diff --git a/modules/commands.nix b/modules/commands.nix
index d4e74e89..ffb5a486 100644
--- a/modules/commands.nix
+++ b/modules/commands.nix
@@ -1,163 +1,16 @@
 { lib, config, pkgs, ... }:
-with lib;
 let
-  ansi = import ../nix/ansi.nix;
-
-  # Because we want to be able to push pure JSON-like data into the
-  # environment.
-  strOrPackage = import ../nix/strOrPackage.nix { inherit lib pkgs; };
-
-  writeDefaultShellScript = import ../nix/writeDefaultShellScript.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) lib writeTextFile bash;
-  };
-
-  pad = str: num:
-    if num > 0 then
-      pad "${str} " (num - 1)
-    else
-      str;
-
-  # Fallback to the package pname if the name is unset
-  resolveName = cmd:
-    if cmd.name == null then
-      cmd.package.pname or (builtins.parseDrvName cmd.package.name).name
-    else
-      cmd.name;
-
-  # Fill in default options for a command.
-  commandToPackage = cmd:
-    assert lib.assertMsg (cmd.command == null || cmd.name != cmd.command) "[[commands]]: ${toString cmd.name} cannot be set to both the `name` and the `command` attributes. Did you mean to use the `package` attribute?";
-    assert lib.assertMsg (cmd.package != null || (cmd.command != null && cmd.command != "")) "[[commands]]: ${resolveName cmd} expected either a command or package attribute.";
-    if cmd.package == null then
-      writeDefaultShellScript
-        {
-          name = cmd.name;
-          text = cmd.command;
-          binPrefix = true;
-        }
-    else
-      cmd.package;
-
-  commandsToMenu = cmds:
-    let
-      cleanName = { name, package, ... }@cmd:
-        assert lib.assertMsg (cmd.name != null || cmd.package != null) "[[commands]]: some command is missing both a `name` or `package` attribute.";
-        let
-          name = resolveName cmd;
-
-          help =
-            if cmd.help == null then
-              cmd.package.meta.description or ""
-            else
-              cmd.help;
-        in
-        cmd // {
-          inherit name help;
-        };
-
-      commands = map cleanName cmds;
-
-      commandLengths =
-        map ({ name, ... }: builtins.stringLength name) commands;
-
-      maxCommandLength =
-        builtins.foldl'
-          (max: v: if v > max then v else max)
-          0
-          commandLengths
-      ;
-
-      commandCategories = lib.unique (
-        (zipAttrsWithNames [ "category" ] (name: vs: vs) commands).category
-      );
-
-      commandByCategoriesSorted =
-        builtins.attrValues (lib.genAttrs
-          commandCategories
-          (category: lib.nameValuePair category (builtins.sort
-            (a: b: a.name < b.name)
-            (builtins.filter (x: x.category == category) commands)
-          ))
-        );
-
-      opCat = kv:
-        let
-          category = kv.name;
-          cmd = kv.value;
-          opCmd = { name, help, ... }:
-            let
-              len = maxCommandLength - (builtins.stringLength name);
-            in
-            if help == null || help == "" then
-              "  ${name}"
-            else
-              "  ${pad name len} - ${help}";
-        in
-        "\n${ansi.bold}[${category}]${ansi.reset}\n\n" + builtins.concatStringsSep "\n" (map opCmd cmd);
-    in
-    builtins.concatStringsSep "\n" (map opCat commandByCategoriesSorted) + "\n";
-
-  # These are all the options available for the commands.
-  commandOptions = {
-    name = mkOption {
-      type = types.nullOr types.str;
-      default = null;
-      description = ''
-        Name of this command. Defaults to attribute name in commands.
-      '';
-    };
-
-    category = mkOption {
-      type = types.str;
-      default = "[general commands]";
-      description = ''
-        Set a free text category under which this command is grouped
-        and shown in the help menu.
-      '';
-    };
-
-    help = mkOption {
-      type = types.nullOr types.str;
-      default = null;
-      description = ''
-        Describes what the command does in one line of text.
-      '';
-    };
-
-    command = mkOption {
-      type = types.nullOr types.str;
-      default = null;
-      description = ''
-        If defined, it will add a script with the name of the command, and the
-        content of this value.
-
-        By default it generates a bash script, unless a different shebang is
-        provided.
-      '';
-      example = ''
-        #!/usr/bin/env python
-        print("Hello")
-      '';
-    };
-
-    package = mkOption {
-      type = types.nullOr strOrPackage;
-      default = null;
-      description = ''
-        Used to bring in a specific package. This package will be added to the
-        environment.
-      '';
-    };
-  };
+  inherit (import ../nix/commands/devshell.nix { inherit pkgs; }) commandsToMenu commandToPackage devshellMenuCommandName;
+  inherit (import ../nix/commands/types.nix { inherit pkgs; }) commandsFlatType;
 in
 {
-  options.commands = mkOption {
-    type = types.listOf (types.submodule { options = commandOptions; });
+  options.commands = lib.mkOption {
+    type = commandsFlatType;
     default = [ ];
     description = ''
       Add commands to the environment.
     '';
-    example = literalExpression ''
+    example = lib.literalExpression ''
       [
         {
           help = "print hello";
@@ -176,7 +29,7 @@ in
   config.commands = [
     {
       help = "prints this menu";
-      name = "menu";
+      name = devshellMenuCommandName;
       command = ''
         cat <<'DEVSHELL_MENU'
         ${commandsToMenu config.commands}
diff --git a/modules/devshell.nix b/modules/devshell.nix
index 2b5186a2..8aac99b4 100644
--- a/modules/devshell.nix
+++ b/modules/devshell.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ let
   # environment.
   strOrPackage = import ../nix/strOrPackage.nix { inherit lib pkgs; };
 
+  inherit (import ../nix/commands/devshell.nix { inherit pkgs; }) devshellMenuCommandName;
+
   # Use this to define a flake app for the environment.
   mkFlakeApp = bin: {
     type = "app";
@@ -255,7 +257,7 @@ in
       type = types.str;
       default = ''
         {202}🔨 Welcome to ${cfg.name}{reset}
-        $(type -p menu &>/dev/null && menu)
+        $(type -p ${devshellMenuCommandName} &>/dev/null && ${devshellMenuCommandName})
       '';
       apply = replaceStrings
         (map (key: "{${key}}") (attrNames ansi))
diff --git a/modules/modules-docs.nix b/modules/modules-docs.nix
index 547b9f77..a6dbc4ad 100644
--- a/modules/modules-docs.nix
+++ b/modules/modules-docs.nix
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ let
 
       # TODO: handle opt.relatedPackages. What is it for?
       optToMd = opt:
-        let heading = lib.showOption opt.loc; in
+        let heading = (lib.showOption (filter isString opt.loc)) + (concatStrings (filter (x: !(isString x)) opt.loc)); in
         ''
           ### `${heading}`
 
diff --git a/nix/commands/devshell.nix b/nix/commands/devshell.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..23f88b8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/commands/devshell.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+{ system ? builtins.currentSystem
+, pkgs ? import ../nixpkgs.nix { inherit system; }
+}:
+let
+  lib = builtins // pkgs.lib;
+in
+rec {
+  ansi = import ../ansi.nix;
+
+  writeDefaultShellScript = import ../writeDefaultShellScript.nix {
+    inherit (pkgs) lib writeTextFile bash;
+  };
+
+  devshellMenuCommandName = "menu";
+
+  pad = str: num:
+    if num > 0 then
+      pad "${str} " (num - 1)
+    else
+      str;
+
+  resolveName = cmd:
+    if cmd.name == null then
+      cmd.package.pname or (lib.parseDrvName cmd.package.name).name
+    else
+      cmd.name;
+
+  commandsMessage = "[[commands]]:";
+
+  # Fill in default options for a command.
+  commandToPackage = cmd:
+    if cmd.name != devshellMenuCommandName && cmd.command == null && cmd.package == null then null
+    else
+      assert lib.assertMsg (cmd.command == null || cmd.name != cmd.command) "${commandsMessage} in ${lib.generators.toPretty {} cmd}, ${toString cmd.name} cannot be set to both the `name` and the `command` attributes. Did you mean to use the `package` attribute?";
+      assert lib.assertMsg ((cmd.package != null && cmd.command == null) || (cmd.command != null && cmd.command != "" && cmd.package == null)) "${commandsMessage} ${lib.generators.toPretty {} cmd} expected either a non-empty command or a package attribute, not both.";
+      if cmd.package == null
+      then
+        writeDefaultShellScript
+          {
+            name = cmd.name;
+            text = cmd.command;
+            binPrefix = true;
+          }
+      else if !cmd.expose
+      then null
+      else cmd.package;
+
+  commandsToMenu = cmds:
+    let
+      cleanName = { name, package, ... }@cmd:
+        if
+          cmd.package == null && (cmd.name != devshellMenuCommandName && cmd.command == null)
+          && (cmd.prefix != "" || (cmd.name != null && cmd.name != ""))
+          && cmd.help != null
+        then
+          cmd // {
+            name = "${
+                if cmd.prefix != null then cmd.prefix else ""
+              }${
+                if cmd.name != null then cmd.name else ""
+              }";
+          }
+        else
+          assert lib.assertMsg (cmd.name != null || cmd.package != null) "${commandsMessage} some command is missing a `name`, a `prefix`, and a `package` attributes.";
+          let
+            name = lib.pipe cmd [
+              resolveName
+              (x: if x != null && lib.hasInfix " " x then "'${x}'" else x)
+              (x: "${cmd.prefix}${x}")
+            ];
+
+            help =
+              if cmd.help == null then
+                cmd.package.meta.description or ""
+              else
+                cmd.help;
+          in
+          cmd // {
+            inherit name help;
+          };
+
+      commands = map cleanName cmds;
+
+      commandLengths =
+        map ({ name, ... }: lib.stringLength name) commands;
+
+      maxCommandLength =
+        lib.foldl'
+          (max: v: if v > max then v else max)
+          0
+          commandLengths
+      ;
+
+      commandCategories = lib.unique (
+        (lib.zipAttrsWithNames [ "category" ] (_: vs: vs) commands).category
+      );
+
+      commandByCategoriesSorted =
+        lib.attrValues (lib.genAttrs
+          commandCategories
+          (category: lib.nameValuePair category (lib.sort
+            (a: b: a.name < b.name)
+            (lib.filter (x: x.category == category) commands)
+          ))
+        );
+
+      opCat = kv:
+        let
+          category = kv.name;
+          cmd = kv.value;
+          opCmd = { name, help, ... }:
+            let
+              len = maxCommandLength - (lib.stringLength name);
+            in
+            if help == null || help == "" then
+              "  ${name}"
+            else
+              "  ${pad name len} - ${help}";
+        in
+        "\n${ansi.bold}[${category}]${ansi.reset}\n\n" + lib.concatStringsSep "\n" (map opCmd cmd);
+    in
+    lib.concatStringsSep "\n" (map opCat commandByCategoriesSorted) + "\n";
+}
diff --git a/nix/commands/flatOptions.nix b/nix/commands/flatOptions.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3ab0f72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/commands/flatOptions.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+{ lib, strOrPackage, flatOptionsType }:
+with lib;
+# These are all the options available for the commands.
+{
+  prefix = mkOption {
+    type = types.str;
+    default = "";
+    description = ''
+      Prefix of the command name in the devshell menu.
+    '';
+  };
+
+  name = mkOption {
+    type = types.nullOr types.str;
+    default = null;
+    description = ''
+      Name of this command. 
+      
+      Defaults to a `package (${flatOptionsType.name})` name or pname if present.
+
+      The value of this option is required for a `command (${flatOptionsType.name})`.
+    '';
+  };
+
+  category = mkOption {
+    type = types.str;
+    default = "[general commands]";
+    description = ''
+      Sets a free text category under which this command is grouped
+      and shown in the devshell menu.
+    '';
+  };
+
+  help = mkOption {
+    type = types.nullOr types.str;
+    default = null;
+    description = ''
+      Describes what the command does in one line of text.
+    '';
+  };
+
+  command = mkOption {
+    type = types.nullOr types.str;
+    default = null;
+    description = ''
+      If defined, it will add a script with the name of the command, and the
+      content of this value.
+
+      By default it generates a bash script, unless a different shebang is
+      provided.
+    '';
+    example = ''
+      #!/usr/bin/env python
+      print("Hello")
+    '';
+  };
+
+  package = mkOption {
+    type = types.nullOr (types.oneOf [ strOrPackage types.package ]);
+    default = null;
+    description = ''
+      Used to bring in a specific package. This package will be added to the
+      environment.
+    '';
+  };
+
+  expose = mkOption {
+    type = types.bool;
+    default = true;
+    description = ''
+      When `true`, the `command (${flatOptionsType.name})`
+      or the `package (${flatOptionsType.name})` will be added to the environment.
+        
+      Otherwise, they will not be added to the environment, but will be printed
+      in the devshell menu.
+    '';
+  };
+}
diff --git a/nix/commands/types.nix b/nix/commands/types.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5805c1bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/commands/types.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+{ system ? builtins.currentSystem
+, pkgs ? import ../nixpkgs.nix { inherit system; }
+, lib ? pkgs.lib
+}:
+with lib;
+with builtins;
+rec {
+  # find a package corresponding to the string
+  resolveKey = arg:
+    if isString arg && lib.strings.sanitizeDerivationName arg == arg then
+      attrByPath (splitString "\." arg) null pkgs
+    else if isDerivation arg then
+      arg
+    else null;
+
+  strOrPackage = types.coercedTo types.str resolveKey types.package;
+
+  list2Of = t1: t2: mkOptionType {
+    name = "list2Of";
+    description = "list with two elements of types: [ ${
+      concatMapStringsSep " " (types.optionDescriptionPhrase (class: class == "noun" || class == "composite")) [ t1 t2 ]
+    } ]";
+    check = x: isList x && length x == 2 && t1.check (head x) && t2.check (last x);
+    merge = mergeOneOption;
+  };
+
+  flatOptions = import ./flatOptions.nix { inherit lib strOrPackage flatOptionsType; };
+
+  mkAttrsToString = str: { __toString = _: str; };
+
+  mkLocLast = name: mkAttrsToString " (${name})";
+
+  flatOptionsType =
+    let submodule = types.submodule { options = flatOptions; }; in
+    submodule // rec {
+      name = "flatOptions";
+      description = name;
+      getSubOptions = prefix: (mapAttrs
+        (name_: value: value // {
+          loc = prefix ++ [
+            name_
+            (mkLocLast name)
+          ];
+          declarations = [ "${toString ../..}/nix/commands/flatOptions.nix" ];
+        })
+        (submodule.getSubOptions prefix));
+    };
+
+  pairHelpPackageType = list2Of types.str strOrPackage;
+
+  flatConfigType =
+    (
+      types.oneOf [
+        strOrPackage
+        pairHelpPackageType
+        flatOptionsType
+      ]
+    ) // {
+      getSubOptions = prefix: {
+        flat = flatOptionsType.getSubOptions prefix;
+      };
+    }
+  ;
+
+  commandsFlatType = types.listOf flatConfigType // {
+    name = "commandsFlat";
+    getSubOptions = prefix: {
+      fakeOption = (
+        mkOption
+          {
+            type = flatConfigType;
+            description = ''
+              A config for a command when the `commands` option is a list.
+            '';
+            example = literalExpression ''
+              [
+                {
+                  category = "scripts";
+                  package = "black";
+                }
+                [ "[package] print hello" "hello" ]
+                "nodePackages.yarn"
+              ]
+            '';
+          }
+      ) // {
+        loc = prefix ++ [ "*" ];
+        declarations = [ "${toString ../..}/nix/commands/types.nix" ];
+      };
+    };
+  };
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/commands.nix b/tests/core/commands.nix
index 2376b2f4..d8d390a3 100644
--- a/tests/core/commands.nix
+++ b/tests/core/commands.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 { pkgs, devshell, runTest }:
+let inherit (import ../../nix/commands/devshell.nix { inherit pkgs; }) devshellMenuCommandName; in
 {
   # Basic devshell usage
   commands-1 =
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@
       # Load the devshell
       source ${shell}/env.bash
 
-      menu
+      ${devshellMenuCommandName}
 
       # Checks that all the commands are available
       type -p bash-script