diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Features-20220908-104149.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Features-20220908-104149.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c975dfb1446
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Features-20220908-104149.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+kind: Features
+body: Adds new cli framework
+time: 2022-09-08T10:41:49.375734-05:00
+custom:
+  Author: iknox-fa
+  Issue: "5526"
+  PR: "5647"
diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/README.md b/core/dbt/cli/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1333ed77b7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/dbt/cli/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TODO
diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/__init__.py b/core/dbt/cli/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/main.py b/core/dbt/cli/main.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3f11c001827
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/dbt/cli/main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,379 @@
+import click
+from dbt.cli import params as p
+import sys
+
+# This is temporary for RAT-ing
+import inspect
+from pprint import pformat as pf
+
+
+# dbt
+@click.group(
+    invoke_without_command=True,
+    no_args_is_help=True,
+    epilog="Specify one of these sub-commands and you can find more help from there.",
+)
+@click.pass_context
+@p.version
+@p.cache_selected_only
+@p.debug
+@p.fail_fast
+@p.log_format
+@p.partial_parse
+@p.print
+@p.printer_width
+@p.quiet
+@p.send_anonymous_usage_stats
+@p.static_parser
+@p.use_colors
+@p.use_experimental_parser
+@p.version_check
+@p.warn_error
+@p.write_json
+@p.event_buffer_size
+@p.record_timing
+def cli(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """An ELT tool for managing your SQL transformations and data models.
+    For more documentation on these commands, visit: docs.getdbt.com
+    """
+    if kwargs.get("version", False):
+        click.echo(f"`version` called\n ctx.params: {pf(ctx.params)}")
+        sys.exit()
+    else:
+        del ctx.params["version"]
+
+
+# dbt build
+@cli.command("build")
+@click.pass_context
+def build(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Run all Seeds, Models, Snapshots, and tests in DAG order"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt clean
+@cli.command("clean")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.project_dir
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.profile
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+def clean(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Delete all folders in the clean-targets list (usually the dbt_packages and target directories.)"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt docs
+@cli.group()
+@click.pass_context
+def docs(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Generate or serve the documentation website for your project"""
+
+
+# dbt docs generate
+@docs.command("generate")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.version_check
+@p.project_dir
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.profile
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.compile_docs
+@p.defer
+@p.threads
+@p.target_path
+@p.log_path
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+def docs_generate(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Generate the documentation website for your project"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt docs serve
+@docs.command("serve")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.project_dir
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.profile
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.port
+@p.browser
+def docs_serve(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Serve the documentation website for your project"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt compile
+@cli.command("compile")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.version_check
+@p.project_dir
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.profile
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.parse_only
+@p.threads
+@p.target_path
+@p.log_path
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+@p.defer
+@p.full_refresh
+def compile(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Generates executable SQL from source, model, test, and analysis files. Compiled SQL files are written to the target/ directory."""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt debug
+@cli.command("debug")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.version_check
+@p.project_dir
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.profile
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.config_dir
+def debug(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Show some helpful information about dbt for debugging. Not to be confused with the --debug option which increases verbosity."""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt deps
+@cli.command("deps")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+def deps(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Pull the most recent version of the dependencies listed in packages.yml"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt init
+@cli.command("init")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.skip_profile_setup
+def init(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Initialize a new DBT project."""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt list
+# dbt TODO: Figure out aliasing for ls (or just c/p?)
+@cli.command("list")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.output
+@p.ouptut_keys
+@p.resource_type
+@p.models
+@p.indirect_selection
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+def list(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """List the resources in your project"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt parse
+@cli.command("parse")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.write_manifest
+@p.compile_parse
+@p.threads
+@p.target_path
+@p.log_path
+@p.version_check
+def parse(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Parses the project and provides information on performance"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt run
+@cli.command("run")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.fail_fast
+@p.version_check
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.log_path
+@p.target_path
+@p.threads
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+@p.defer
+@p.full_refresh
+def run(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Compile SQL and execute against the current target database."""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt run operation
+@cli.command("run-operation")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.args
+def run_operation(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Run the named macro with any supplied arguments."""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt seed
+@cli.command("seed")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.version_check
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.full_refresh
+@p.log_path
+@p.target_path
+@p.threads
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+@p.show
+def seed(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Load data from csv files into your data warehouse."""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt snapshot
+@cli.command("snapshot")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.threads
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+@p.defer
+def snapshot(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Execute snapshots defined in your project"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt source
+@cli.group()
+@click.pass_context
+def source(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Manage your project's sources"""
+
+
+# dbt source freshness
+@source.command("freshness")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.threads
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+@p.output_path  # TODO: Is this ok to re-use?  We have three different output params, how much can we consolidate?
+def freshness(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Snapshots the current freshness of the project's sources"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.parent.params)}"
+    )
+
+
+# dbt test
+@cli.command("test")
+@click.pass_context
+@p.fail_fast
+@p.version_check
+@p.store_failures
+@p.profile
+@p.profiles_dir
+@p.project_dir
+@p.target
+@p.vars
+@p.indirect_selection
+@p.log_path
+@p.target_path
+@p.threads
+@p.models
+@p.exclude
+@p.selector
+@p.state
+@p.defer
+def test(ctx, **kwargs):
+    """Runs tests on data in deployed models. Run this after `dbt run`"""
+    click.echo(
+        f"`{inspect.stack()[0][3]}` called\n kwargs: {kwargs}\n ctx: {pf(ctx.parent.params)}"
+    )
diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/params.py b/core/dbt/cli/params.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f991359ecf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/dbt/cli/params.py
@@ -0,0 +1,304 @@
+import click
+import yaml
+from pathlib import Path, PurePath
+from click import ParamType
+
+
+class YAML(ParamType):
+    """The Click YAML type. Converts YAML strings into objects."""
+
+    name = "YAML"
+
+    def convert(self, value, param, ctx):
+        # assume non-string values are a problem
+        if not isinstance(value, str):
+            self.fail(f"Cannot load YAML from type {type(value)}", param, ctx)
+        try:
+            return yaml.load(value, Loader=yaml.Loader)
+        except yaml.parser.ParserError:
+            self.fail(f"String '{value}' is not valid YAML", param, ctx)
+
+
+args = click.option(
+    "--args",
+    help="Supply arguments to the macro. This dictionary will be mapped to the keyword arguments defined in the selected macro. This argument should be a YAML string, eg. '{my_variable: my_value}'",
+    type=YAML(),
+)
+
+browser = click.option(
+    "--browser/--no-browser",
+    help="Wether or not to open a local web browser after starting the server",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+cache_selected_only = click.option(
+    "--cache-selected-only/--no-cache-selected-only",
+    help="Pre cache database objects relevant to selected resource only.",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+compile_docs = click.option(
+    "--compile/--no-compile",
+    help="Wether or not to run 'dbt compile' as part of docs generation",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+compile_parse = click.option(
+    "--compile/--no-compile",
+    help="TODO: No help text currently available",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+config_dir = click.option(
+    "--config-dir",
+    help="If specified, DBT will show path information for this project",
+    type=click.STRING,
+)
+
+debug = click.option(
+    "--debug/--no-debug",
+    "-d/ ",
+    help="Display debug logging during dbt execution. Useful for debugging and making bug reports.",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+defer = click.option(
+    "--defer/--no-defer",
+    help="If set, defer to the state variable for resolving unselected nodes.",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+event_buffer_size = click.option(
+    "--event-buffer-size",
+    help="Sets the max number of events to buffer in EVENT_HISTORY.",
+    default=100000,
+    type=click.INT,
+)
+
+exclude = click.option("--exclude", help="Specify the nodes to exclude.")
+
+fail_fast = click.option(
+    "--fail-fast/--no-fail-fast", "-x/ ", help="Stop execution on first failure.", default=False
+)
+
+full_refresh = click.option(
+    "--full-refresh",
+    help="If specified, dbt will drop incremental models and fully-recalculate the incremental table from the model definition.",
+    is_flag=True,
+)
+
+indirect_selection = click.option(
+    "--indirect_selection",
+    help="Select all tests that are adjacent to selected resources, even if they those resources have been explicitly selected.",
+    type=click.Choice(["eager", "cautious"], case_sensitive=False),
+    default="eager",
+)
+
+log_format = click.option(
+    "--log-format",
+    help="Specify the log format, overriding the command's default.",
+    type=click.Choice(["text", "json", "default"], case_sensitive=False),
+    default="default",
+)
+
+log_path = click.option(
+    "--log-path",
+    help="Configure the 'log-path'. Only applies this setting for the current run. Overrides the 'DBT_LOG_PATH' if it is set.",
+    type=click.Path(),
+)
+
+models = click.option("-m", "-s", help="Specify the nodes to include.", multiple=True)
+
+output = click.option(
+    "--output",
+    help="TODO: No current help text",
+    type=click.Choice(["json", "name", "path", "selector"], case_sensitive=False),
+    default="name",
+)
+
+ouptut_keys = click.option(
+    "--output-keys",
+    help="TODO: No current help text",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+output_path = click.option(
+    "--output",
+    "-o",
+    help="Specify the output path for the json report. By default, outputs to 'target/sources.json'",
+    type=click.Path(file_okay=True, dir_okay=False, writable=True),
+    default=PurePath.joinpath(Path.cwd(), "target/sources.json"),
+)
+
+parse_only = click.option(
+    "--parse-only",
+    help="TODO:  No help text currently available",
+    is_flag=True,
+)
+
+partial_parse = click.option(
+    "--partial-parse/--no-partial-parse",
+    help="Allow for partial parsing by looking for and writing to a pickle file in the target directory. This overrides the user configuration file.",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+port = click.option(
+    "--port", help="Specify the port number for the docs server", default=8080, type=click.INT
+)
+
+print = click.option(
+    "--print/--no-print", help="Output all {{ print() }} macro calls.", default=True
+)
+
+printer_width = click.option(
+    "--printer_width", help="Sets the width of terminal output", type=click.INT, default=80
+)
+
+profile = click.option(
+    "--profile",
+    help="Which profile to load. Overrides setting in dbt_project.yml.",
+)
+
+profiles_dir = click.option(
+    "--profiles-dir",
+    help=f"Which directory to look in for the profiles.yml file. Default = {PurePath.joinpath(Path.home(), '.dbt')}",
+    default=PurePath.joinpath(Path.home(), ".dbt"),
+    type=click.Path(
+        exists=True,
+    ),
+)
+
+project_dir = click.option(
+    "--project-dir",
+    help="Which directory to look in for the dbt_project.yml file. Default is the current working directory and its parents.",
+    default=Path.cwd(),
+    type=click.Path(exists=True),
+)
+
+quiet = click.option(
+    "--quiet/--no-quiet",
+    help="Suppress all non-error logging to stdout. Does not affect {{ print() }} macro calls.",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+record_timing = click.option(
+    "-r",
+    "--record-timing-info",
+    help="When this option is passed, dbt will output low-level timing stats to the specified file. Example: `--record-timing-info output.profile`",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+)
+
+resource_type = click.option(
+    "--resource-type",
+    help="TODO: No current help text",
+    type=click.Choice(
+        [
+            "metric",
+            "source",
+            "analysis",
+            "model",
+            "test",
+            "exposure",
+            "snapshot",
+            "seed",
+            "default",
+            "all",
+        ],
+        case_sensitive=False,
+    ),
+    default="default",
+)
+
+selector = click.option("--selector", help="The selector name to use, as defined in selectors.yml")
+
+send_anonymous_usage_stats = click.option(
+    "--anonymous-usage-stats/--no-anonymous-usage-stats",
+    help="Send anonymous usage stats to dbt Labs.",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+show = click.option(
+    "--show",
+    help="Show a sample of the loaded data in the terminal",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+skip_profile_setup = click.option(
+    "--skip-profile-setup",
+    "-s",
+    help="Skip interative profile setup.",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+state = click.option(
+    "--state",
+    help="If set, use the given directory as the source for json files to compare with this project.",
+)
+
+static_parser = click.option(
+    "--static-parser/--no-static-parser", help="Use the static parser.", default=True
+)
+
+store_failures = click.option(
+    "--store-failures", help="Store test results (failing rows) in the database", default=False
+)
+
+target = click.option("-t", "--target", help="Which target to load for the given profile")
+
+target_path = click.option(
+    "--target-path",
+    help="Configure the 'target-path'. Only applies this setting for the current run. Overrides the 'DBT_TARGET_PATH' if it is set.",
+    type=click.Path(),
+)
+
+threads = click.option(
+    "--threads",
+    help="Specify number of threads to use while executing models. Overrides settings in profiles.yml.",
+    default=1,
+    type=click.INT,
+)
+
+use_colors = click.option(
+    "--use-colors/--no-use-colors",
+    help="Output is colorized by default and may also be set in a profile or at the command line.",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+use_experimental_parser = click.option(
+    "--use-experimental-parser/--no-use-experimental-parser",
+    help="Enable experimental parsing features.",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+vars = click.option(
+    "--vars",
+    help="Supply variables to the project. This argument overrides variables defined in your dbt_project.yml file. This argument should be a YAML string, eg. '{my_variable: my_value}'",
+    type=YAML(),
+)
+
+version = click.option("--version", help="Show version information", is_flag=True, default=False)
+
+version_check = click.option(
+    "--version-check/--no-version-check",
+    help="Ensure dbt's version matches the one specified in the dbt_project.yml file ('require-dbt-version')",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+warn_error = click.option(
+    "--warn-error/--no-warn-error",
+    help="If dbt would normally warn, instead raise an exception. Examples include --models that selects nothing, deprecations, configurations with no associated models, invalid test configurations, and missing sources/refs in tests.",
+    default=False,
+)
+
+write_json = click.option(
+    "--write-json/--no-write-json",
+    help="Writing the manifest and run_results.json files to disk",
+    default=True,
+)
+
+write_manifest = click.option(
+    "--write-manifest/--no-write-manifest",
+    help="TODO: No help text currently available",
+    default=True,
+)
diff --git a/core/setup.py b/core/setup.py
index f893b7d5e43..2c254dcf6b0 100644
--- a/core/setup.py
+++ b/core/setup.py
@@ -43,9 +43,7 @@
     include_package_data=True,
     test_suite="test",
     entry_points={
-        "console_scripts": [
-            "dbt = dbt.main:main",
-        ],
+        "console_scripts": ["dbt = dbt.main:main", "dbt-cli = dbt.cli.main:cli"],
     },
     install_requires=[
         "Jinja2==3.1.2",
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cli.py b/tests/unit/test_cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..294961c98e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+from dbt.cli.main import cli
+import click
+
+
+class TestCLI:
+    def test_commands_have_docstrings(self):
+        def run_test(commands):
+            for _, command in commands.items():
+                if type(command) is click.core.Command:
+                    assert command.__doc__ is not None
+                if type(command) is click.core.Group:
+                    run_test(command.commands)
+
+        run_test(cli.commands)
+
+    def test_params_have_help_texts(self):
+        def run_test(commands):
+            for _, command in commands.items():
+                if type(command) is click.core.Command:
+                    for param in command.params:
+                        assert param.help is not None
+                if type(command) is click.core.Group:
+                    run_test(command.commands)
+
+        run_test(cli.commands)