diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index 09320eb..4d40b05 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ Options:
 
 Commands:
   list|ls           Lists all of the components that are available for installation within your project based on the system and variant you selected
-  install|i [name]  Install a component from within the current project's system and variant
+  install|i [name] [options] Install a component from within the current project's system and variant
   help [command]    display help for command
 
 ```
@@ -179,4 +179,14 @@ emulsify component install card
  > Success! The card component has been added to your project.
 ```
 
+If you attempt to install a component that already exists within your project, you the installation process will throw an error. However, if you wish to overwrite the existing component, pass the `--force` flag.
+
+```bash
+emulsify component install card
+ > Error: The component "card" already exists, and force was not passed (--force).
+
+emulsify component install card --force
+ > Success! The card component has been added to your project.
+```
+
 That's pretty much it. Have fun, and please feel free to open issues if you discover a bug, or have an improvement to suggest!
diff --git a/jest.setup.js b/jest.setup.js
index 77ca02f..1f91136 100644
--- a/jest.setup.js
+++ b/jest.setup.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ jest.mock('simple-git', () => {
     branch: jest.fn(),
     checkout: jest.fn(),
     fetch: jest.fn(),
+    pull: jest.fn(),
   };
 
   return jest.fn(() => mockGit);
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ jest.mock('fs', () => ({
 
 jest.mock('fs-extra', () => ({
   copy: jest.fn(),
+  remove: jest.fn(),
+  pathExists: jest.fn(),
 }));
 
 jest.mock('child_process');
diff --git a/src/handlers/componentInstall.ts b/src/handlers/componentInstall.ts
index 9295054..276c632 100644
--- a/src/handlers/componentInstall.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/componentInstall.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   EMULSIFY_PROJECT_CONFIG_FILE,
 } from '../lib/constants';
 import type { EmulsifySystem } from '@emulsify-cli/config';
+import type { InstallComponentHandlerOptions } from '@emulsify-cli/handlers';
 import getGitRepoNameFromUrl from '../util/getGitRepoNameFromUrl';
 import getEmulsifyConfig from '../util/project/getEmulsifyConfig';
 import getJsonFromCachedFile from '../util/cache/getJsonFromCachedFile';
@@ -14,7 +15,10 @@ import cloneIntoCache from '../util/cache/cloneIntoCache';
 /**
  * Handler for the `component install` command.
  */
-export default async function componentInstall(name: string): Promise<void> {
+export default async function componentInstall(
+  name: string,
+  { force }: InstallComponentHandlerOptions
+): Promise<void> {
   const emulsifyConfig = await getEmulsifyConfig();
   if (!emulsifyConfig) {
     return log(
@@ -86,9 +90,13 @@ export default async function componentInstall(name: string): Promise<void> {
     );
   }
 
-  await installComponentFromCache(systemConf, variantConf, name);
-  return log(
-    'success',
-    `Success! The ${name} component has been added to your project.`
-  );
+  try {
+    await installComponentFromCache(systemConf, variantConf, name, force);
+    return log(
+      'success',
+      `Success! The ${name} component has been added to your project.`
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    return log('error', (e as Error).toString());
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/handlers/init.test.ts b/src/handlers/init.test.ts
index 625608c..d32055c 100644
--- a/src/handlers/init.test.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/init.test.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ describe('init', () => {
   });
 
   it('can clone an Emulsify starter based on CLI input, and log a success message upon completion', async () => {
-    expect.assertions(3);
+    expect.assertions(2);
     await init('cornflake', `${root}/themes/subDir`, {
       starter: 'https://github.com/cornflake-ds/cornflake-drupal.git',
       checkout: '5.6x',
@@ -77,14 +77,7 @@ describe('init', () => {
       '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/themes/subDir/cornflake',
       { '--branch': '5.6x' }
     );
-    expect(logMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      'success',
-      'Created an Emulsify project in /home/uname/Projects/cornflake/themes/subDir/cornflake.'
-    );
-    expect(logMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      'info',
-      `Emulsify does not come with components by default.\nPlease use "emulsify system install" to select a design system you'd like to use.\nDoing so will install the system's default components, and allow you to install any other components made available by the design system.\nTo see a list of out-of-the-box design systems, run: "emulsify system ls"`
-    );
+    expect(logMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(5);
   });
 
   it('can clone an Emulsify starter without a provided checkout', async () => {
diff --git a/src/handlers/init.ts b/src/handlers/init.ts
index 08cb07e..f73b6a0 100644
--- a/src/handlers/init.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/init.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import R from 'ramda';
 import { join } from 'path';
 import { existsSync, promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import simpleGit from 'simple-git';
+import { cyan } from 'chalk';
 
 import type { EmulsifyProjectConfiguration } from '@emulsify-cli/config';
 import type { InitHandlerOptions } from '@emulsify-cli/handlers';
@@ -134,7 +135,27 @@ export default async function init(
     log('success', `Created an Emulsify project in ${target}.`);
     log(
       'info',
-      `Emulsify does not come with components by default.\nPlease use "emulsify system install" to select a design system you'd like to use.\nDoing so will install the system's default components, and allow you to install any other components made available by the design system.\nTo see a list of out-of-the-box design systems, run: "emulsify system ls"`
+      `Make sure you install the modules your Emulsify-based theme requires in order to function.`
+    );
+    log(
+      'verbose',
+      `
+      - composer require drupal/components
+      - composer require drupal/emulsify_twig
+      - drush en components emulsify_twig -y
+    `
+    );
+    log(
+      'info',
+      `Once the requirements have been installed, you will need to select a system to use, as Emulsify does not come with components by default.`
+    );
+    log(
+      'verbose',
+      `
+      ${cyan('List systems')}: emulsify system list
+      ${cyan('Install a system')}: emulsify system install "system-name"
+      ${cyan('Install default system')}: emulsify system install compound
+    `
     );
   } catch (e) {
     log('error', `Unable to pull down ${repository}: ${String(e)}`, EXIT_ERROR);
diff --git a/src/handlers/systemInstall.ts b/src/handlers/systemInstall.ts
index 60be2c8..8e67eb4 100644
--- a/src/handlers/systemInstall.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/systemInstall.ts
@@ -175,7 +175,12 @@ export default async function systemInstall(
       ({ required }) => required === true
     );
     for (const component of requiredComponents) {
-      await installComponentFromCache(systemConf, variantConf, component.name);
+      await installComponentFromCache(
+        systemConf,
+        variantConf,
+        component.name,
+        true
+      );
     }
 
     // Install all global files and folders.
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 9d97f91..6e16d21 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ component
   .action(componentList);
 component
   .command('install [name]')
+  .option(
+    '-f --force',
+    'Use this to overwrite a component that is already installed'
+  )
   .alias('i')
   .description(
     "Install a component from within the current project's system and variant"
diff --git a/src/types/handlers.d.ts b/src/types/handlers.d.ts
index a152d5d..fc9ce34 100644
--- a/src/types/handlers.d.ts
+++ b/src/types/handlers.d.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ declare module '@emulsify-cli/handlers' {
     checkout?: string | void;
     variant?: string | void;
   };
+
+  export type InstallComponentHandlerOptions = {
+    force?: boolean;
+  };
 }
diff --git a/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.test.ts b/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.test.ts
index 2810f4b..c55d46b 100644
--- a/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.test.ts
+++ b/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const mkdirMock = fs.promises.mkdir as jest.Mock;
 const gitCloneMock = git().clone as jest.Mock;
 const gitFetchMock = git().fetch as jest.Mock;
 const gitCheckoutMock = git().checkout as jest.Mock;
+const gitPullMock = git().pull as jest.Mock;
 
 (findFileInCurrentPath as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(
   '/home/uname/projects/emulsify'
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ describe('cloneIntoCache', () => {
     gitCloneMock.mockClear();
     gitFetchMock.mockClear();
     gitCheckoutMock.mockClear();
+    gitPullMock.mockClear();
   });
 
   const cloneOptions = {
@@ -33,11 +35,12 @@ describe('cloneIntoCache', () => {
   };
 
   it('can ensure that the correct branch is checked out, and return early if the cache item already exists', async () => {
-    expect.assertions(4);
+    expect.assertions(5);
     existsSyncMock.mockReturnValueOnce(true);
     await cloneIntoCache('systems', ['cornflake'])(cloneOptions);
     expect(existsSyncMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(gitFetchMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(gitPullMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(gitCheckoutMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('branch-name');
     expect(gitCloneMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
diff --git a/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.ts b/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.ts
index 6c4972a..cffe3a6 100644
--- a/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.ts
+++ b/src/util/cache/cloneIntoCache.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export default function cloneIntoCache(
         git = simpleGit(destination);
         await git.fetch();
         await git.checkout(checkout);
+        await git.pull();
       }
       return;
     }
diff --git a/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.test.ts b/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.test.ts
index 658f3ae..478c127 100644
--- a/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.test.ts
+++ b/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ jest.mock('./getCachedItemPath', () =>
       '/home/uname/.emulsify/cache/systems/12345/compound/components/00-base/colors'
   )
 );
-import { copy } from 'fs-extra';
+import { copy, remove } from 'fs-extra';
 import copyItemFromCache from './copyItemFromCache';
 
 describe('copyItemFromCache', () => {
@@ -19,4 +19,15 @@ describe('copyItemFromCache', () => {
       '/home/uname/Projects/drupal/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/colors'
     );
   });
+  it('can remove a destination before copying items from the cache if "force" is true', async () => {
+    await copyItemFromCache(
+      'systems',
+      ['compound', 'components', '00-base', 'colors'],
+      '/home/uname/Projects/drupal/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/colors',
+      true
+    );
+    expect(remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      '/home/uname/Projects/drupal/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/colors'
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.ts b/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.ts
index 8d47ad8..9d4afc4 100644
--- a/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.ts
+++ b/src/util/cache/copyItemFromCache.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { CacheBucket, CacheItemPath } from '@emulsify-cli/cache';
-import { copy } from 'fs-extra';
+import { copy, remove } from 'fs-extra';
 import getCachedItemPath from './getCachedItemPath';
 
 /**
@@ -10,12 +10,19 @@ import getCachedItemPath from './getCachedItemPath';
  * @param itemPath array containing segments of the path to the cached item within the specified bucket.
  * @param item name of the cached item.
  * @param destination full path to the destination to which the cached item should be copied.
+ * @param force if true, removes any file/folder at the destination before copying.
  */
 export default async function copyFileFromCache(
   bucket: CacheBucket,
   itemPath: CacheItemPath,
-  destination: string
+  destination: string,
+  force = false
 ): Promise<void> {
   const source = getCachedItemPath(bucket, itemPath);
+
+  if (force) {
+    await remove(destination);
+  }
+
   return copy(source, destination);
 }
diff --git a/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.test.ts b/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.test.ts
index 681ddea..cbfffeb 100644
--- a/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.test.ts
+++ b/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 jest.mock('../cache/copyItemFromCache', () => jest.fn());
 jest.mock('../fs/findFileInCurrentPath', () => jest.fn());
 
+import { pathExists } from 'fs-extra';
 import type { EmulsifySystem, EmulsifyVariant } from '@emulsify-cli/config';
 import copyItemFromCache from '../cache/copyItemFromCache';
 import findFileInCurrentPath from '../fs/findFileInCurrentPath';
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import installComponentFromCache from './installComponentFromCache';
 const findFileMock = (findFileInCurrentPath as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(
   '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/project.emulsify.json'
 );
+const pathExistsMock = (pathExists as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValue(false);
 
 describe('installComponentFromCache', () => {
   const system = {
@@ -69,13 +71,24 @@ describe('installComponentFromCache', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('throws an error if the component is already installed, and force is false', async () => {
+    expect.assertions(1);
+    pathExistsMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
+    await expect(
+      installComponentFromCache(system, variant, 'link', false)
+    ).rejects.toThrow(
+      'The component "link" already exists, and force was not passed (--force).'
+    );
+  });
+
   it('copies the component from the cached item into the correct destination', async () => {
     expect.assertions(1);
     await installComponentFromCache(system, variant, 'link');
     expect(copyItemFromCache as jest.Mock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       'systems',
       ['compound', './components/00-base', 'link'],
-      '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/link'
+      '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/link',
+      false
     );
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.ts b/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.ts
index 4fc6565..c69688c 100644
--- a/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.ts
+++ b/src/util/project/installComponentFromCache.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { pathExists } from 'fs-extra';
 import type { EmulsifySystem, EmulsifyVariant } from '@emulsify-cli/config';
 import { join, dirname } from 'path';
 import { EMULSIFY_PROJECT_CONFIG_FILE } from '../../lib/constants';
@@ -10,12 +11,14 @@ import copyItemFromCache from '../cache/copyItemFromCache';
  * @param system EmulsifySystem object depicting the system from which the component should be installed.
  * @param variant EmulsifyVariant object containing information about the component, where it lives, and how it should be installed.
  * @param componentName string name of the component that should be installed.
+ * @param force if true, replaces an existing component (if any).
  * @returns
  */
 export default async function installComponentFromCache(
   system: EmulsifySystem,
   variant: EmulsifyVariant,
-  componentName: string
+  componentName: string,
+  force = false
 ): Promise<void> {
   // Gather information about the current Emulsify project. If none exists,
   // throw an error.
@@ -51,9 +54,19 @@ export default async function installComponentFromCache(
   // Calculate the destination path based on the path to the Emulsify project, the structure of the
   // component, and the component's name.
   const destination = join(dirname(path), structure.directory, component.name);
+
+  // If the component already exists within the project, and force is not true,
+  // throw an error.
+  if ((await pathExists(destination)) && !force) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `The component "${component.name}" already exists, and force was not passed (--force).`
+    );
+  }
+
   return copyItemFromCache(
     'systems',
     [system.name, structure.directory, component.name],
-    destination
+    destination,
+    force
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.test.ts b/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.test.ts
index fd506aa..10eb4a6 100644
--- a/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.test.ts
+++ b/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.test.ts
@@ -52,13 +52,15 @@ describe('installGeneralAssetsFromCache', () => {
       1,
       'systems',
       ['compound', './components/00-base/00-defaults'],
-      '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/00-defaults'
+      '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/00-base/00-defaults',
+      true
     );
     expect(copyItemMock).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
       2,
       'systems',
       ['compound', './components/style.scss'],
-      '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/style.scss'
+      '/home/uname/Projects/cornflake/web/themes/custom/cornflake/components/style.scss',
+      true
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.ts b/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.ts
index 68c1bae..3ebf44b 100644
--- a/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.ts
+++ b/src/util/project/installGeneralAssetsFromCache.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@ export default async function installGeneralAssetsFromCache(
     const destination = join(dirname(path), asset.destinationPath);
     promises.push(
       catchLater(
-        copyItemFromCache('systems', [system.name, asset.path], destination)
+        copyItemFromCache(
+          'systems',
+          [system.name, asset.path],
+          destination,
+          true
+        )
       )
     );
   }