diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index 17df7a2..31d1613 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pressly/cli/pkg/suggest"
 )
 
+// ErrHelp is returned by [Parse] when the -help or -h flag is invoked. It is identical to
+// [flag.ErrHelp] but re-exported here so callers using [Parse] and [Run] separately do not need to
+// import the flag package solely for error checking.
+//
+// Note: [ParseAndRun] handles this automatically and never surfaces ErrHelp to the caller.
+var ErrHelp = flag.ErrHelp
+
 // Command represents a CLI command or subcommand within the application's command hierarchy.
 type Command struct {
 	// Name is always a single word representing the command's name. It is used to identify the
diff --git a/examples/cmd/echo/main.go b/examples/cmd/echo/main.go
index 56e81eb..ac664a8 100644
--- a/examples/cmd/echo/main.go
+++ b/examples/cmd/echo/main.go
@@ -36,15 +36,7 @@ func main() {
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
-	if err := cli.Parse(root, os.Args[1:]); err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, flag.ErrHelp) {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "%s\n", cli.DefaultUsage(root))
-			return
-		}
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	if err := cli.Run(context.Background(), root, nil); err != nil {
+	if err := cli.ParseAndRun(context.Background(), root, os.Args[1:], nil); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
diff --git a/examples/cmd/task/main.go b/examples/cmd/task/main.go
index 30c6a14..5ba23b9 100644
--- a/examples/cmd/task/main.go
+++ b/examples/cmd/task/main.go
@@ -50,15 +50,7 @@ func main() {
 		},
 	}
 
-	if err := cli.Parse(root, os.Args[1:]); err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, flag.ErrHelp) {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "%s\n", cli.DefaultUsage(root))
-			return
-		}
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	if err := cli.Run(context.Background(), root, nil); err != nil {
+	if err := cli.ParseAndRun(context.Background(), root, os.Args[1:], nil); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
diff --git a/parse.go b/parse.go
index b8efd54..3b35307 100644
--- a/parse.go
+++ b/parse.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func Parse(root *Command, args []string) error {
 		if arg == "-h" || arg == "--h" || arg == "-help" || arg == "--help" {
 			// Combine flags first so the help message includes all inherited flags
 			combineFlags(root.state.path)
-			return flag.ErrHelp
+			return ErrHelp
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/run.go b/run.go
index 5f3cc38..c35cf22 100644
--- a/run.go
+++ b/run.go
@@ -49,6 +49,34 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, root *Command, options *RunOptions) error {
 	return run(ctx, cmd, root.state)
 }
 
+// ParseAndRun is a convenience function that combines [Parse] and [Run] into a single call. It
+// parses the command hierarchy, handles help flags automatically (printing usage to stdout and
+// returning nil), and then executes the resolved command.
+//
+// This is the recommended entry point for most CLI applications:
+//
+//	if err := cli.ParseAndRun(ctx, root, os.Args[1:], nil); err != nil {
+//	    fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
+//	    os.Exit(1)
+//	}
+//
+// The options parameter may be nil, in which case default values are used. See [RunOptions] for
+// more details.
+//
+// For applications that need to perform work between parsing and execution (e.g., initializing
+// resources based on parsed flags), use [Parse] and [Run] separately.
+func ParseAndRun(ctx context.Context, root *Command, args []string, options *RunOptions) error {
+	if err := Parse(root, args); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, ErrHelp) {
+			options = checkAndSetRunOptions(options)
+			_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(options.Stdout, DefaultUsage(root))
+			return nil
+		}
+		return err
+	}
+	return Run(ctx, root, options)
+}
+
 func run(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command, state *State) (retErr error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if r := recover(); r != nil {
@@ -121,12 +149,12 @@ func location(skip int) string {
 
 	frame, _ := runtime.CallersFrames(pcs[:n]).Next()
 
-	// Trim the module name from function and file paths for cleaner output.
-	// Function names use the module path directly (e.g., "github.com/pressly/cli.Run").
+	// Trim the module name from function and file paths for cleaner output. Function names use the
+	// module path directly (e.g., "github.com/pressly/cli.Run").
 	fn := strings.TrimPrefix(frame.Function, getGoModuleName()+"/")
-	// File paths from runtime are absolute (e.g., "/Users/.../cli/run.go"). We want a relative
-	// path for cleaner output. Try to find the module's import path in the filesystem path
-	// (works with GOPATH-style layouts), otherwise fall back to just the base filename.
+	// File paths from runtime are absolute (e.g., "/Users/.../cli/run.go"). We want a relative path
+	// for cleaner output. Try to find the module's import path in the filesystem path (works with
+	// GOPATH-style layouts), otherwise fall back to just the base filename.
 	file := frame.File
 	mod := getGoModuleName()
 	if mod != "" {