diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f25d582782..4bc9df70c3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,10 +6,16 @@
 /v.*.c
 /v.c.out
 /v.exe
-/tools/vget
-/tools/vget.exe
 /tools/performance_compare
 /tools/performance_compare.exe
+/tools/vrepl
+/tools/vrepl.exe
+/tools/vtest
+/tools/vtest.exe
+/tools/vup
+/tools/vup.exe
+/tools/vpm
+/tools/vpm.exe
 *.exe
 *.o
 .*.c
@@ -30,7 +36,3 @@ vjs
 ._*
 .vrepl_temp.v
 a.out
-tools/vrepl
-tools/vtest
-tools/vup
-examples/sqlite
diff --git a/examples/.gitignore b/examples/.gitignore
index 01b5e0feaa..0b6f509d10 100644
--- a/examples/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/.gitignore
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@
 /database/mysql
 /hello_v_js
 /fibonacci
+/sqlite
diff --git a/tools/vget.v b/tools/vget.v
deleted file mode 100644
index 3cba94489f..0000000000
--- a/tools/vget.v
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,94 +0,0 @@
-module main
-
-import (
-	http
-	os
-	json
-)
-
-const (
-	//url = 'http://localhost:8089'
-	url = 'https://vpm.best'
-)
-
-struct Mod {
-	id int
-	name string
-	url string
-	nr_downloads int
-}
-
-fn get_vmodules_dir_path() string {
-	home := os.home_dir()
-
-	return '${home}.vmodules'
-}
-
-fn ensure_vmodules_dir_exist() {
-	home_vmodules := get_vmodules_dir_path()
-
-	if !os.dir_exists( home_vmodules ) {
-		println('Creating $home_vmodules/ ...')
-		os.mkdir(home_vmodules)
-	}
-}
-
-fn change_to_vmodules_dir() {
-	os.chdir(get_vmodules_dir_path())
-}
-
-fn main() {
-	if os.args.len <= 1 {
-		println('usage: vget module [module] [module] [...]')
-		exit(2)
-	}
-
-	ensure_vmodules_dir_exist()
-	change_to_vmodules_dir()
-
-	mut errors := 0
-	names := os.args.slice(1, os.args.len)
-	for name in names {
-		modurl := url + '/jsmod/$name'
-		r := http.get(modurl) or { panic(err) }
-
-		if r.status_code == 404 {
-			println('Skipping module "$name", since $url reported that "$name" does not exist.')
-			errors++
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if r.status_code != 200 {
-			println('Skipping module "$name", since $url responded with $r.status_code http status code. Please try again later.')
-			errors++
-			continue
-		}
-
-		s := r.text
-		mod := json.decode(Mod, s) or {
-			errors++
-			println('Skipping module "$name", since its information is not in json format.')
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if( '' == mod.url || '' == mod.name ){
-			errors++
-			// a possible 404 error, which means a missing module?
-			println('Skipping module "$name", since it is missing name or url information.')
-			continue
-		}
-
-		final_module_path := get_vmodules_dir_path() + '/' + mod.name.replace('.', '/')
-
-		println('Installing module "$name" from $mod.url to $final_module_path ...')
-		_ = os.exec('git clone --depth=1 $mod.url $final_module_path') or {
-			errors++
-			println('Could not install module "$name" to "$final_module_path" .')
-			println('Error details: $err')
-			continue
-		}
-	}
-	if errors > 0 {
-		exit(1)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/tools/vpm.v b/tools/vpm.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2e2fb76733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/vpm.v
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+module main
+
+import (
+	http
+	os
+	json
+)
+
+const (
+	//url = 'http://localhost:8089'
+	url = 'https://vpm.best'
+	valid_vpm_commands = ['help', 'search', 'install', 'update', 'remove']
+)
+
+struct Mod {
+	id int
+	name string
+	url string
+	nr_downloads int
+}
+
+fn main() {
+	ensure_vmodules_dir_exist()
+	change_to_vmodules_dir()
+	// This tool is intended to be launched by the v frontend,
+	// so its first argument is the path to the v frontend executable.
+	args := os.args // args are: vpm vexepath SUBCOMMAND module names
+	if args.len < 3 {
+		vpm_help([]string)
+		exit(5)
+	}
+	vpm_command := args[2]
+	module_names := args[3..]
+	//println('module names: ') println(module_names)
+	match vpm_command {
+		'help'    { vpm_help(module_names) }
+		'search'  { vpm_search(module_names) }
+		'install' { vpm_install(module_names) }
+		'update'  { vpm_update(module_names) }
+		'remove'  { vpm_remove(module_names) }
+		else {
+			println('Error: you tried to run "v $vpm_command"')
+			println('... but the v package management tool vpm only knows about these commands:')
+			for validcmd in valid_vpm_commands {
+				println('    v $validcmd')
+			}
+			exit(3)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+fn vpm_search(module_names []string){
+	if user_asks_for_help(module_names) {
+		println('Usage:')
+		println('  v search keyword1 [keyword2] [...]')
+		println('  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ will search https://vpm.vlang.io/ for matching modules,')
+		println('                    and will show details about them')
+		exit(0)
+	}
+	if module_names.len == 0 {
+		println('  v search requires *at least one* keyword')
+		exit(2)
+	}
+	todo('search')
+}
+
+fn vpm_install(module_names []string){
+	if user_asks_for_help(module_names) {
+		println('Usage:')
+		println('  v install module [module] [module] [...]')
+		println('  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ will install the modules you specified')
+		exit(0)
+	}
+	if module_names.len == 0 {
+		println('  v install requires *at least one* module name')
+		exit(2)
+	}
+
+	mut errors := 0
+	for name in module_names {
+		modurl := url + '/jsmod/$name'
+		r := http.get(modurl) or { panic(err) }
+
+		if r.status_code == 404 {
+			println('Skipping module "$name", since $url reported that "$name" does not exist.')
+			errors++
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if r.status_code != 200 {
+			println('Skipping module "$name", since $url responded with $r.status_code http status code. Please try again later.')
+			errors++
+			continue
+		}
+
+		s := r.text
+		mod := json.decode(Mod, s) or {
+			errors++
+			println('Skipping module "$name", since its information is not in json format.')
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if( '' == mod.url || '' == mod.name ){
+			errors++
+			// a possible 404 error, which means a missing module?
+			println('Skipping module "$name", since it is missing name or url information.')
+			continue
+		}
+
+		final_module_path := get_vmodules_dir_path() + '/' + mod.name.replace('.', '/')
+
+		println('Installing module "$name" from $mod.url to $final_module_path ...')
+		_ = os.exec('git clone --depth=1 $mod.url $final_module_path') or {
+			errors++
+			println('Could not install module "$name" to "$final_module_path" .')
+			println('Error details: $err')
+			continue
+		}
+	}
+	if errors > 0 {
+		exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+fn vpm_update(module_names []string){
+	if user_asks_for_help(module_names) {
+		println('Usage: ')
+		println(' a) v update module [module] [module] [...]')
+		println('    ^^^^^^^^^^^^ will update the listed modules to their latest versions')
+		println(' b) v update')
+		println('    ^^^^^^^^^^^^ will update ALL installed modules to their latest versions')
+		exit(0)
+	}
+	todo('update')
+}
+
+fn vpm_remove(module_names []string){
+	if user_asks_for_help(module_names) {
+		println('Usage: ')
+		println(' a) v remove module [module] [module] [...]')
+		println('    ^^^^^^^^^^^^ will remove the listed modules')
+		println(' b) v remove')
+		println('    ^^^^^^^^^^^^ will remove ALL installed modules')
+		exit(0)
+	}
+	todo('remove')
+}
+
+fn get_vmodules_dir_path() string {
+	return os.home_dir() + '.vmodules'
+}
+
+fn ensure_vmodules_dir_exist() {
+	home_vmodules := get_vmodules_dir_path()
+	if !os.dir_exists( home_vmodules ) {
+		println('Creating $home_vmodules/ ...')
+		os.mkdir(home_vmodules)
+	}
+}
+
+fn change_to_vmodules_dir() {
+	os.chdir(get_vmodules_dir_path())
+}
+
+fn todo(vpm_command string){
+	println('TODO: v $vpm_command')
+	exit(4)
+}
+
+fn user_asks_for_help(module_names []string) bool {
+	return ('-h' in module_names) || ('--help' in module_names) || ('help' in module_names)
+}
+
+fn vpm_help(module_names []string){
+	println('Usage:')
+	println('  b) v search keyword1 [keyword2] [...]')
+	println('  c) v install module [module] [module] [...]')
+	println('  d) v update [module] [...]')
+	println('  e) v remove [module] [...]')
+	println('')
+	println('  You can also pass -h or --help after each vpm command from the above, to see more details about it.')
+}
diff --git a/tools/vrepl.v b/tools/vrepl.v
index eda08e0d46..2607f90fb4 100644
--- a/tools/vrepl.v
+++ b/tools/vrepl.v
@@ -189,9 +189,10 @@ pub fn run_repl() []string {
 }
 
 fn main() {
-	if os.args.len != 2 || !os.file_exists(os.args[1]) {
-		println('Usage: vrepl [vexe]\n')
-		println('vexe: v binary file')
+	if os.args.len < 2 || !os.file_exists(os.args[1]) {
+		println('Usage:')
+		println('  vrepl vexepath\n')
+		println('  ... where vexepath is the full path to the v executable file')
 		return
 	}
 	run_repl()
diff --git a/v.v b/v.v
index 52fce2fb81..582b02aaa3 100755
--- a/v.v
+++ b/v.v
@@ -17,17 +17,19 @@ fn main() {
 	// There's no `flags` module yet, so args have to be parsed manually
 	args := compiler.env_vflags_and_os_args()
 	options := args.filter(it.starts_with('-'))
-	commands := args.filter(!it.starts_with('-'))
+	//NB: commands should be explicitly set by the command line (os.args)
+	//    NOT passed through VFLAGS, otherwise the naked `v` invocation for
+	//    the repl does not work when you have VFLAGS with -cc or -cflags set
+	//    which may be surprising to v users.
+	stuff_after_executable := os.args[1..]
+	commands := stuff_after_executable.filter(!it.starts_with('-'))
+	
 	// Print the version and exit.
 	if '-v' in options || '--version' in options || 'version' in commands {
 		version_hash := compiler.vhash()
 		println('V $compiler.Version $version_hash')
 		return
 	}
-	else if '-h' in options || '--help' in options || 'help' in commands {
-		println(compiler.help_text)
-		return
-	}
 	else if 'translate' in commands {
 		println('Translating C to V will be available in V 0.3')
 		return
@@ -36,7 +38,11 @@ fn main() {
 		compiler.launch_tool('vup')
 		return
 	}
-	else if 'get' in commands {
+	else if ('search' in commands) || ('install' in commands) || ('update' in commands) || ('remove' in commands){
+		compiler.launch_tool('vpm')
+		return
+	}
+	else if ('get' in commands) { // obsoleted
 		println('use `v install` to install modules from vpm.vlang.io ')
 		return
 	}
@@ -44,10 +50,6 @@ fn main() {
 		compiler.create_symlink()
 		return
 	}
-	else if 'install' in commands {
-		compiler.install_v(args)
-		return
-	}
 	// TODO quit if the v compiler is too old
 	// u := os.file_last_mod_unix('v')
 	// If there's no tmp path with current version yet, the user must be using a pre-built package
@@ -61,6 +63,11 @@ fn main() {
 		compiler.launch_tool('vtest')
 		return
 	}
+	// No args? REPL
+	else if 'runrepl' in commands || commands.len == 0 || (args.len == 2 && args[1] == '-') {
+		compiler.launch_tool('vrepl')
+		return
+	}
 	// Generate the docs and exit
 	else if 'doc' in commands {
 		vexe := os.executable()
@@ -70,15 +77,20 @@ fn main() {
 		os.system('$vexe build module vlib/' + args.last())
 		txt := os.read_file('$compiler.v_modules_path/vlib/${mod}.vh') or {
 			panic(err)
-		}	
+		}
 		println(txt)
 		exit(0)
 		// v.gen_doc_html_for_module(args.last())
-	} else {
+	}
+	else if '-h' in options || '--help' in options || 'help' in commands {
+		println(compiler.help_text)
+		return
+	}
+	else {
 		//println('unknown command/argument\n')
 		//println(compiler.help_text)
-	}	
-	
+	}
+
 	// Construct the V object from command line arguments
 	mut v := compiler.new_v(args)
 	if v.pref.is_verbose {
@@ -92,14 +104,8 @@ fn main() {
 		v.run_compiled_executable_and_exit()
 	}
 
-	// No args? REPL
-	if args.len < 2 || (args.len == 2 && args[1] == '-') || 'runrepl' in args {
-		compiler.run_repl()
-		return
-	}
-
 	mut tmark := benchmark.new_benchmark()
-	v.compile()	
+	v.compile()
 	if v.pref.is_stats {
 		tmark.stop()
 		println( 'compilation took: ' + tmark.total_duration().str() + 'ms')
diff --git a/vlib/compiler/main.v b/vlib/compiler/main.v
index 1c46d7d41a..906287195a 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/main.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/main.v
@@ -993,54 +993,6 @@ pub fn vfmt(args[]string) {
 	println('vfmt is temporarily disabled')
 }
 
-pub fn install_v(args[]string) {
-	if args.len < 3 {
-		println('usage: v install [module] [module] [...]')
-		return
-	}
-	names := args.slice(2, args.len)
-	vexec := vexe_path()
-	vroot := os.dir(vexec)
-	vget := '$vroot/tools/vget'
-	if true {
-		//println('Building vget...')
-		os.chdir(vroot + '/tools')
-		vget_compilation := os.exec('"$vexec" -o $vget vget.v') or {
-			verror(err)
-			return
-		}
-		if vget_compilation.exit_code != 0 {
-			verror( vget_compilation.output )
-			return
-		}
-	}
-	vgetresult := os.exec('$vget ' + names.join(' ')) or {
-		verror(err)
-		return
-	}
-	if vgetresult.exit_code != 0 {
-		verror( vgetresult.output )
-		return
-	}
-}
-
-pub fn run_repl() {
-	vexec := vexe_path()
-	vroot := os.dir(vexec)
-	vrepl := '$vroot/tools/vrepl'
-
-	os.chdir(vroot + '/tools')
-	vrepl_compilation := os.exec('"$vexec" -o $vrepl vrepl.v') or {
-		verror(err)
-		return
-	}
-	if vrepl_compilation.exit_code != 0 {
-		verror(vrepl_compilation.output)
-		return
-	}
-	vreplresult := os.system('$vrepl "$vexec"')
-}
-
 pub fn create_symlink() {
 	vexe := vexe_path()
 	link_path := '/usr/local/bin/v'
diff --git a/vlib/compiler/vhelp.v b/vlib/compiler/vhelp.v
index 047b330b98..71fa2315e8 100644
--- a/vlib/compiler/vhelp.v
+++ b/vlib/compiler/vhelp.v
@@ -66,12 +66,17 @@ Commands:
   build <module>    Compile a module into an object file.
   runrepl           Run the V REPL. If V is running in a tty terminal, the REPL is interactive, otherwise it just reads from stdin.
   symlink           Useful on Unix systems. Symlinks the current V executable to /usr/local/bin/v, so that V is globally available.
-  install <module>  Install a user module from https://vpm.vlang.io/.
   test v            Run all V test files, and compile all V examples.
   test folder/      Run all V test files located in the folder and its subfolders. You can also pass individual _test.v files too.
   fmt               Run vfmt to format the source code. [wip]
   doc               Run vdoc over the source code and produce documentation.
   translate         Translates C to V. [wip, will be available in V 0.3]
+
+V package management commands:
+  search  keywords  Search the https://vpm.vlang.io/ module repository for matching modules and shows their details.
+  install <module>  Install a user module from https://vpm.vlang.io/.
+  update  [module]  Updates an already installed module, or ALL installed modules at once, when no module name is given.
+  remove  [module]  Removes an installed module, or ALL installed modules at once, when no module name is given.
 '
 )