diff --git a/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md b/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a40cfc7fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+% ncls(1)
+% nick black <nickblack@linux.com>
+% v2.0.2
+
+# NAME
+
+ncls - List paths with rendering of multimedia
+
+# SYNOPSIS
+
+**ncls** [**-h**] [**-d**] [**-l**] [**-R**] [ paths ]
+
+# DESCRIPTION
+
+**ncls** uses a multimedia-enabled notcurses to list paths, similarly to the
+**ls(1)** command, rendering images and videos to a terminal.
+
+# OPTIONS
+
+**-d**: list directories themselves, not their contents.
+
+**-l**: use a long listing format.
+
+**-R**: list subdirectories recursively.
+
+**-h**: Print help information, and exit with success.
+
+paths: Run on the specified paths. If none are supplied, run on the current
+directory.
+
+# NOTES
+
+Optimal display requires a terminal advertising the **rgb** terminfo(5)
+capability, or that the environment variable **COLORTERM** is defined to
+**24bit** (and that the terminal honors this variable), along with a
+fixed-width font with good coverage of the Unicode Block Drawing Characters.
+
+# SEE ALSO
+
+**notcurses(3)**,
+**notcurses_visual(3)**,
+**terminfo(5)**,
+**unicode(7)**
diff --git a/src/ls/main.cpp b/src/ls/main.cpp
index dc7e2561f..751d164d3 100644
--- a/src/ls/main.cpp
+++ b/src/ls/main.cpp
@@ -5,16 +5,31 @@
 
 static void
 usage(std::ostream& os, const char* name, int code){
-  os << "usage: " << name << " -h | paths...\n";
+  os << "usage: " << name << " -h | [ -lR ] paths...\n";
+  os << " -d: list directories themselves, not their contents\n";
+  os << " -l: use a long listing format\n";
+  os << " -R: list subdirectories recursively\n";
   os << " -h: print usage information\n";
   os << std::flush;
   exit(code);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv){
+  bool longlisting = false;
+  bool recursedirs = false;
+  bool directories = false;
   int c;
-  while((c = getopt(argc, argv, "h")) != -1){
+  while((c = getopt(argc, argv, "dhlR")) != -1){
     switch(c){
+      case 'd':
+        directories = true;
+        break;
+      case 'l':
+        longlisting = true;
+        break;
+      case 'R':
+        recursedirs = true;
+        break;
       case 'h':
         usage(std::cout, argv[0], EXIT_SUCCESS);
         break;
@@ -23,6 +38,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv){
         break;
     }
   }
+  // FIXME if argv[optind] == nullptr, pass "."
   while(argv[optind]){
     std::cout << "arg: " << argv[optind] << std::endl;
     ++optind;