diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 20aaac14907bf..f88dd8699d667 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -10544,6 +10544,7 @@
         "json-stringify-nice": "^1.1.4",
         "mkdirp": "^1.0.4",
         "mkdirp-infer-owner": "^2.0.0",
+        "nopt": "^5.0.0",
         "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
         "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.5",
         "npm-pick-manifest": "^6.1.0",
@@ -11460,6 +11461,7 @@
         "mkdirp": "^1.0.4",
         "mkdirp-infer-owner": "^2.0.0",
         "nock": "^13.2.0",
+        "nopt": "^5.0.0",
         "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
         "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.5",
         "npm-pick-manifest": "^6.1.0",
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/actual.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/actual.js
index eb0495997a1b9..866b2cd82fa47 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/actual.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/actual.js
@@ -1,23 +1,19 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
-const print = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
 
-const start = process.hrtime()
-new Arborist(options).loadActual(options).then(tree => {
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  if (!process.argv.includes('--quiet')) {
-    print(tree)
-  }
+const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
 
-  console.error(`read ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] * 1000 + end[1] / 1e6}ms`)
-  if (options.save) {
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-  if (options.saveHidden) {
-    tree.meta.hiddenLockfile = true
-    tree.meta.filename = options.path + '/node_modules/.package-lock.json'
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-}).catch(er => console.error(er))
+module.exports = (options, time) => new Arborist(options)
+  .loadActual(options)
+  .then(time)
+  .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+    printTree(tree)
+    if (options.save) {
+      await tree.meta.save()
+    }
+    if (options.saveHidden) {
+      tree.meta.hiddenLockfile = true
+      tree.meta.filename = options.path + '/node_modules/.package-lock.json'
+      await tree.meta.save()
+    }
+    return `read ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.ms}`
+  })
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/audit.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/audit.js
index d9ac532d3ed70..0e32833d4aa3a 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/audit.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/audit.js
@@ -1,19 +1,17 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
 
-const print = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
+const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
+const log = require('./lib/logging.js')
 
 const Vuln = require('../lib/vuln.js')
 const printReport = report => {
   for (const vuln of report.values()) {
-    console.log(printVuln(vuln))
+    log.info(printVuln(vuln))
   }
   if (report.topVulns.size) {
-    console.log('\n# top-level vulnerabilities')
+    log.info('\n# top-level vulnerabilities')
     for (const vuln of report.topVulns.values()) {
-      console.log(printVuln(vuln))
+      log.info(printVuln(vuln))
     }
   }
 }
@@ -33,22 +31,21 @@ const printVuln = vuln => {
 
 const printAdvisory = a => `${a.title}${a.url ? ' ' + a.url : ''}`
 
-const start = process.hrtime()
-process.emit('time', 'audit script')
-const arb = new Arborist(options)
-arb.audit(options).then(tree => {
-  process.emit('timeEnd', 'audit script')
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  if (options.fix) {
-    print(tree)
-  }
-  if (!options.quiet) {
-    printReport(arb.auditReport)
-  }
-  if (options.fix) {
-    console.error(`resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] + end[1] / 1e9}s`)
-  }
-  if (tree.meta && options.save) {
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-}).catch(er => console.error(er))
+module.exports = (options, time) => {
+  const arb = new Arborist(options)
+  return arb
+    .audit(options)
+    .then(time)
+    .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+      if (options.fix) {
+        printTree(tree)
+      }
+      printReport(arb.auditReport)
+      if (tree.meta && options.save) {
+        await tree.meta.save()
+      }
+      return options.fix
+        ? `resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.seconds}`
+        : `done in ${timing.seconds}`
+    })
+}
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/funding.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/funding.js
index d0f4f31654ae0..cf25976d94ca6 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/funding.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/funding.js
@@ -1,34 +1,38 @@
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
-
 const Arborist = require('../')
-const a = new Arborist(options)
-const query = options._.shift()
-const start = process.hrtime()
-a.loadVirtual().then(tree => {
-  // only load the actual tree if the virtual one doesn't have modern metadata
-  if (!tree.meta || !(tree.meta.originalLockfileVersion >= 2)) {
-    console.error('old metadata, load actual')
-    throw 'load actual'
-  } else {
-    console.error('meta ok, return virtual tree')
-    return tree
-  }
-}).catch(() => a.loadActual()).then(tree => {
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  if (!query) {
-    for (const node of tree.inventory.values()) {
-      if (node.package.funding) {
-        console.log(node.name, node.location, node.package.funding)
+
+const log = require('./lib/logging.js')
+
+module.exports = (options, time) => {
+  const query = options._.shift()
+  const a = new Arborist(options)
+  return a
+    .loadVirtual()
+    .then(tree => {
+      // only load the actual tree if the virtual one doesn't have modern metadata
+      if (!tree.meta || !(tree.meta.originalLockfileVersion >= 2)) {
+        log.error('old metadata, load actual')
+        throw 'load actual'
+      } else {
+        log.error('meta ok, return virtual tree')
+        return tree
       }
-    }
-  } else {
-    for (const node of tree.inventory.query('name', query)) {
-      if (node.package.funding) {
-        console.log(node.name, node.location, node.package.funding)
+    })
+    .catch(() => a.loadActual())
+    .then(time)
+    .then(({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+      if (!query) {
+        for (const node of tree.inventory.values()) {
+          if (node.package.funding) {
+            log.info(node.name, node.location, node.package.funding)
+          }
+        }
+      } else {
+        for (const node of tree.inventory.query('name', query)) {
+          if (node.package.funding) {
+            log.info(node.name, node.location, node.package.funding)
+          }
+        }
       }
-    }
-  }
-  console.error(`read ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] * 1000 + end[1] / 1e6}ms`)
-})
+      return `read ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.ms}`
+    })
+}
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/ideal.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/ideal.js
index 5d1ed0dcd9dc6..1dd206e81ff1b 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/ideal.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/ideal.js
@@ -1,21 +1,14 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
 
-const { inspect } = require('util')
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-const print = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
+const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
 
-const start = process.hrtime()
-new Arborist(options).buildIdealTree(options).then(tree => {
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  print(tree)
-  console.error(`resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] + end[1] / 10e9}s`)
-  if (tree.meta && options.save) {
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-}).catch(er => {
-  const opt = { depth: Infinity, color: true }
-  console.error(er.code === 'ERESOLVE' ? inspect(er, opt) : er)
-  process.exitCode = 1
-})
+module.exports = (options, time) => new Arborist(options)
+  .buildIdealTree(options)
+  .then(time)
+  .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+    printTree(tree)
+    if (tree.meta && options.save) {
+      await tree.meta.save()
+    }
+    return `resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.seconds}`
+  })
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/index.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/index.js
index 5449a50e67f62..0c1e98445341f 100755
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/index.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/index.js
@@ -1,81 +1,110 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
-const [cmd] = process.argv.splice(2, 1)
 
-const usage = () => `Arborist - the npm tree doctor
+const fs = require('fs')
+const path = require('path')
 
-Version: ${require('../package.json').version}
+const { bin, arb: options } = require('./lib/options')
+const version = require('../package.json').version
 
+const usage = (message = '') => `Arborist - the npm tree doctor
+
+Version: ${version}
+${message && '\n' + message + '\n'}
 # USAGE
   arborist <cmd> [path] [options...]
 
 # COMMANDS
 
-* reify: reify ideal tree to node_modules (install, update, rm, ...)
-* prune: prune the ideal tree and reify (like npm prune)
-* ideal: generate and print the ideal tree
-* actual: read and print the actual tree in node_modules
-* virtual: read and print the virtual tree in the local shrinkwrap file
-* shrinkwrap: load a local shrinkwrap and print its data
-* audit: perform a security audit on project dependencies
-* funding: query funding information in the local package tree.  A second
-  positional argument after the path name can limit to a package name.
-* license: query license information in the local package tree.  A second
-  positional argument after the path name can limit to a license type.
-* help: print this text
+  * reify: reify ideal tree to node_modules (install, update, rm, ...)
+  * prune: prune the ideal tree and reify (like npm prune)
+  * ideal: generate and print the ideal tree
+  * actual: read and print the actual tree in node_modules
+  * virtual: read and print the virtual tree in the local shrinkwrap file
+  * shrinkwrap: load a local shrinkwrap and print its data
+  * audit: perform a security audit on project dependencies
+  * funding: query funding information in the local package tree.  A second
+    positional argument after the path name can limit to a package name.
+  * license: query license information in the local package tree.  A second
+    positional argument after the path name can limit to a license type.
+  * help: print this text
+  * version: print the version
 
 # OPTIONS
 
-Most npm options are supported, but in camelCase rather than css-case.  For
-example, instead of '--dry-run', use '--dryRun'.
+  Most npm options are supported, but in camelCase rather than css-case.  For
+  example, instead of '--dry-run', use '--dryRun'.
 
-Additionally:
+  Additionally:
 
-* --quiet will supppress the printing of package trees
-* Instead of 'npm install <pkg>', use 'arborist reify --add=<pkg>'.
-  The '--add=<pkg>' option can be specified multiple times.
-* Instead of 'npm rm <pkg>', use 'arborist reify --rm=<pkg>'.
-  The '--rm=<pkg>' option can be specified multiple times.
-* Instead of 'npm update', use 'arborist reify --update-all'.
-* 'npm audit fix' is 'arborist audit --fix'
+  * --loglevel=warn|--quiet will supppress the printing of package trees
+  * --logfile <file|bool> will output logs to a file
+  * --timing will show timing information
+  * Instead of 'npm install <pkg>', use 'arborist reify --add=<pkg>'.
+    The '--add=<pkg>' option can be specified multiple times.
+  * Instead of 'npm rm <pkg>', use 'arborist reify --rm=<pkg>'.
+    The '--rm=<pkg>' option can be specified multiple times.
+  * Instead of 'npm update', use 'arborist reify --update-all'.
+  * 'npm audit fix' is 'arborist audit --fix'
 `
 
-const help = () => console.log(usage())
-
-switch (cmd) {
-  case 'actual':
-    require('./actual.js')
-    break
-  case 'virtual':
-    require('./virtual.js')
-    break
-  case 'ideal':
-    require('./ideal.js')
-    break
-  case 'prune':
-    require('./prune.js')
-    break
-  case 'reify':
-    require('./reify.js')
-    break
-  case 'audit':
-    require('./audit.js')
-    break
-  case 'funding':
-    require('./funding.js')
-    break
-  case 'license':
-    require('./license.js')
-    break
-  case 'shrinkwrap':
-    require('./shrinkwrap.js')
-    break
-  case 'help':
-  case '-h':
-  case '--help':
-    help()
-    break
-  default:
+const commands = {
+  version: () => console.log(version),
+  help: () => console.log(usage()),
+  exit: () => {
     process.exitCode = 1
-    console.error(usage())
-    break
+    console.error(
+      usage(`Error: command '${bin.command}' does not exist.`)
+    )
+  },
+}
+
+const commandFiles = fs.readdirSync(__dirname).filter((f) => path.extname(f) === '.js' && f !== __filename)
+
+for (const file of commandFiles) {
+  const command = require(`./${file}`)
+  const name = path.basename(file, '.js')
+  const totalTime = `bin:${name}:init`
+  const scriptTime = `bin:${name}:script`
+
+  commands[name] = () => {
+    const timers = require('./lib/timers')
+    const log = require('./lib/logging')
+
+    log.info(name, options)
+
+    process.emit('time', totalTime)
+    process.emit('time', scriptTime)
+
+    return command(options, (result) => {
+      process.emit('timeEnd', scriptTime)
+      return {
+        result,
+        timing: {
+          seconds: `${timers.get(scriptTime) / 1e9}s`,
+          ms: `${timers.get(scriptTime) / 1e6}ms`,
+        },
+      }
+    })
+      .then((result) => {
+        log.info(result)
+        return result
+      })
+      .catch((err) => {
+        process.exitCode = 1
+        log.error(err)
+        return err
+      })
+      .then((r) => {
+        process.emit('timeEnd', totalTime)
+        if (bin.loglevel !== 'silent') {
+          console[process.exitCode ? 'error' : 'log'](r)
+        }
+      })
+  }
+}
+
+if (commands[bin.command]) {
+  commands[bin.command]()
+} else {
+  commands.exit()
 }
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/logging.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/logging.js
index 8183ece1fd119..8b04d6370e66c 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/logging.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/logging.js
@@ -1,42 +1,78 @@
-const options = require('./options.js')
-const { quiet = false } = options
-const { loglevel = quiet ? 'warn' : 'silly' } = options
+const log = require('proc-log')
+const mkdirp = require('mkdirp')
+const fs = require('fs')
+const { dirname } = require('path')
+const os = require('os')
+const { inspect, format } = require('util')
+
+const { bin: options } = require('./options.js')
 
-const levels = [
+// add a meta method to proc-log for passing optional
+// metadata through to log handlers
+const META = Symbol('meta')
+const parseArgs = (...args) => {
+  const { [META]: isMeta } = args[args.length - 1] || {}
+  return isMeta
+    ? [args[args.length - 1], ...args.slice(0, args.length - 1)]
+    : [{}, ...args]
+}
+log.meta = (meta = {}) => ({ [META]: true, ...meta })
+
+const levels = new Map([
   'silly',
   'verbose',
   'info',
-  'timing',
   'http',
   'notice',
   'warn',
   'error',
   'silent',
-]
+].map((level, index) => [level, index]))
 
-const levelMap = new Map(levels.reduce((set, level, index) => {
-  set.push([level, index], [index, level])
-  return set
-}, []))
+const addLogListener = (write, { eol = os.EOL, loglevel = 'silly', colors = false } = {}) => {
+  const levelIndex = levels.get(loglevel)
 
-const { inspect, format } = require('util')
-const colors = process.stderr.isTTY
-const magenta = colors ? msg => `\x1B[35m${msg}\x1B[39m` : m => m
-if (loglevel !== 'silent') {
-  process.on('log', (level, ...args) => {
-    if (levelMap.get(level) < levelMap.get(loglevel)) {
-      return
+  const magenta = m => colors ? `\x1B[35m${m}\x1B[39m` : m
+  const dim = m => colors ? `\x1B[2m${m}\x1B[22m` : m
+  const red = m => colors ? `\x1B[31m${m}\x1B[39m` : m
+
+  const formatter = (level, ...args) => {
+    const depth = level === 'error' && args[0] && args[0].code === 'ERESOLVE' ? Infinity : 10
+
+    if (level === 'info' && args[0] === 'timeEnd') {
+      args[1] = dim(args[1])
+    } else if (level === 'error' && args[0] === 'timeError') {
+      args[1] = red(args[1])
     }
+
+    const messages = args.map(a => typeof a === 'string' ? a : inspect(a, { depth, colors }))
     const pref = `${process.pid} ${magenta(level)} `
-    if (level === 'warn' && args[0] === 'ERESOLVE') {
-      args[2] = inspect(args[2], { depth: 10, colors })
-    } else {
-      args = args.map(a => {
-        return typeof a === 'string' ? a
-          : inspect(a, { depth: 10, colors })
-      })
+
+    return pref + format(...messages).trim().split('\n').join(`${eol}${pref}`) + eol
+  }
+
+  process.on('log', (...args) => {
+    const [meta, level, ...logArgs] = parseArgs(...args)
+
+    if (levelIndex <= levels.get(level) || meta.force) {
+      write(formatter(level, ...logArgs))
     }
-    const msg = pref + format(...args).trim().split('\n').join(`\n${pref}`)
-    console.error(msg)
   })
 }
+
+if (options.loglevel !== 'silent') {
+  addLogListener((v) => process.stderr.write(v), {
+    eol: '\n',
+    colors: options.colors,
+    loglevel: options.loglevel,
+  })
+}
+
+if (options.logfile) {
+  log.silly('logfile', options.logfile)
+  mkdirp.sync(dirname(options.logfile))
+  const fd = fs.openSync(options.logfile, 'a')
+  addLogListener((str) => fs.writeSync(fd, str))
+}
+
+module.exports = log
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/options.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/options.js
index 23e89ddce698b..8dbaf13dac03a 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/options.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/options.js
@@ -1,59 +1,123 @@
-const options = module.exports = {
-  path: undefined,
-  cache: `${process.env.HOME}/.npm/_cacache`,
-  _: [],
+const nopt = require('nopt')
+const path = require('path')
+
+const has = (o, k) => Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(o, k)
+
+const cleanPath = (val) => {
+  const k = Symbol('key')
+  const data = {}
+  nopt.typeDefs.path.validate(data, k, val)
+  return data[k]
 }
 
-for (const arg of process.argv.slice(2)) {
-  if (/^--add=/.test(arg)) {
-    options.add = options.add || []
-    options.add.push(arg.substr('--add='.length))
-  } else if (/^--rm=/.test(arg)) {
-    options.rm = options.rm || []
-    options.rm.push(arg.substr('--rm='.length))
-  } else if (arg === '--global') {
-    options.global = true
-  } else if (arg === '--global-style') {
-    options.globalStyle = true
-  } else if (arg === '--prefer-dedupe') {
-    options.preferDedupe = true
-  } else if (arg === '--legacy-peer-deps') {
-    options.legacyPeerDeps = true
-  } else if (arg === '--force') {
-    options.force = true
-  } else if (arg === '--update-all') {
-    options.update = options.update || {}
-    options.update.all = true
-  } else if (/^--update=/.test(arg)) {
-    options.update = options.update || {}
-    options.update.names = options.update.names || []
-    options.update.names.push(arg.substr('--update='.length))
-  } else if (/^--omit=/.test(arg)) {
-    options.omit = options.omit || []
-    options.omit.push(arg.substr('--omit='.length))
-  } else if (/^--before=/.test(arg)) {
-    options.before = new Date(arg.substr('--before='.length))
-  } else if (/^-w.+/.test(arg)) {
-    options.workspaces = options.workspaces || []
-    options.workspaces.push(arg.replace(/^-w/, ''))
-  } else if (/^--workspace=/.test(arg)) {
-    options.workspaces = options.workspaces || []
-    options.workspaces.push(arg.replace(/^--workspace=/, ''))
-  } else if (/^--[^=]+=/.test(arg)) {
-    const [key, ...v] = arg.replace(/^--/, '').split('=')
-    const val = v.join('=')
-    options[key] = val === 'false' ? false : val === 'true' ? true : val
-  } else if (/^--.+/.test(arg)) {
-    options[arg.replace(/^--/, '')] = true
-  } else if (options.path === undefined) {
-    options.path = arg
-  } else {
-    options._.push(arg)
+const parse = (...noptArgs) => {
+  const binOnlyOpts = {
+    command: String,
+    loglevel: String,
+    colors: Boolean,
+    timing: ['always', Boolean],
+    logfile: String,
+  }
+
+  const arbOpts = {
+    add: Array,
+    rm: Array,
+    omit: Array,
+    update: Array,
+    workspaces: Array,
+    global: Boolean,
+    force: Boolean,
+    'global-style': Boolean,
+    'prefer-dedupe': Boolean,
+    'legacy-peer-deps': Boolean,
+    'update-all': Boolean,
+    before: Date,
+    path: path,
+    cache: path,
+    ...binOnlyOpts,
+  }
+
+  const short = {
+    quiet: ['--loglevel', 'warn'],
+    logs: ['--logfile', 'true'],
+    w: '--workspaces',
+    g: '--global',
+    f: '--force',
+  }
+
+  const defaults = {
+    // key order is important for command and path
+    // since they shift positional args
+    // command is 1st, path is 2nd
+    command: (o) => o.argv.remain.shift(),
+    path: (o) => cleanPath(o.argv.remain.shift() || '.'),
+    colors: has(process.env, 'NO_COLOR') ? false : !!process.stderr.isTTY,
+    loglevel: 'silly',
+    timing: (o) => o.loglevel === 'silly',
+    cache: `${process.env.HOME}/.npm/_cacache`,
+  }
+
+  const derived = [
+    // making update either `all` or an array of names but not both
+    ({ updateAll: all, update: names, ...o }) => {
+      if (all || names) {
+        o.update = all != null ? { all } : { names }
+      }
+      return o
+    },
+    ({ logfile, ...o }) => {
+      // logfile is parsed as a string so if its true or set but empty
+      // then set the default logfile
+      if (logfile === 'true' || logfile === '') {
+        logfile = `arb-log-${new Date().toISOString().replace(/[.:]/g, '_')}.log`
+      }
+      // then parse it the same as nopt parses other paths
+      if (logfile) {
+        o.logfile = cleanPath(logfile)
+      }
+      return o
+    },
+  ]
+
+  const transforms = [
+    // Camelcase all top level keys
+    (o) => {
+      const entries = Object.entries(o).map(([k, v]) => [
+        k.replace(/-./g, s => s[1].toUpperCase()),
+        v,
+      ])
+      return Object.fromEntries(entries)
+    },
+    // Set defaults on unset keys
+    (o) => {
+      for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(defaults)) {
+        if (!has(o, k)) {
+          o[k] = typeof v === 'function' ? v(o) : v
+        }
+      }
+      return o
+    },
+    // Set/unset derived values
+    ...derived.map((derive) => (o) => derive(o) || o),
+    // Separate bin and arborist options
+    ({ argv: { remain: _ }, ...o }) => {
+      const bin = { _ }
+      for (const k of Object.keys(binOnlyOpts)) {
+        if (has(o, k)) {
+          bin[k] = o[k]
+          delete o[k]
+        }
+      }
+      return { bin, arb: o }
+    },
+  ]
+
+  let options = nopt(arbOpts, short, ...noptArgs)
+  for (const t of transforms) {
+    options = t(options)
   }
-}
 
-if (options.path === undefined) {
-  options.path = '.'
+  return options
 }
 
-console.error(options)
+module.exports = parse()
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/print-tree.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/print-tree.js
index 1ea2a72187332..55398190b99cb 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/print-tree.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/print-tree.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const { inspect } = require('util')
-const { quiet } = require('./options.js')
+const log = require('./logging.js')
 
-module.exports = quiet ? () => {}
-  : tree => console.log(inspect(tree.toJSON(), { depth: Infinity }))
+module.exports = tree => log.info(inspect(tree.toJSON(), { depth: Infinity }))
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/timers.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/timers.js
index 242431980e55c..586dee7806dd0 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/timers.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/lib/timers.js
@@ -1,31 +1,33 @@
-const timers = Object.create(null)
-const { format } = require('util')
-const options = require('./options.js')
+const { bin: options } = require('./options.js')
+const log = require('./logging.js')
+
+const timers = new Map()
+const finished = new Map()
 
 process.on('time', name => {
-  if (timers[name]) {
+  if (timers.has(name)) {
     throw new Error('conflicting timer! ' + name)
   }
-  timers[name] = process.hrtime()
+  timers.set(name, process.hrtime.bigint())
 })
 
-const dim = process.stderr.isTTY ? msg => `\x1B[2m${msg}\x1B[22m` : m => m
-const red = process.stderr.isTTY ? msg => `\x1B[31m${msg}\x1B[39m` : m => m
 process.on('timeEnd', name => {
-  if (!timers[name]) {
+  if (!timers.has(name)) {
     throw new Error('timer not started! ' + name)
   }
-  const res = process.hrtime(timers[name])
-  delete timers[name]
-  const msg = format(`${process.pid} ${name}`, res[0] * 1e3 + res[1] / 1e6)
-  if (options.timers !== false) {
-    console.error(dim(msg))
+  const elapsed = Number(process.hrtime.bigint() - timers.get(name))
+  timers.delete(name)
+  finished.set(name, elapsed)
+  if (options.timing) {
+    log.info('timeEnd', `${name} ${elapsed / 1e9}s`, log.meta({ force: options.timing === 'always' }))
   }
 })
 
 process.on('exit', () => {
-  for (const name of Object.keys(timers)) {
-    console.error(red('Dangling timer:'), name)
+  for (const name of timers.keys()) {
+    log.error('timeError', 'Dangling timer:', name)
     process.exitCode = 1
   }
 })
+
+module.exports = finished
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/license.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/license.js
index 7fc08dd83eb5b..4bb40e68a0a6b 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/license.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/license.js
@@ -1,38 +1,48 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
 
-const a = new Arborist(options)
-const query = options._.shift()
+const log = require('./lib/logging.js')
 
-a.loadVirtual().then(tree => {
-  // only load the actual tree if the virtual one doesn't have modern metadata
-  if (!tree.meta || !(tree.meta.originalLockfileVersion >= 2)) {
-    throw 'load actual'
-  } else {
-    return tree
-  }
-}).catch((er) => {
-  console.error('loading actual tree', er)
-  return a.loadActual()
-}).then(tree => {
-  if (!query) {
-    const set = []
-    for (const license of tree.inventory.query('license')) {
-      set.push([tree.inventory.query('license', license).size, license])
-    }
+module.exports = (options, time) => {
+  const query = options._.shift()
+  const a = new Arborist(options)
+  return a
+    .loadVirtual()
+    .then(tree => {
+      // only load the actual tree if the virtual one doesn't have modern metadata
+      if (!tree.meta || !(tree.meta.originalLockfileVersion >= 2)) {
+        throw 'load actual'
+      } else {
+        return tree
+      }
+    }).catch((er) => {
+      log.error('loading actual tree', er)
+      return a.loadActual()
+    })
+    .then(time)
+    .then(({ result: tree }) => {
+      const output = []
+      if (!query) {
+        const set = []
+        for (const license of tree.inventory.query('license')) {
+          set.push([tree.inventory.query('license', license).size, license])
+        }
 
-    for (const [count, license] of set.sort((a, b) =>
-      a[1] && b[1] ? b[0] - a[0] || a[1].localeCompare(b[1], 'en')
-      : a[1] ? -1
-      : b[1] ? 1
-      : 0)) {
-      console.log(count, license)
-    }
-  } else {
-    for (const node of tree.inventory.query('license', query === 'undefined' ? undefined : query)) {
-      console.log(`${node.name} ${node.location} ${node.package.description || ''}`)
-    }
-  }
-})
+        for (const [count, license] of set.sort((a, b) =>
+          a[1] && b[1] ? b[0] - a[0] || a[1].localeCompare(b[1], 'en')
+          : a[1] ? -1
+          : b[1] ? 1
+          : 0)) {
+          output.push(`${count} ${license}`)
+          log.info(count, license)
+        }
+      } else {
+        for (const node of tree.inventory.query('license', query === 'undefined' ? undefined : query)) {
+          const msg = `${node.name} ${node.location} ${node.package.description || ''}`
+          output.push(msg)
+          log.info(msg)
+        }
+      }
+
+      return output.join('\n')
+    })
+}
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/prune.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/prune.js
index e11858c209f25..3c52bc13af1e1 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/prune.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/prune.js
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
 
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-const print = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
+const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
+const log = require('./lib/logging.js')
 
 const printDiff = diff => {
   const { depth } = require('treeverse')
@@ -15,13 +13,13 @@ const printDiff = diff => {
       }
       switch (d.action) {
         case 'REMOVE':
-          console.error('REMOVE', d.actual.location)
+          log.info('REMOVE', d.actual.location)
           break
         case 'ADD':
-          console.error('ADD', d.ideal.location, d.ideal.resolved)
+          log.info('ADD', d.ideal.location, d.ideal.resolved)
           break
         case 'CHANGE':
-          console.error('CHANGE', d.actual.location, {
+          log.info('CHANGE', d.actual.location, {
             from: d.actual.resolved,
             to: d.ideal.resolved,
           })
@@ -32,18 +30,19 @@ const printDiff = diff => {
   })
 }
 
-const start = process.hrtime()
-process.emit('time', 'install')
-const arb = new Arborist(options)
-arb.prune(options).then(tree => {
-  process.emit('timeEnd', 'install')
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  print(tree)
-  if (options.dryRun) {
-    printDiff(arb.diff)
-  }
-  console.error(`resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] + end[1] / 1e9}s`)
-  if (tree.meta && options.save) {
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-}).catch(er => console.error(require('util').inspect(er, { depth: Infinity })))
+module.exports = (options, time) => {
+  const arb = new Arborist(options)
+  return arb
+    .prune(options)
+    .then(time)
+    .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+      printTree(tree)
+      if (options.dryRun) {
+        printDiff(arb.diff)
+      }
+      if (tree.meta && options.save) {
+        await tree.meta.save()
+      }
+      return `resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.seconds}`
+    })
+}
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js
index 9dc26d2b96835..3f3aafe8ab9bb 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
 
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-const print = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
+const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
+const log = require('./lib/logging.js')
 
 const printDiff = diff => {
   const { depth } = require('treeverse')
@@ -15,13 +13,13 @@ const printDiff = diff => {
       }
       switch (d.action) {
         case 'REMOVE':
-          console.error('REMOVE', d.actual.location)
+          log.info('REMOVE', d.actual.location)
           break
         case 'ADD':
-          console.error('ADD', d.ideal.location, d.ideal.resolved)
+          log.info('ADD', d.ideal.location, d.ideal.resolved)
           break
         case 'CHANGE':
-          console.error('CHANGE', d.actual.location, {
+          log.info('CHANGE', d.actual.location, {
             from: d.actual.resolved,
             to: d.ideal.resolved,
           })
@@ -32,18 +30,19 @@ const printDiff = diff => {
   })
 }
 
-const start = process.hrtime()
-process.emit('time', 'install')
-const arb = new Arborist(options)
-arb.reify(options).then(tree => {
-  process.emit('timeEnd', 'install')
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  print(tree)
-  if (options.dryRun) {
-    printDiff(arb.diff)
-  }
-  console.error(`resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] + end[1] / 1e9}s`)
-  if (tree.meta && options.save) {
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-}).catch(er => console.error(require('util').inspect(er, { depth: Infinity })))
+module.exports = (options, time) => {
+  const arb = new Arborist(options)
+  return arb
+    .reify(options)
+    .then(time)
+    .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+      printTree(tree)
+      if (options.dryRun) {
+        printDiff(arb.diff)
+      }
+      if (tree.meta && options.save) {
+        await tree.meta.save()
+      }
+      return `resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.seconds}`
+    })
+}
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/shrinkwrap.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/shrinkwrap.js
index b40416b7b9e1f..56603224e9988 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/shrinkwrap.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/shrinkwrap.js
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 const Shrinkwrap = require('../lib/shrinkwrap.js')
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
 
-const { quiet } = options
-Shrinkwrap.load(options)
-  .then(s => quiet || console.log(JSON.stringify(s.commit(), 0, 2)))
-  .catch(er => {
-    console.error('shrinkwrap load failure', er)
-    process.exit(1)
-  })
+module.exports = (options, time) => Shrinkwrap
+  .load(options)
+  .then((s) => s.commit())
+  .then(time)
+  .then(({ result: s }) => JSON.stringify(s, 0, 2))
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/virtual.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/virtual.js
index 457c945e72c21..95b1de282e603 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/virtual.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/virtual.js
@@ -1,18 +1,14 @@
 const Arborist = require('../')
 
-const print = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
-const options = require('./lib/options.js')
-require('./lib/logging.js')
-require('./lib/timers.js')
+const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
 
-const start = process.hrtime()
-new Arborist(options).loadVirtual().then(tree => {
-  const end = process.hrtime(start)
-  if (!options.quiet) {
-    print(tree)
-  }
-  if (options.save) {
-    tree.meta.save()
-  }
-  console.error(`read ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${end[0] * 1000 + end[1] / 1e6}ms`)
-}).catch(er => console.error(er))
+module.exports = (options, time) => new Arborist(options)
+  .loadVirtual()
+  .then(time)
+  .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
+    printTree(tree)
+    if (options.save) {
+      await tree.meta.save()
+    }
+    return `read ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.ms}`
+  })
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/package.json b/workspaces/arborist/package.json
index a915c9d8b1f6f..11d9ef994355b 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/package.json
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/package.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     "json-stringify-nice": "^1.1.4",
     "mkdirp": "^1.0.4",
     "mkdirp-infer-owner": "^2.0.0",
+    "nopt": "^5.0.0",
     "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
     "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.5",
     "npm-pick-manifest": "^6.1.0",