diff --git a/.changeset/perfect-kangaroos-agree.md b/.changeset/perfect-kangaroos-agree.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1c482cc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/perfect-kangaroos-agree.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@verdaccio/cli': major
+---
+
+feat: use clipanion over commander
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-e2e-ui.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-e2e-ui.yml
index 88ff5d028..8b18e7e5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-e2e-ui.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-e2e-ui.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: E2E UI
 on:
   push:
     branches:
-      - 5.x
+      - 6.x
       - 'changeset-release/6.x'
   pull_request:
     paths:
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Use Node ${{ matrix.node_version }}
         uses: actions/setup-node@v1
         with:
-          node_version: ${{ matrix.node_version }}
+          node-version: ${{ matrix.node_version }}
       - name: Install pnpm
         run: npm i -g pnpm@latest
       - name: Install
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml
index 3a7089a8a..289787803 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
         node_version: [14]
 
     name: ${{ matrix.os }} / Node ${{ matrix.node_version }}
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Use Node ${{ matrix.node_version }}
         uses: actions/setup-node@v1
         with:
-          node_version: ${{ matrix.node_version }}
+          node-version: ${{ matrix.node_version }}
       - name: Install pnpm
         run: npm i -g pnpm@latest
       - name: Install
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index ff6c2e1aa..05924fb4a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     "@verdaccio/cli-ui": "workspace:5.0.0-alpha.3",
     "@verdaccio/node-api": "workspace:5.0.0-alpha.8",
     "commander": "6.2.0",
+    "clipanion": "3.0.0-rc.11",
     "envinfo": "7.4.0",
     "kleur": "3.0.3",
     "semver": "7.3.2"
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/.eslintrc b/packages/cli/src/.eslintrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b090d8ea9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/.eslintrc
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+
+{
+  "rules": {
+    "max-len": 0
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
index 6d833b31e..26e731d25 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -1,58 +1,33 @@
-import commander from 'commander';
-import { bgYellow, bgRed } from 'kleur';
-
 import { displayError } from '@verdaccio/cli-ui';
+import { Cli } from 'clipanion';
+import { InfoCommand } from './commands/info';
+import { InitCommand } from './commands/init';
+import { VersionCommand } from './commands/version';
+import { isVersionValid, MIN_NODE_VERSION } from './utils';
 
-import infoCommand from './commands/info';
-import initProgram from './commands/init';
-import { isVersionValid } from './utils';
+if (process.getuid && process.getuid() === 0) {
+  process.emitWarning(`Verdaccio doesn't need superuser privileges. don't run it under root`);
+}
 
-const isRootUser = process.getuid && process.getuid() === 0;
-
-if (isRootUser) {
-  global.console.warn(
-    bgYellow().red(
-      "*** WARNING: Verdaccio doesn't need superuser privileges. Don't run it under root! ***"
-    )
+if (!isVersionValid(process.version)) {
+  throw new Error(
+    `Verdaccio requires at least Node.js v${MIN_NODE_VERSION} or higher and you have installed ${process.version}, 
+    please upgrade your Node.js distribution`
   );
 }
 
-if (isVersionValid()) {
-  global.console.error(
-    bgRed(
-      'Verdaccio requires at least Node.js ${MIN_NODE_VERSION} or higher,' +
-        ' please upgrade your Node.js distribution'
-    )
-  );
-  process.exit(1);
-}
+const [node, app, ...args] = process.argv;
 
-process.title = 'verdaccio';
+const cli = new Cli({
+  binaryLabel: `verdaccio`,
+  binaryName: `${node} ${app}`,
+  binaryVersion: require('../package.json').version,
+});
 
-const pkgVersion = require('../package.json').version;
-const pkgName = 'verdaccio';
-
-commander
-  .option('-i, --info', 'prints debugging information about the local environment')
-  .option('-l, --listen <[host:]port>', 'host:port number to listen on (default: localhost:4873)')
-  .option('-c, --config <config.yaml>', 'use this configuration file (default: ./config.yaml)')
-  .version(pkgVersion)
-  .parse(process.argv);
-
-const fallbackConfig = commander.args.length == 1 && !commander.config;
-const isHelp = commander.args.length !== 0;
-
-if (commander.info) {
-  infoCommand();
-} else if (fallbackConfig) {
-  // handling "verdaccio [config]" case if "-c" is missing in command line
-  commander.config = commander.args.pop();
-  initProgram(commander, pkgVersion, pkgName);
-} else if (isHelp) {
-  commander.help();
-} else {
-  initProgram(commander, pkgVersion, pkgName);
-}
+cli.register(InfoCommand);
+cli.register(InitCommand);
+cli.register(VersionCommand);
+cli.runExit(args, Cli.defaultContext);
 
 process.on('uncaughtException', function (err) {
   displayError(
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/info.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/info.ts
index 520d9f056..89d092742 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/info.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/info.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
 import envinfo from 'envinfo';
+import { Command } from 'clipanion';
 
-export default function infoCommand() {
-  // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-  console.log('\nEnvironment Info:');
-  (async () => {
+export class InfoCommand extends Command {
+  static paths = [[`--info`], [`-i`]];
+
+  async execute() {
+    this.context.stdout.write('\nEnvironment Info:');
     const data = await envinfo.run({
       System: ['OS', 'CPU'],
-      Binaries: ['Node', 'Yarn', 'npm'],
+      Binaries: ['node', 'yarn', 'npm', 'pnpm'],
       Virtualization: ['Docker'],
       Browsers: ['Chrome', 'Edge', 'Firefox', 'Safari'],
       npmGlobalPackages: ['verdaccio'],
     });
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-    console.log(data);
+
+    this.context.stdout.write(data);
     process.exit(0);
-  })();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/init.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/init.ts
index 41ffaffaf..b495ffbb1 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/init.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/init.ts
@@ -1,37 +1,108 @@
+import { Command, Option } from 'clipanion';
+
 import { ConfigRuntime } from '@verdaccio/types';
 import { findConfigFile, parseConfigFile } from '@verdaccio/config';
 import { startVerdaccio, listenDefaultCallback } from '@verdaccio/node-api';
 
 export const DEFAULT_PROCESS_NAME: string = 'verdaccio';
 
-export default function initProgram(commander, pkgVersion, pkgName) {
-  const cliListener = commander.listen;
-  let configPathLocation;
-  let verdaccioConfiguration: ConfigRuntime;
-  try {
-    configPathLocation = findConfigFile(commander.config);
-    verdaccioConfiguration = parseConfigFile(configPathLocation);
-    const { web, https } = verdaccioConfiguration;
+export class InitCommand extends Command {
+  static paths = [Command.Default];
 
-    process.title = web?.title || DEFAULT_PROCESS_NAME;
+  listen = Option.String('-l,--listen', {
+    description: 'host:port number to listen on (default: localhost:4873)',
+  });
 
-    if (!https) {
-      verdaccioConfiguration = Object.assign({}, verdaccioConfiguration, {
-        https: { enable: false },
-      });
+  // eslint-disable-next-line
+  static usage = Command.Usage({
+    description: `launch the server`,
+    details: `
+      This start the registry in the default port.
+
+      When used without arguments, it:
+
+      - bootstrap the server at the port  \`4873\`
+
+      The optional arguments are:
+
+      - \`--listen\` to switch the default server port,
+      - \`--config\` to define a different configuration path location,
+
+    `,
+    examples: [
+      [`Runs the server with the default configuration`, `verdaccio`],
+      [`Runs the server in the port 5000`, `verdaccio --listen 5000`],
+      [
+        `Runs the server by using a different absolute location of the configuration file`,
+        `verdaccio --config /home/user/verdaccio/config.yaml`,
+      ],
+    ],
+  });
+
+  config = Option.String('-c,--config', {
+    description: 'use this configuration file (default: ./config.yaml)',
+  });
+
+  async execute() {
+    let configPathLocation;
+    let verdaccioConfiguration: ConfigRuntime;
+    try {
+      configPathLocation = findConfigFile(this.config as string);
+      verdaccioConfiguration = parseConfigFile(configPathLocation);
+      const { web, https } = verdaccioConfiguration;
+
+      process.title = web?.title || DEFAULT_PROCESS_NAME;
+
+      if (!https) {
+        verdaccioConfiguration = Object.assign({}, verdaccioConfiguration, {
+          https: { enable: false },
+        });
+      }
+
+      const { version, name } = require('../../package.json');
+
+      startVerdaccio(
+        verdaccioConfiguration,
+        this.listen as string,
+        configPathLocation,
+        version,
+        name,
+        listenDefaultCallback
+      );
+    } catch (err) {
+      process.exit(1);
     }
-
-    // initLogger.warn({file: configPathLocation}, 'config file  - @{file}');
-
-    startVerdaccio(
-      verdaccioConfiguration,
-      cliListener,
-      configPathLocation,
-      pkgVersion,
-      pkgName,
-      listenDefaultCallback
-    );
-  } catch (err) {
-    process.exit(1);
   }
 }
+
+// export default function initProgram(commander, pkgVersion, pkgName) {
+//   const cliListener = commander.listen;
+//   let configPathLocation;
+//   let verdaccioConfiguration: ConfigRuntime;
+//   try {
+//     configPathLocation = findConfigFile(commander.config);
+//     verdaccioConfiguration = parseConfigFile(configPathLocation);
+//     const { web, https } = verdaccioConfiguration;
+
+//     process.title = web?.title || DEFAULT_PROCESS_NAME;
+
+//     if (!https) {
+//       verdaccioConfiguration = Object.assign({}, verdaccioConfiguration, {
+//         https: { enable: false },
+//       });
+//     }
+
+//     // initLogger.warn({file: configPathLocation}, 'config file  - @{file}');
+
+//     startVerdaccio(
+//       verdaccioConfiguration,
+//       cliListener,
+//       configPathLocation,
+//       pkgVersion,
+//       pkgName,
+//       listenDefaultCallback
+//     );
+//   } catch (err) {
+//     process.exit(1);
+//   }
+// }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/version.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/version.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b6800084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/version.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { Command } from 'clipanion';
+
+export class VersionCommand extends Command {
+  static paths = [[`--version`], [`-v`]];
+
+  async execute() {
+    const version = require('../../package.json').version;
+    this.context.stdout.write(`v${version}`);
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils.ts
index 117631ee9..cbb2ab5b7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import semver from 'semver';
 
-export const MIN_NODE_VERSION = '10.22.1';
+export const MIN_NODE_VERSION = '12';
 
-export const isVersionValid = () =>
-  semver.satisfies(process.version, `>=${MIN_NODE_VERSION}`) === false;
+export function isVersionValid(version) {
+  return semver.satisfies(version, `>=${MIN_NODE_VERSION}`);
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/utils.spec.ts b/packages/cli/test/utils.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..54add97d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/test/utils.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { isVersionValid } from '../src/utils';
+
+test('valid version node.js', () => {
+  expect(isVersionValid('14.0.0')).toBeTruthy();
+});
+
+test('is invalid version node.js', () => {
+  expect(isVersionValid('11.0.0')).toBeFalsy();
+});
+
+test('Node 12 should valid version node.js', () => {
+  expect(isVersionValid('12.0.0')).toBeTruthy();
+});
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 04b01cbc5..1bf0246dc 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ importers:
       '@verdaccio/cli-ui': link:../core/cli-ui
       '@verdaccio/config': link:../config
       '@verdaccio/node-api': link:../node-api
+      clipanion: 3.0.0-rc.11
       commander: 6.2.0
       envinfo: 7.4.0
       kleur: 3.0.3
@@ -297,6 +298,7 @@ importers:
       '@verdaccio/cli-ui': workspace:5.0.0-alpha.3
       '@verdaccio/config': workspace:5.0.0-alpha.3
       '@verdaccio/node-api': workspace:5.0.0-alpha.8
+      clipanion: 3.0.0-rc.11
       commander: 6.2.0
       envinfo: 7.4.0
       kleur: 3.0.3
@@ -10417,6 +10419,12 @@ packages:
       node: '>= 10'
     resolution:
       integrity: sha512-FxqpkPPwu1HjuN93Omfm4h8uIanXofW0RxVEW3k5RKx+mJJYSthzNhp32Kzxxy3YAEZ/Dc/EWN1vZRY0+kOhbw==
+  /clipanion/3.0.0-rc.11:
+    dependencies:
+      typanion: 3.3.0
+    dev: false
+    resolution:
+      integrity: sha512-e0GyZXjprnxRuls/pHH0cqAgKtpiceQy8PztEZP9fdnkMxuo05D5en9fx60Iiqqjge8pmrMfsiglueS8SWmlgg==
   /clipboard/2.0.6:
     dependencies:
       good-listener: 1.2.2
@@ -26412,6 +26420,10 @@ packages:
   /tweetnacl/0.14.5:
     resolution:
       integrity: sha1-WuaBd/GS1EViadEIr6k/+HQ/T2Q=
+  /typanion/3.3.0:
+    dev: false
+    resolution:
+      integrity: sha512-e+54C4+ozFsTorFe50JNQlXlt4HVGQUvqul7VS0GbDfKlxh3aXbJY87Yu9IdtzvJWCyTgDX7q1PeMd3FH9zZqA==
   /type-check/0.3.2:
     dependencies:
       prelude-ls: 1.1.2