diff --git a/cmd/get.go b/cmd/get.go
index 3df217a..b73bddf 100644
--- a/cmd/get.go
+++ b/cmd/get.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/dotnetmentor/rq/internal/pkg/schema"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -19,21 +18,17 @@ var (
 )
 
 var getCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "get",
+	Use:   "get [resource]",
 	Short: "Get resource by key",
 	Long:  `Get a single resource by key`,
 	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(2),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-		log.Debug().Msg("reading manifest...")
-		m, err := schema.NewManifest(opt.FilePath)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		m := manifest
 
 		log.Debug().Msg("validating resource type...")
-		rt, ok := m.ResourceType(args[0])
-		if !ok {
-			return fmt.Errorf("unknown resource type %s, valid resource types: %s", args[0], m.ResourceTypeNames())
+		rt, err := m.ValidateResourceType(args[0])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 
 		resourceKey := args[1]
@@ -66,4 +61,5 @@ var getCmd = &cobra.Command{
 func init() {
 	RootCmd.AddCommand(getCmd)
 	getCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&getOpt.Property, "select", "s", "", "selects value of a property (eg. build)")
+	getCmd.SetUsageFunc(customUsageFunc)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/query.go b/cmd/query.go
index 397af57..0f91278 100644
--- a/cmd/query.go
+++ b/cmd/query.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 var queryCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "query",
+	Use:   "query [resource]",
 	Short: "Query resources",
 	Long:  `Query resources`,
 	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
@@ -31,16 +31,12 @@ var queryCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		resetQueryOpt()
 	},
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-		log.Debug().Msg("reading manifest...")
-		m, err := schema.NewManifest(opt.FilePath)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		m := manifest
 
 		log.Debug().Msg("validating resource type...")
-		rt, ok := m.ResourceType(args[0])
-		if !ok {
-			return fmt.Errorf("unknown resource type %s, valid resource types: %s", args[0], m.ResourceTypeNames())
+		rt, err := m.ValidateResourceType(args[0])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 
 		conditions, err := query.ParseArgs(queryOpt.Parameters)
@@ -93,6 +89,7 @@ func init() {
 	queryCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&queryOpt.DisableStrictMatching, "disable-strict-matching", "d", false, "disable strict matching (matches conditions where parameter is missing)")
 	queryCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&queryOpt.Sort, "sort", "s", false, "sort output (lexicographically)")
 	queryCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&queryOpt.Output, "out", "o", output.Newline, "output type (eg. json/xargs)")
+	queryCmd.SetUsageFunc(customUsageFunc)
 }
 
 func resetQueryOpt() {
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index a21a948..4265b40 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/dotnetmentor/rq/internal/pkg/schema"
 	"github.com/dotnetmentor/rq/version"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
@@ -17,7 +18,8 @@ type GlobalOptions struct {
 }
 
 var (
-	opt GlobalOptions
+	opt      GlobalOptions
+	manifest schema.Manifest
 )
 
 var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -26,13 +28,21 @@ var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Long:         `rq - for querying resources`,
 	SilenceUsage: true,
 	Version:      fmt.Sprintf("%s (commit=%s)", version.Version, version.Commit),
-	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	PersistentPreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		level, err := zerolog.ParseLevel(opt.LogLevel)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Printf("invalid log level %s, err: %s", opt.LogLevel, err)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 		log.Logger = log.Level(level).Output(zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: os.Stderr, TimeFormat: time.RFC3339})
+
+		log.Debug().Msg("reading manifest...")
+		err = tryReadManifest()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		return nil
 	},
 }
 
@@ -53,6 +63,17 @@ func environmentOrDefault(key string, defaultValue string) string {
 	return value
 }
 
+func tryReadManifest() error {
+	if !manifest.Parsed() {
+		m, err := schema.NewManifest(opt.FilePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		manifest = m
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func init() {
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&opt.FilePath, "file", "f", environmentOrDefault("RQ_DEFAULT_FILE", "rq.yaml"), "Manifest file (eg. rq.yaml)")
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&opt.LogLevel, "level", "l", "info", "Log level (eg. trace/debug/warn/error)")
diff --git a/cmd/usage.go b/cmd/usage.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c00cbe6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/usage.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"strings"
+	"text/template"
+	"unicode"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+const customUsageTemplate = `Usage:{{if .Runnable}}
+{{.UseLine}}{{end}}
+
+Resources:{{resourceTypes | trimTrailingWhitespaces}}{{if .HasAvailableLocalFlags}}
+
+Flags:
+{{.LocalFlags.FlagUsages | trimTrailingWhitespaces}}{{end}}{{if .HasAvailableInheritedFlags}}
+
+Global Flags:
+{{.InheritedFlags.FlagUsages | trimTrailingWhitespaces}}{{end}}
+`
+
+var templateFuncs = template.FuncMap{
+	"trimTrailingWhitespaces": trimTrailingWhitespaces,
+	"resourceTypes":           resourceTypes,
+}
+
+func customUsageFunc(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
+	tryReadManifest()
+
+	err := tmpl(cmd.OutOrStderr(), customUsageTemplate, cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		cmd.PrintErrln(err)
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func resourceTypes() string {
+	if len(manifest.Config.Resources) > 0 {
+		return manifest.ResourceTypeNames()
+	}
+	return " unknown"
+}
+
+func trimTrailingWhitespaces(s string) string {
+	return strings.TrimRightFunc(s, unicode.IsSpace)
+}
+
+// tmpl executes the given template text on data, writing the result to w.
+func tmpl(w io.Writer, text string, data interface{}) error {
+	t := template.New("top")
+	t.Funcs(templateFuncs)
+	template.Must(t.Parse(text))
+	return t.Execute(w, data)
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/schema/config.go b/internal/pkg/schema/config.go
index 507ce41..f697bd2 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/schema/config.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/schema/config.go
@@ -27,9 +27,20 @@ func (n CustomResourceNames) Match(t string) bool {
 }
 
 func (n CustomResourceNames) String() string {
-	if strings.HasPrefix(n.Plural, n.Singular) {
+	out := ""
+	if n.Plural != "" && n.Singular != "" && strings.HasPrefix(n.Plural, n.Singular) {
 		pe := strings.ReplaceAll(n.Plural, n.Singular, "")
-		return fmt.Sprintf("  - %s(%s) (short: %s)", n.Singular, pe, n.Short)
+		out = fmt.Sprintf("  - %s(%s)", n.Singular, pe)
+	} else {
+		v := []string{n.Plural}
+		if n.Singular != "" {
+			v = append(v, n.Singular)
+		}
+		out = fmt.Sprintf("  - %s", strings.Join(v, "/"))
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("  - %s/%s (short: %s)", n.Plural, n.Singular, n.Short)
+
+	if n.Short != "" {
+		out = fmt.Sprintf("%s (short: %s)", out, n.Short)
+	}
+	return out
 }
diff --git a/internal/pkg/schema/manifest.go b/internal/pkg/schema/manifest.go
index 3cdda4d..6c9105b 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/schema/manifest.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/schema/manifest.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	yaml2 "gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 )
@@ -34,18 +35,64 @@ func NewManifest(path string) (Manifest, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return Manifest{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse manifest yaml. %v", err)
 	}
+	m.parsed = true
 
-	// TODO: validate manifest
-	// - Resource keys must be unique for each resource type
+	errors := make([]string, 0)
+	for i, cr := range m.Config.Resources {
+		if cr.Kind == "" {
+			errors = append(errors, fmt.Sprintf("config.resources[%d]: missing property \"kind\"", i))
+		}
+		if cr.Names.Plural == "" {
+			errors = append(errors, fmt.Sprintf("config.resources[%d]: missing property \"plural\"", i))
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, rt := range m.Config.Resources {
+		keys := make([]string, 0)
+		for _, key := range m.ResourcesOfType(rt).SelectMany(func(i Resource) string {
+			return i.Key
+		}) {
+			if contains(keys, key) {
+				errors = append(errors, fmt.Sprintf("resources[%s].key: key \"%s\" must be unique", rt.Kind, key))
+			}
+			keys = append(keys, key)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(errors) > 0 {
+		return m, fmt.Errorf("invalid resource manifest, error(s):\n\n%s", strings.Join(errors, "\n"))
+	}
 
 	return m, nil
 }
 
+func contains(s []string, e string) bool {
+	for _, a := range s {
+		if a == e {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 type Manifest struct {
+	parsed bool
 	Config Config                  `yaml:"config,omitempty"`
 	Root   map[string]ResourceList `yaml:"resources,omitempty"`
 }
 
+func (m Manifest) Parsed() bool {
+	return m.parsed
+}
+
+func (m Manifest) ValidateResourceType(t string) (CustomResource, error) {
+	rt, ok := m.ResourceType(t)
+	if !ok {
+		return CustomResource{}, fmt.Errorf("unknown resource type %s, valid resource types: \n%s", t, m.ResourceTypeNames())
+	}
+	return rt, nil
+}
+
 func (m Manifest) ResourcesOfType(cr CustomResource) ResourceList {
 	for rk, rl := range m.Root {
 		if cr.Names.Match(rk) {