diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/build.js b/packages/cli/commands/build.js
index a5ce0b96..7fae1fc4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/build.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/build.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import {
   writeFileSync,
 } from "fs";
 import { dirname, isAbsolute, join, relative, resolve } from "path";
-import { error, info, warn } from "../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, info, warn, trace } from "../lib/colors.js";
 import { getPlatform, npmCommand } from "../lib/platforms.js";
 
 import { Progress } from "../lib/progress.js";
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ export const asyncCompile = async (...args) => compileFile(...args);
  * @param {Object} options Options to build
  */
 export const build = async (configPath, options = {}) => {
-  const { skipBundle, skipNpmInstall, silent, clean } = options;
+  const { skipBundle, skipNpmInstall, silent, clean, debug } = options;
+  const errorOrTrace = debug ? trace : error;
 
   if (!silent) info(`Compiling from "${configPath}"`);
 
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ export const build = async (configPath, options = {}) => {
     { configs: {}, npmDeps: {}, npmDevDeps: {} }
   ).catch((compileError) => {
     progress.fail();
-    console.error(compileError.message);
+    errorOrTrace(compileError.message);
     process.exit(1);
   });
 
@@ -173,11 +174,11 @@ export const build = async (configPath, options = {}) => {
       );
     } catch (e) {
       progress.fail(`Error: ${e.message}`);
-      error(e, "Dependency Install");
+      errorOrTrace(e, "Dependency Install");
     }
   } catch (e) {
     progress.fail(`Error: ${e}`);
-    error(e, "Compilation");
+    errorOrTrace(e, "Compilation");
   }
 
   if (!skipNpmInstall) {
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ export const build = async (configPath, options = {}) => {
     const platform = getPlatform(target);
     await platform.build(destination, skipBundle);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e, "Bundling");
+    errorOrTrace(e, "Bundling");
   }
 };
 
@@ -260,6 +261,7 @@ export const handler = (argv) => {
     skipBundle: argv["skip-bundle"],
     skipNpmInstall: argv["skip-npm-install"],
     silent: argv.silent,
+    debug: argv.debug,
   };
   const config = join(argv.project, "clio.toml");
   build(config, options);
@@ -287,6 +289,10 @@ const builder = {
     describe: "Wipe the build directory before build",
     type: "boolean",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 
 export default {
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/add.js b/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/add.js
index ef4c7c70..448ee792 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/add.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/add.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { error } from "../../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, trace } from "../../lib/colors.js";
 import { installDependency } from "clio-manifest";
 import { join } from "path";
 
@@ -17,13 +17,17 @@ export const builder = {
     describe: "Force fetching dependencies even if they're already fetched",
     type: "boolean",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 export async function handler(argv) {
   try {
     const config = join(argv.project, "clio.toml");
     await installDependency(config, argv.source, argv);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e);
+    (argv.debug ? trace : error)(e);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/get.js b/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/get.js
index 73a9a862..1c38b26d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/get.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/get.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { error } from "../../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, trace } from "../../lib/colors.js";
 import { fetchDependencies } from "clio-manifest";
 import { join } from "path";
 
@@ -11,13 +11,17 @@ export const builder = {
     type: "string",
     default: ".",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 export async function handler(argv) {
   try {
     const config = join(argv.project, "clio.toml");
     fetchDependencies(config);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e);
+    (argv.debug ? trace : error)(e);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/show.js b/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/show.js
index 6c072607..908a5568 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/show.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/deps_commands/show.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {
   logNoClioDeps,
 } from "clio-manifest";
 
-import { error } from "../../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, trace } from "../../lib/colors.js";
 import { join } from "path";
 
 export const command = ["$0 [project]", "show [project]"];
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ export const builder = {
     type: "string",
     default: ".",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 export async function handler(argv) {
   try {
@@ -30,7 +34,7 @@ export async function handler(argv) {
       .join("\n");
     console.log(formattedDeps);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e);
+    (argv.debug ? trace : error)(e);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/docs.js b/packages/cli/commands/docs.js
index 489bc9b2..4dd4410e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/docs.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/docs.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { AutoComplete } from "../lib/prompt.js";
 import chalk from "chalk";
 import { compileFile } from "clio-core";
 import enquirer from "enquirer";
+import { error, trace } from "../lib/colors.js";
 
 const { blue, magenta, red, yellow } = chalk;
 
@@ -23,10 +24,14 @@ export const builder = {
     type: "string",
     default: ".",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 
 export function handler(argv) {
-  entry(argv.project);
+  entry(argv.project, argv.debug);
 }
 
 function onSelect(root, prompt, configPath) {
@@ -38,16 +43,17 @@ function onSelect(root, prompt, configPath) {
   };
 }
 
-function onFnSelect(root, fnMap, prompt, configPath) {
+function onFnSelect(root, fnMap, prompt, configPath, isDebugMode = false) {
   return async function onAnswer(answer) {
     await prompt.clear();
     return answer == ".."
       ? docs(dirname(root))
-      : docsFn(root, answer, fnMap[answer], configPath);
+      : docsFn(root, answer, fnMap[answer], configPath, isDebugMode);
   };
 }
 
-function selectFn(root, fns, configPath) {
+function selectFn(root, fns, configPath, isDebugMode = false) {
+  const errorOrTrace = isDebugMode ? trace : error;
   const fnMap = Object.fromEntries(fns.map((fn) => [fn.name, fn]));
   const prompt = new AutoComplete({
     name: "function",
@@ -56,17 +62,18 @@ function selectFn(root, fns, configPath) {
   });
   prompt
     .run()
-    .then(onFnSelect(root, fnMap, prompt, configPath))
-    .catch(console.error);
+    .then(onFnSelect(root, fnMap, prompt, configPath, isDebugMode))
+    .catch(errorOrTrace);
 }
 
-function selectFile(root, choices, configPath) {
+function selectFile(root, choices, configPath, isDebugMode = false) {
+  const errorOrTrace = isDebugMode ? trace : error;
   const prompt = new AutoComplete({
     name: "file",
     message: "Select a file or a directory",
     choices: ["..", ...choices],
   });
-  prompt.run().then(onSelect(root, prompt, configPath)).catch(console.error);
+  prompt.run().then(onSelect(root, prompt, configPath)).catch(errorOrTrace);
 }
 
 // TODO: move to clio-highlight
@@ -80,7 +87,8 @@ function colorize(docs) {
     );
 }
 
-function docsFn(root, name, info, configPath) {
+function docsFn(root, name, info, configPath, isDebugMode = false) {
+  const errorOrTrace = isDebugMode ? trace : error;
   const doc = [
     info.returns ? `@returns ${info.returns}` : null,
     info.accepts ? `@accepts ${info.accepts.join(" ")}` : null,
@@ -104,12 +112,12 @@ function docsFn(root, name, info, configPath) {
     .run()
     .then((answer) => {
       prompt.clear();
-      if (!answer) return docsFile(root, configPath);
+      if (!answer) return docsFile(root, configPath, isDebugMode);
     })
-    .catch(console.error);
+    .catch(errorOrTrace);
 }
 
-async function docsFile(file, configPath) {
+async function docsFile(file, configPath, isDebugMode) {
   const config = getPackageConfig(configPath);
   const sourceDir = getSourceFromConfig(configPath, config);
   const destination = getDestinationFromConfig(configPath, config);
@@ -133,17 +141,17 @@ async function docsFile(file, configPath) {
   const fns = Object.entries(scope)
     .filter(([_, info]) => info.description)
     .map(([name, info]) => ({ ...info, name }));
-  return selectFn(file, fns, configPath);
+  return selectFn(file, fns, configPath, isDebugMode);
 }
 
-function docsDirectory(projectPath, configPath) {
+function docsDirectory(projectPath, configPath, isDebugMode = false) {
   const choices = readdirSync(projectPath)
     .filter((dir) => !dir.startsWith("."))
     .filter((name) => {
       const abs = join(projectPath, name);
       return isDirectory(abs) || isClioFile(name);
     });
-  selectFile(projectPath, choices, configPath);
+  selectFile(projectPath, choices, configPath, isDebugMode);
 }
 
 function isDirectory(dir) {
@@ -154,15 +162,15 @@ function isClioFile(file) {
   return file.endsWith(".clio");
 }
 
-export function docs(path, configPath) {
+export function docs(path, configPath, isDebugMode = false) {
   return isDirectory(path)
-    ? docsDirectory(path, configPath)
-    : docsFile(path, configPath);
+    ? docsDirectory(path, configPath, isDebugMode)
+    : docsFile(path, configPath, isDebugMode);
 }
 
-function entry(projectPath) {
+function entry(projectPath, isDebugMode = false) {
   const configPath = join(projectPath, "clio.toml");
-  return docs(projectPath, configPath);
+  return docs(projectPath, configPath, isDebugMode);
 }
 
 export default {
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/highlight.js b/packages/cli/commands/highlight.js
index 2bb5abab..694bd57e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/highlight.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/highlight.js
@@ -1,17 +1,27 @@
-import { error } from "../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, trace } from "../lib/colors.js";
 import { highlight } from "clio-highlight";
 
 export const command = "highlight <source>";
 export const describe = "Highlight a Clio file";
 export const builder = {
-  source: { describe: "source file to host", type: "string" },
+  source: {
+    describe: "source file to host",
+    type: "string",
+  },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 export function handler(argv) {
+  const { debug } = argv;
+  const errorOrTrace = debug ? trace : error;
+
   try {
     const colorized = highlight(argv.source);
     if (colorized) console.log(colorized);
   } catch (err) {
-    error(err);
+    errorOrTrace(err);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/host.js b/packages/cli/commands/host.js
index bec2906b..6af8d295 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/host.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/host.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
 } from "clio-manifest";
 
 import { build } from "./build.js";
-import { error } from "../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, trace } from "../lib/colors.js";
 import { getPlatform } from "../lib/platforms.js";
 import { join } from "path";
 
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ export const builder = {
     describe: "Wipe the build directory before build",
     type: "boolean",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 
 export function handler(argv) {
@@ -50,7 +54,11 @@ export async function host(argv, args) {
 
     return await platform.host(destination, args);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e);
+    if (argv.debug) {
+      trace(e);
+    } else {
+      error(e);
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/new.js b/packages/cli/commands/new.js
index 2deb9581..f2a93d81 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/new.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/new.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { basename, dirname } from "path";
-import { error, info, success } from "../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, info, success, trace } from "../lib/colors.js";
 
 import { fetchDependencies } from "clio-manifest";
 import { rmSync } from "fs";
@@ -25,9 +25,18 @@ export const builder = {
     type: "string",
     default: "node",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 export function handler(argv) {
-  createPackage(argv.project, targetAlias(argv.target), argv.template);
+  createPackage(
+    argv.project,
+    targetAlias(argv.target),
+    argv.template,
+    argv.debug
+  );
 }
 
 function targetAlias(target) {
@@ -89,13 +98,14 @@ async function createPackageJs(packageName, template) {
 export async function createPackage(
   packageName,
   target = "js",
-  template = "node"
+  template = "node",
+  isDebugMode = false
 ) {
   try {
     preValidations(packageName, target);
     if (target === "js") return await createPackageJs(packageName, template);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e);
+    (argv.debug ? trace : error)(e);
     process.exit(1);
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/run.js b/packages/cli/commands/run.js
index b7dacc9b..4de9f3c5 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/run.js
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/run.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
 } from "clio-manifest";
 
 import { build } from "./build.js";
-import { error } from "../lib/colors.js";
+import { error, trace } from "../lib/colors.js";
 import { getPlatform } from "../lib/platforms.js";
 import { join } from "path";
 
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ export const builder = {
     describe: "Wipe the build directory before build",
     type: "boolean",
   },
+  debug: {
+    describe: "Show stack traces instead of error messages",
+    type: "boolean",
+  },
 };
 
 export function handler(argv) {
@@ -41,6 +45,7 @@ export async function run(argv, args, forkOptions = {}) {
       skipBundle: true,
       silent: argv.silent,
       clean: argv.clean,
+      debug: argv.debug,
     });
 
     const config = getPackageConfig(configPath);
@@ -50,7 +55,7 @@ export async function run(argv, args, forkOptions = {}) {
 
     return await platform.run(destination, args, forkOptions);
   } catch (e) {
-    error(e);
+    (argv.debug ? trace : error)(e);
   }
 }