diff --git a/docs/shell.rst b/docs/shell.rst
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@@ -1,2 +1,229 @@
 pySim-shell
 ===========
+
+pySim-shell is an interactive command line shell for all kind of interactions with SIM cards.
+
+The interactive shell provides command for
+
+* navigating the on-card filesystem hierarchy
+* authenticating with PINs such as ADM1
+* CHV/PIN management (VERIFY, ENABLE, DISABLE, UNBLOCK)
+* decoding of SELECT response (file control parameters)
+* reading and writing of files and records in raw, hex-encoded binary format
+* for some files where related support has been developed:
+
+ * decoded reading (display file data in JSON format)
+ * decoded writing (encode from JSON to binary format, then write)
+
+By means of using the python ``cmd2`` module, various useful features improve usability:
+
+* history of commands (persistent across restarts)
+* output re-direction to files on your computer
+* output piping through external tools like 'grep'
+* tab completion of commands and SELECT-able files/directories
+* interactive help for all commands
+
+
+cmd2 basics
+-----------
+
+FIXME
+
+
+
+ISO7816 commands
+----------------
+
+This category of commands relates to commands that originate in the ISO 7861-4 specifications,
+most of them have a 1:1 resemblance in the specification.
+
+select
+~~~~~~
+
+The ``select`` command is used to select a file, either by its FID, AID or by its symbolic name.
+
+Try ``select`` with tab-completion to get a list of all current selectable items:
+
+::
+
+  pySIM-shell (MF)> select
+  ..                2fe2              a0000000871004    EF.ARR            MF
+  2f00              3f00              ADF.ISIM          EF.DIR
+  2f05              7f10              ADF.USIM          EF.ICCID
+  2f06              7f20              DF.GSM            EF.PL
+  2f08              a0000000871002    DF.TELECOM        EF.UMPC
+
+Use ``select`` with a specific FID or name to select the new file.
+
+This will
+
+* output the [JSON decoded, if possible] select response
+* change the prompt to the newly selected file
+* enable any commands specific to the newly-selected file
+
+::
+
+  pySIM-shell (MF)> select ADF.USIM
+  {
+      "file_descriptor": {
+          "shareable": true,
+          "file_type": "df",
+          "structure": "no_info_given"
+      },
+      "df_name": "A0000000871002FFFFFFFF8907090000",
+      "proprietary_info": {
+          "uicc_characteristics": "71",
+          "available_memory": 101640
+      },
+      "life_cycle_status_int": "operational_activated",
+      "security_attrib_compact": "00",
+      "pin_status_template_do": "90017083010183018183010A83010B"
+  }
+  pySIM-shell (MF/ADF.USIM)>
+
+
+
+change_chv
+~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This command allows you to change a CHV (PIN).
+
+
+disable_chv
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This command allows you to disable a CHV (PIN).
+
+enable_chv
+~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This command allows you to enable a CHV (PIN).
+
+
+unblock_chv
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This command allows you to unblock a CHV (PIN) using the PUK.
+
+verify_chv
+~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This command allows you to verify a CHV (PIN), which is how the specifications call
+it if you authenticate yourself with the said CHV/PIN.
+
+
+
+pySim commands
+--------------
+
+Commands in this category are pySim specific; they do not have a 1:1 correspondence to ISO 7816
+or 3GPP commands. Mostly they will operate either only on local (in-memory) state, or execute
+a complex sequence of card-commands.
+
+desc
+~~~~
+
+Display human readable file description for the currently selected file.
+
+
+dir
+~~~
+
+::
+
+  usage: dir [-h] [--fids] [--names] [--apps] [--all]
+
+  Show a listing of files available in currently selected DF or MF
+
+  optional arguments:
+    -h, --help  show this help message and exit
+    --fids      Show file identifiers
+    --names     Show file names
+    --apps      Show applications
+    --all       Show all selectable identifiers and names
+
+
+export
+~~~~~~
+
+tree
+~~~~
+
+verify_adm
+~~~~~~~~~~
+
+
+
+Linear Fixed EF commands
+------------------------
+
+These commands become enabled only when your currently selected file is of *Linear Fixed EF* type.
+
+read_record
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+read_record_decoded
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+update_record
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+update_record_decoded
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+
+
+Transparent EF commands
+-----------------------
+
+These commands become enabled only when your currently selected file is of *Transparent EF* type.
+
+
+read_binary
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+read_binary_decoded
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+update_binary
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+update_binary_decoded
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+
+
+cmd2 settable parameters
+------------------------
+
+``cmd2`` has the concept of *settable parameters* which act a bit like environment variables in an OS-level
+shell: They can be read and set, and they will influence the behavior somehow.
+
+conserve_write
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+If enabled, pySim will (when asked to write to a card) always first read the respective file/record and
+verify if the to-be-written value differs from the current on-card value.  If not, the write will be skipped.
+Writes will only be performed if the new value is different from the current on-card value.
+
+If disabled, pySim will always write irrespective of the current/new value.
+
+debug
+~~~~~
+
+If enabled, full python back-traces will be displayed in case of exceptions
+
+numeric_path
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Boolean variable that determines if path (e.g. in prompt) is displayed with numeric FIDs or string names.
+
+::
+
+  pySIM-shell (MF/EF.ICCID)> set numeric_path True
+  numeric_path - was: False
+  now: True
+  pySIM-shell (3f00/2fe2)> set numeric_path False
+  numeric_path - was: True
+  now: False
+  pySIM-shell (MF/EF.ICCID)> help set