diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 71bfe8b..831cde5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,3 +24,7 @@ Cargo.lock
 
 # ---> Topola
 *.ses
+dist/
+
+# ignore manpages
+topola.1
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index b1c2b29..ac691b5 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -122,3 +122,7 @@ opt-level = 2
 
 [patch.crates-io]
 contracts = { path = "vendored/contracts" }
+
+[build-dependencies]
+clap_mangen = "0.2.23"
+clap = {version="4.5.8", features = ["derive"] }
diff --git a/build.rs b/build.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a2fe07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+include!("src/bin/topola/cli.rs");
+use clap_mangen::Man;
+use clap::CommandFactory;
+use std::fs::File;
+fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let cli = Cli::command();
+    let man = Man::new(cli);
+    let mut file = File::create(concat!("assets", "/topola.1"))?;
+    man.render(&mut file)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/scripts/man_gen.sh b/scripts/man_gen.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 813c5db..0000000
--- a/scripts/man_gen.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/bash
-help2man topola -s 1 -o topola.1 --no-info -n "topological router and autorouter for printed circuit boards"
-gzip topola.1
-
-# to test purposes
-# sudo cp topola.1.gz /usr/share/man/man1
diff --git a/src/bin/topola/cli.rs b/src/bin/topola/cli.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0c58cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/topola/cli.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+use clap::Parser;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+
+#[derive(Parser, Debug, Default)]
+#[command(about, version)]
+pub struct Cli {
+    #[arg(value_name = "SPECCTRA DESIGN FILE",
+	  help = "Specify the Specctra Design (*.dsn) file input file for the Topola autorouter")]
+    pub input: PathBuf,
+    #[arg(short, long, value_name = "FILE",
+	  help = "Specify the output Topola session file (*.ses)")
+    ]
+    pub output: Option<PathBuf>,
+    #[arg(short, long, value_name = "FILE", help = "TODO")]
+    pub commands: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
diff --git a/src/bin/topola/main.rs b/src/bin/topola/main.rs
index 0c0ebda..a5b4976 100644
--- a/src/bin/topola/main.rs
+++ b/src/bin/topola/main.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-use clap::{Error, Parser};
+use clap::Parser;
 use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::prelude::*;
 use std::io::BufReader;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
 use topola::autorouter::history::History;
 use topola::autorouter::invoker::Command;
 use topola::autorouter::invoker::Invoker;
@@ -10,19 +8,9 @@ use topola::autorouter::selection::PinSelection;
 use topola::autorouter::Autorouter;
 use topola::specctra::design::SpecctraDesign;
 
-#[derive(Parser, Debug, Default)]
-#[command(about, version)]
-struct Cli {
-    #[arg(value_name = "SPECCTRA DESIGN FILE",
-	  help = "Specify the Specctra Design (*.dsn) file input file for the Topola autorouter")]
-    input: PathBuf,
-    #[arg(short, long, value_name = "FILE",
-	  help = "Specify the output Topola session file (*.ses)")
-    ]
-    output: Option<PathBuf>,
-    #[arg(short, long, value_name = "FILE", help = "TODO")]
-    commands: Option<PathBuf>,
-}
+// TODO: should this or include macro be used?
+pub mod cli;
+use cli::Cli;
 
 fn main() -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
     let args = Cli::parse();