{{ .App.Name }}
+{{ if .SynopsisArgs }}
+` + "```" + `{{ range $v := .SynopsisArgs }}
+{{ $v }}{{ end }}
+` + "```" + `
+{{ end }}{{ if .App.UsageText }}
+# DESCRIPTION
+
+{{ .App.UsageText }}
+{{ end }}
+**Usage**:
+
+` + "```" + `
+{{ .App.Name }} [GLOBAL OPTIONS] command [COMMAND OPTIONS] [ARGUMENTS...]
+` + "```" + `
+{{ if .GlobalArgs }}
+# GLOBAL OPTIONS
+{{ range $v := .GlobalArgs }}
+{{ $v }}{{ end }}
+{{ end }}{{ if .Commands }}
+# COMMANDS
+{{ range $v := .Commands }}
+{{ $v }}{{ end }}{{ end }}`
+
+// ToMarkdown creates a markdown string for the `*App`
+// The function errors if either parsing or writing of the string fails.
+func (a *App) ToMarkdown() (string, error) {
+	var w bytes.Buffer
+	if err := a.write(&w); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return w.String(), nil
+}
+
+// ToMan creates a man page string for the `*App`
+// The function errors if either parsing or writing of the string fails.
+func (a *App) ToMan() (string, error) {
+	var w bytes.Buffer
+	if err := a.write(&w); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	man := md2man.Render(w.Bytes())
+	return string(man), nil
+}
+
+type CliTemplate struct {
+	App          *App
+	Date         string
+	Commands     []string
+	GlobalArgs   []string
+	SynopsisArgs []string
+}
+
+func (a *App) write(w io.Writer) error {
+	now := time.Now()
+	const name = "cli"
+	t, err := template.New(name).Parse(markdownTemplateString)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return t.ExecuteTemplate(w, name, &CliTemplate{
+		App:          a,
+		Date:         fmt.Sprintf("%s %d", now.Month(), now.Year()),
+		Commands:     prepareCommands(a.Commands, 0),
+		GlobalArgs:   prepareArgsWithValues(a.Flags),
+		SynopsisArgs: prepareArgsSynopsis(a.Flags),
+	})
+}
+
+const nl = "\n"
+const noDescription = "_no description available_"
+
+func prepareCommands(commands []Command, level int) []string {
+	coms := []string{}
+	for i := range commands {
+		command := &commands[i]
+		prepared := strings.Repeat("#", level+2) + " " +
+			strings.Join(command.Names(), ", ") + nl
+
+		usage := noDescription
+		if command.Usage != "" {
+			usage = command.Usage
+		}
+		prepared += nl + usage + nl
+
+		flags := prepareArgsWithValues(command.Flags)
+		if len(flags) > 0 {
+			prepared += nl
+		}
+		prepared += strings.Join(flags, nl)
+		if len(flags) > 0 {
+			prepared += nl
+		}
+
+		coms = append(coms, prepared)
+
+		// recursevly iterate subcommands
+		if len(command.Subcommands) > 0 {
+			coms = append(
+				coms,
+				prepareCommands(command.Subcommands, level+1)...,
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return coms
+}
+
+func prepareArgsWithValues(flags []Flag) []string {
+	return prepareFlags(flags, ", ", "**", "**", `""`, true)
+}
+
+func prepareArgsSynopsis(flags []Flag) []string {
+	return prepareFlags(flags, "|", "[", "]", "[value]", false)
+}
+
+func prepareFlags(
+	flags []Flag,
+	sep, opener, closer, value string,
+	addDetails bool,
+) []string {
+	args := []string{}
+	for _, flag := range flags {
+		modifiedArg := opener
+		for _, s := range strings.Split(flag.GetName(), ",") {
+			trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(s)
+			if len(modifiedArg) > len(opener) {
+				modifiedArg += sep
+			}
+			if len(trimmed) > 1 {
+				modifiedArg += "--" + trimmed
+			} else {
+				modifiedArg += "-" + trimmed
+			}
+		}
+		modifiedArg += closer
+		if flagTakesValue(flag) {
+			modifiedArg += "=" + value
+		}
+
+		if addDetails {
+			modifiedArg += flagDetails(flag)
+		}
+
+		args = append(args, modifiedArg)
+
+	}
+	sort.Strings(args)
+	return args
+}
+
+// flagTakesValue returns true if the flag takes a value, otherwise false
+func flagTakesValue(flag Flag) bool {
+	if _, ok := flag.(BoolFlag); ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(BoolTFlag); ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(DurationFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(Float64Flag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(GenericFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(Int64Flag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(IntFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(IntSliceFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(Int64SliceFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(StringFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(StringSliceFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(Uint64Flag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := flag.(UintFlag); ok {
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// flagDetails returns a string containing the flags metadata
+func flagDetails(flag Flag) string {
+	description := ""
+	value := ""
+	if f, ok := flag.(BoolFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(BoolTFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(DurationFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = f.Value.String()
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(Float64Flag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = fmt.Sprintf("%f", f.Value)
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(GenericFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		if f.Value != nil {
+			value = f.Value.String()
+		}
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(Int64Flag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = fmt.Sprintf("%d", f.Value)
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(IntFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = fmt.Sprintf("%d", f.Value)
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(IntSliceFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		if f.Value != nil {
+			value = f.Value.String()
+		}
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(Int64SliceFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		if f.Value != nil {
+			value = f.Value.String()
+		}
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(StringFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = f.Value
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(StringSliceFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		if f.Value != nil {
+			value = f.Value.String()
+		}
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(Uint64Flag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = fmt.Sprintf("%d", f.Value)
+	}
+	if f, ok := flag.(UintFlag); ok {
+		description = f.Usage
+		value = fmt.Sprintf("%d", f.Value)
+	}
+	if description == "" {
+		description = noDescription
+	}
+	if value != "" {
+		description += " (default: " + value + ")"
+	}
+	return ": " + description
+}
diff --git a/docs_test.go b/docs_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..173555ddaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func testApp() *App {
+	app := NewApp()
+	app.Name = "greet"
+	app.Flags = []Flag{
+		StringFlag{
+			Name:  "socket, s",
+			Usage: "some usage text",
+			Value: "value",
+		},
+		StringFlag{Name: "flag, fl, f"},
+		BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "another-flag, b",
+			Usage: "another usage text",
+		},
+	}
+	app.Commands = []Command{{
+		Aliases: []string{"c"},
+		Flags: []Flag{
+			StringFlag{Name: "flag, fl, f"},
+			BoolFlag{
+				Name:  "another-flag, b",
+				Usage: "another usage text",
+			},
+		},
+		Name:  "config",
+		Usage: "another usage test",
+		Subcommands: []Command{{
+			Aliases: []string{"s", "ss"},
+			Flags: []Flag{
+				StringFlag{Name: "sub-flag, sub-fl, s"},
+				BoolFlag{
+					Name:  "sub-command-flag, s",
+					Usage: "some usage text",
+				},
+			},
+			Name:  "sub-config",
+			Usage: "another usage test",
+		}},
+	}, {
+		Aliases: []string{"i", "in"},
+		Name:    "info",
+		Usage:   "retrieve generic information",
+	}, {
+		Name: "some-command",
+	}}
+	app.UsageText = "app [first_arg] [second_arg]"
+	app.Usage = "Some app"
+	app.Author = "Harrison"
+	app.Email = "harrison@lolwut.com"
+	app.Authors = []Author{{Name: "Oliver Allen", Email: "oliver@toyshop.com"}}
+	return app
+}
+
+func TestToMarkdown(t *testing.T) {
+	// Given
+	app := testApp()
+
+	// When
+	_, err := app.ToMarkdown()
+
+	// Then
+	// TODO: extend test case
+	expect(t, err, nil)
+}
+
+func TestToMan(t *testing.T) {
+	// Given
+	app := testApp()
+
+	// When
+	_, err := app.ToMan()
+
+	// Then
+	// TODO: extend test case
+	expect(t, err, nil)
+}