diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/AbstractCommand.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/AbstractCommand.java
index d220d834eb..6030c211da 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/AbstractCommand.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/AbstractCommand.java
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import org.springframework.boot.cli.command.options.OptionHelp;
  */
 public abstract class AbstractCommand implements Command {
 
+	protected static final String NEW_LINE = System.getProperty("line.separator");
+
 	private final String name;
 
 	private final String description;
@@ -58,6 +60,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractCommand implements Command {
 		return null;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public String getExamples() {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public String getHelp() {
 		return null;
diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/Command.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/Command.java
index 05d6a3c21b..97ee5f33a8 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/Command.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/Command.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import org.springframework.boot.cli.command.status.ExitStatus;
  *
  * @author Phillip Webb
  * @author Dave Syer
+ * @author Stephane Nicoll
  * @see #run(String...)
  */
 public interface Command {
@@ -47,6 +48,13 @@ public interface Command {
 	 */
 	String getUsageHelp();
 
+	/**
+	 * Return some examples for the command. This can be a multi-lined string with
+	 * one example per line, starting with the description and ending with the
+	 * example.
+	 */
+	String getExamples();
+
 	/**
 	 * Gets full help text for the command, e.g. a longer description and one line per
 	 * option.
diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/core/HelpCommand.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/core/HelpCommand.java
index 90f8f4b0c5..fc4627f101 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/core/HelpCommand.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/core/HelpCommand.java
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ public class HelpCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 							+ " " + command.getUsageHelp());
 					Log.info("");
 				}
+				if (command.getExamples() != null) {
+					Log.info("example(s):");
+					Log.info("");
+					Log.info(command.getExamples());
+					Log.info("");
+				}
 				if (command.getHelp() != null) {
 					Log.info(command.getHelp());
 				}
diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/init/InitCommand.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/init/InitCommand.java
index 4f4ca9e175..650fa4779d 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/init/InitCommand.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/init/InitCommand.java
@@ -53,6 +53,16 @@ public class InitCommand extends OptionParsingCommand {
 		return "[options] [location]";
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public String getExamples() {
+		StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+		sb.append("Lists the capabilities of the service: spring init --list").append(NEW_LINE);
+		sb.append("Creates a default project: spring init").append(NEW_LINE);
+		sb.append("Creates a web my-app.zip: spring init -d=web my-app.zip").append(NEW_LINE);
+		sb.append("Creates a web/data-jpa gradle project unpacked: spring init -d=web,jpa --build=gradle my-dir/");
+		return sb.toString();
+	}
+
 	static class InitOptionHandler extends OptionHandler {
 
 		private final ServiceCapabilitiesReportGenerator serviceCapabilitiesReport;