diff --git a/cmd/triplex/main.go b/cmd/triplex/main.go
index 4497dee..72f1c6d 100644
--- a/cmd/triplex/main.go
+++ b/cmd/triplex/main.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 
 	"git.hoiting.org/micha/triplex/serial"
 )
@@ -32,7 +33,45 @@ func myRandomIndex(max uint) (uint, error) {
 
 func main() {
 	complete := flag.String("complete", "", "complete code without checksum in format LLL-NNN-LL")
+	encode := flag.String("encode", "", "encode a value to a code")
+	encodeShort := flag.String("e", "", "alias for --encode")
+	decode := flag.String("decode", "", "decode code in format LLL-NNN-LLL")
+	decodeShort := flag.String("d", "", "alias for --decode")
 	flag.Parse()
+	resolvedEncode := ""
+	if *encode != "" && *encodeShort != "" && *encode != *encodeShort {
+		fmt.Println("flags --encode and -e cannot both be set with different values")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	if *encode != "" {
+		resolvedEncode = *encode
+	} else if *encodeShort != "" {
+		resolvedEncode = *encodeShort
+	}
+	resolvedDecode := ""
+	if *decode != "" && *decodeShort != "" && *decode != *decodeShort {
+		fmt.Println("flags --decode and -d cannot both be set with different values")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	if *decode != "" {
+		resolvedDecode = *decode
+	} else if *decodeShort != "" {
+		resolvedDecode = *decodeShort
+	}
+	selected := 0
+	if *complete != "" {
+		selected++
+	}
+	if resolvedEncode != "" {
+		selected++
+	}
+	if resolvedDecode != "" {
+		selected++
+	}
+	if selected > 1 {
+		fmt.Println("flags --complete, --encode, and --decode are mutually exclusive")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 
 	if *complete != "" {
 		full, idx, err := serial.CompleteCode(*complete)
@@ -40,10 +79,34 @@ func main() {
 			fmt.Println("complete error:", err)
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
-
 		fmt.Println("code:", full)
 		fmt.Println("idx:", idx)
 		os.Exit(0)
+	} else if resolvedEncode != "" {
+		n, err := strconv.Atoi(resolvedEncode)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("invalid number:", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+		idx := uint(n)
+		code, err := serial.Encode(idx)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("encode error:", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+		fmt.Println("code:", code)
+		fmt.Println("idx:", idx)
+		os.Exit(0)
+	} else if resolvedDecode != "" {
+		code := resolvedDecode
+		idx, err := serial.Decode(code)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("decode error:", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+		fmt.Println("code:", code)
+		fmt.Println("idx:", idx)
+		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
 	opts := serial.RandomCodeOptions{