diff --git a/openfpga/src/base/shell_basic_cmd.cpp b/openfpga/src/base/shell_basic_cmd.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..defb87f24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openfpga/src/base/shell_basic_cmd.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/********************************************************************
+ * Add basic commands to the OpenFPGA shell interface, including:
+ * - exit
+ * - help
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include "shell_basic_cmd.h"
+
+/* begin namespace openfpga */
+namespace openfpga {
+
+void add_basic_commands(openfpga::Shell<OpenfpgaContext>& shell) {
+  /* Add a new class of commands */
+  ShellCommandClassId basic_cmd_class = shell.add_command_class("Basic");
+
+  Command shell_cmd_exit("exit");
+  ShellCommandId shell_cmd_exit_id = shell.add_command(shell_cmd_exit, "Exit the shell");
+  shell.set_command_class(shell_cmd_exit_id, basic_cmd_class);
+  shell.set_command_execute_function(shell_cmd_exit_id, [shell](){shell.exit();});
+
+  /* Note: help must be the last to add because the linking to execute function will do a snapshot on the shell */
+  Command shell_cmd_help("help");
+  ShellCommandId shell_cmd_help_id = shell.add_command(shell_cmd_help, "Launch help desk");
+  shell.set_command_class(shell_cmd_help_id, basic_cmd_class);
+  shell.set_command_execute_function(shell_cmd_help_id, [shell](){shell.print_commands();});
+} 
+
+} /* end namespace openfpga */
diff --git a/openfpga/src/base/shell_basic_cmd.h b/openfpga/src/base/shell_basic_cmd.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1722c9c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openfpga/src/base/shell_basic_cmd.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#ifndef SHELL_BASIC_CMD_H
+#define SHELL_BASIC_CMD_H
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Include header files that are required by function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include "shell.h"
+#include "openfpga_context.h"
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+
+/* begin namespace openfpga */
+namespace openfpga {
+
+void add_basic_commands(openfpga::Shell<OpenfpgaContext>& shell); 
+
+} /* end namespace openfpga */
+
+#endif
diff --git a/openfpga/src/main.cpp b/openfpga/src/main.cpp
index d3698d18d..7412684b6 100644
--- a/openfpga/src/main.cpp
+++ b/openfpga/src/main.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 #include "shell.h"
 
 /* Header file from openfpga */
-#include "vpr_main.h"
+#include "shell_vpr_cmd.h"
+#include "shell_basic_cmd.h"
 
 #include "openfpga_title.h"
 #include "openfpga_context.h"
@@ -21,21 +22,20 @@ using namespace openfpga;
  * Main function to start OpenFPGA shell interface
  *******************************************************************/
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-
   /* Create the command to launch shell in different modes */
   Command start_cmd("OpenFPGA");
   /* Add two options:
    * '--interactive', -i': launch the interactive mode 
    * '--file', -f': launch the script mode 
    */
-  CommandOptionId opt_interactive = start_cmd.add_option("interactive", false, "Launch OpenFPGA in interactive mode");
+  openfpga::CommandOptionId opt_interactive = start_cmd.add_option("interactive", false, "Launch OpenFPGA in interactive mode");
   start_cmd.set_option_short_name(opt_interactive, "i");
 
-  CommandOptionId opt_script_mode = start_cmd.add_option("file", false, "Launch OpenFPGA in script mode");
-  start_cmd.set_option_require_value(opt_script_mode, OPT_STRING);
+  openfpga::CommandOptionId opt_script_mode = start_cmd.add_option("file", false, "Launch OpenFPGA in script mode");
+  start_cmd.set_option_require_value(opt_script_mode, openfpga::OPT_STRING);
   start_cmd.set_option_short_name(opt_script_mode, "f");
 
-  CommandOptionId opt_help = start_cmd.add_option("help", false, "Help desk"); 
+  openfpga::CommandOptionId opt_help = start_cmd.add_option("help", false, "Help desk"); 
   start_cmd.set_option_short_name(opt_help, "h");
 
   /* Create a shell object
@@ -47,29 +47,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 
   shell.add_title(create_openfpga_title());
 
-  /* Add a new class of commands */
-  ShellCommandClassId arith_cmd_class = shell.add_command_class("VPR");
+  /* Add vpr commands */
+  add_vpr_commands(shell);
 
-  /* Create a macro command of 'vpr' which will call the main engine of vpr 
+  /* Add basic commands: exit, help, etc. 
+   * Note:
+   * This MUST be the last command group to be added! 
    */
-  Command shell_cmd_vpr("vpr");
-  ShellCommandId shell_cmd_vpr_id = shell.add_command(shell_cmd_vpr, "Start VPR core engine to pack, place and route a BLIF design on a FPGA architecture");
-  shell.set_command_class(shell_cmd_vpr_id, arith_cmd_class);
-  shell.set_command_execute_function(shell_cmd_vpr_id, vpr::vpr);
-
-  /* Add a new class of commands */
-  ShellCommandClassId basic_cmd_class = shell.add_command_class("Basic");
-
-  Command shell_cmd_exit("exit");
-  ShellCommandId shell_cmd_exit_id = shell.add_command(shell_cmd_exit, "Exit the shell");
-  shell.set_command_class(shell_cmd_exit_id, basic_cmd_class);
-  shell.set_command_execute_function(shell_cmd_exit_id, [shell](){shell.exit();});
-
-  /* Note: help must be the last to add because the linking to execute function will do a snapshot on the shell */
-  Command shell_cmd_help("help");
-  ShellCommandId shell_cmd_help_id = shell.add_command(shell_cmd_help, "Launch help desk");
-  shell.set_command_class(shell_cmd_help_id, basic_cmd_class);
-  shell.set_command_execute_function(shell_cmd_help_id, [shell](){shell.print_commands();});
+  add_basic_commands(shell);
 
   /* Create the data base for the shell */
   OpenfpgaContext openfpga_context;
diff --git a/openfpga/src/vpr_cmd/shell_vpr_cmd.cpp b/openfpga/src/vpr_cmd/shell_vpr_cmd.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22bace2c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openfpga/src/vpr_cmd/shell_vpr_cmd.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/********************************************************************
+ * Add vpr-related commands to the OpenFPGA shell interface 
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include "vpr_main.h"
+
+#include "shell_vpr_cmd.h"
+
+/* begin namespace openfpga */
+namespace openfpga {
+
+void add_vpr_commands(openfpga::Shell<OpenfpgaContext>& shell) {
+  /* Add a new class of commands */
+  ShellCommandClassId arith_cmd_class = shell.add_command_class("VPR");
+
+  /* Create a macro command of 'vpr' which will call the main engine of vpr 
+   */
+  Command shell_cmd_vpr("vpr");
+  ShellCommandId shell_cmd_vpr_id = shell.add_command(shell_cmd_vpr, "Start VPR core engine to pack, place and route a BLIF design on a FPGA architecture");
+  shell.set_command_class(shell_cmd_vpr_id, arith_cmd_class);
+  shell.set_command_execute_function(shell_cmd_vpr_id, vpr::vpr);
+}
+
+} /* end namespace openfpga */
diff --git a/openfpga/src/vpr_cmd/shell_vpr_cmd.h b/openfpga/src/vpr_cmd/shell_vpr_cmd.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3aebe6dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openfpga/src/vpr_cmd/shell_vpr_cmd.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#ifndef SHELL_VPR_CMD_H
+#define SHELL_VPR_CMD_H
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Include header files that are required by function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+#include "shell.h"
+#include "openfpga_context.h"
+
+/********************************************************************
+ * Function declaration
+ *******************************************************************/
+
+/* begin namespace openfpga */
+namespace openfpga {
+
+void add_vpr_commands(openfpga::Shell<OpenfpgaContext>& shell); 
+
+} /* end namespace openfpga */
+
+#endif