diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/generate.go b/cmd/docker-generate/generate.go
index 32ceecbc7..b72150275 100644
--- a/cmd/docker-generate/generate.go
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/generate.go
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-var generateCommand = &cli.Command{
-	Name: "generate",
-	Subcommands: []*cli.Command{
-		manifestCommand,
-	},
+func generateCommand() *cobra.Command {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use: "generate",
+	}
+	cmd.AddCommand(generateManifestCommand(nil))
+	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/generate_test.go b/cmd/docker-generate/generate_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..085ed9dd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/generate_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package main
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestGenerateCommand(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := generateCommand()
+	subCmds := cmd.Commands()
+	if len(subCmds) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expect generate command have 1 subcommand, got: %v", len(subCmds))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/main.go b/cmd/docker-generate/main.go
index 86fef92cc..1ba2aa06a 100644
--- a/cmd/docker-generate/main.go
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/main.go
@@ -2,20 +2,16 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"log"
-	"os"
 
-	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	app := &cli.App{
-		Name: "docker",
-		Commands: []*cli.Command{
-			generateCommand,
-			metadataCommand,
-		},
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use: "docker",
 	}
-	if err := app.Run(os.Args); err != nil {
+	cmd.AddCommand(generateCommand(), metadataCommand())
+	if err := cmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/manifest.go b/cmd/docker-generate/manifest.go
index 7c717b9a6..661e7dbe9 100644
--- a/cmd/docker-generate/manifest.go
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/manifest.go
@@ -6,27 +6,39 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 
 	"github.com/notaryproject/notation/pkg/docker"
-	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-var manifestCommand = &cli.Command{
-	Name:      "manifest",
-	Usage:     "generates the manifest of a docker image",
-	ArgsUsage: "[<reference>]",
-	Flags: []cli.Flag{
-		&cli.StringFlag{
-			Name:    "output",
-			Aliases: []string{"o"},
-			Usage:   "write to a file instead of stdout",
+type generateManifestOpts struct {
+	output    string
+	reference string
+}
+
+func generateManifestCommand(opts *generateManifestOpts) *cobra.Command {
+	if opts == nil {
+		opts = &generateManifestOpts{}
+	}
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "manifest [reference]",
+		Short: "generates the manifest of a docker image",
+		Args:  cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
+		PreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			if len(args) > 0 {
+				opts.reference = args[0]
+			}
 		},
-	},
-	Action: generateManifest,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			return generateManifest(cmd, opts)
+		},
+	}
+	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.output, "output", "o", "", "write to a file instead of stdout")
+	return cmd
 }
 
-func generateManifest(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+func generateManifest(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *generateManifestOpts) error {
 	var reader io.Reader
-	if reference := ctx.Args().First(); reference != "" {
-		cmd := exec.Command("docker", "save", reference)
+	if opts.reference != "" {
+		cmd := exec.Command("docker", "save", opts.reference)
 		cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 		stdout, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -41,8 +53,8 @@ func generateManifest(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	var writer io.Writer
-	if output := ctx.String("output"); output != "" {
-		file, err := os.Create(output)
+	if opts.output != "" {
+		file, err := os.Create(opts.output)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/manifest_test.go b/cmd/docker-generate/manifest_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30e9924b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/manifest_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestGenerateManifestCmd(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		generateManifestOpts
+		args        []string
+		expectedErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			generateManifestOpts{
+				reference: "reference",
+				output:    "output",
+			},
+			[]string{"-o", "output", "reference"},
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			generateManifestOpts{
+				reference: "",
+				output:    "output",
+			},
+			[]string{"-o", "output"},
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			generateManifestOpts{
+				reference: "reference",
+				output:    "",
+			},
+			[]string{"reference"},
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			generateManifestOpts{
+				reference: "",
+				output:    "",
+			},
+			[]string{},
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			generateManifestOpts{
+				reference: "reference",
+				output:    "output",
+			},
+			[]string{"reference", "--output", "output"},
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			args:        []string{"-o", "output", "-n", "reference"},
+			expectedErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		opts := &generateManifestOpts{}
+		cmd := generateManifestCommand(opts)
+		err := cmd.ParseFlags(test.args)
+		if err != nil && !test.expectedErr {
+			t.Fatalf("Test failed with error: %v", err)
+		}
+		if err == nil && test.expectedErr {
+			t.Fatalf("Expect test to error but it didn't: %v", test.args)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		cmd.PreRun(cmd, cmd.Flags().Args())
+		if *opts != test.generateManifestOpts {
+			t.Fatalf("Expect generate manifest opts: %v, got: %v", test.generateManifestOpts, *opts)
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/metadata.go b/cmd/docker-generate/metadata.go
index c7ad710f0..87ef63aa0 100644
--- a/cmd/docker-generate/metadata.go
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/metadata.go
@@ -5,9 +5,20 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/notaryproject/notation/internal/docker"
-	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
+func metadataCommand() *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use: docker.PluginMetadataCommandName,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			writer := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
+			return writer.Encode(pluginMetadata)
+		},
+		Hidden: true,
+	}
+}
+
 var pluginMetadata = docker.PluginMetadata{
 	SchemaVersion:    "0.1.0",
 	Vendor:           "CNCF Notary Project",
@@ -16,12 +27,3 @@ var pluginMetadata = docker.PluginMetadata{
 	URL:              "https://github.com/notaryproject/notation",
 	Experimental:     true,
 }
-
-var metadataCommand = &cli.Command{
-	Name: docker.PluginMetadataCommandName,
-	Action: func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
-		writer := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
-		return writer.Encode(pluginMetadata)
-	},
-	Hidden: true,
-}
diff --git a/cmd/docker-generate/metadata_test.go b/cmd/docker-generate/metadata_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5e51dc89e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/docker-generate/metadata_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/notaryproject/notation/internal/docker"
+)
+
+func TestMetdaDatCommand(t *testing.T) {
+	oldStdOut := os.Stdout
+	r, w, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Create pipe for metadata cmd failed: %v", err)
+
+	}
+	os.Stdout = w
+	cmd := metadataCommand()
+	if err := cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Running metadata cmd failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	w.Close()
+	data, err := io.ReadAll(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Read metadata from stdout failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	var got docker.PluginMetadata
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &got); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unmarshal metadata failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != pluginMetadata {
+		t.Fatalf("Expect Metadata: %v, got: %v", data, pluginMetadata)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		os.Stdout = oldStdOut
+		r.Close()
+	}()
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 0de6e2ac5..61367697e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ require (
 	github.com/notaryproject/notation-core-go v0.0.0-20220712013708-3c4b3efa03c5
 	github.com/notaryproject/notation-go v0.9.0-alpha.1.0.20220712175603-962d79cd4090
 	github.com/opencontainers/go-digest v1.0.0
-	github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.10.3
+	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.5.0
+	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5
+	github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.11.0
 	oras.land/oras-go/v2 v2.0.0-20220620164807-8b2a54608a94
 )
 
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/docker/docker v20.10.8+incompatible // indirect
 	github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers v0.6.4 // indirect
 	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.4.2 // indirect
+	github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/opencontainers/image-spec v1.0.2 // indirect
 	github.com/oras-project/artifacts-spec v1.0.0-rc.1 // indirect
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index faf038734..492594e5f 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ github.com/google/go-cmp v0.4.0/go.mod h1:v8dTdLbMG2kIc/vJvl+f65V22dbkXbowE6jgT/
 github.com/google/gofuzz v1.0.0/go.mod h1:dBl0BpW6vV/+mYPU4Po3pmUjxk6FQPldtuIdl/M65Eg=
 github.com/gorilla/handlers v1.5.1/go.mod h1:t8XrUpc4KVXb7HGyJ4/cEnwQiaxrX/hz1Zv/4g96P1Q=
 github.com/gorilla/mux v1.8.0/go.mod h1:DVbg23sWSpFRCP0SfiEN6jmj59UnW/n46BH5rLB71So=
+github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0 h1:Z8tu5sraLXCXIcARxBp/8cbvlwVa7Z1NHg9XEKhtSvM=
 github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0/go.mod h1:PxqpIevigyE2G7u3NXJIT2ANytuPF1OarO4DADm73n8=
 github.com/jmespath/go-jmespath v0.3.0/go.mod h1:9QtRXoHjLGCJ5IBSaohpXITPlowMeeYCZ7fLUTSywik=
 github.com/json-iterator/go v1.1.6/go.mod h1:+SdeFBvtyEkXs7REEP0seUULqWtbJapLOCVDaaPEHmU=
@@ -107,15 +108,19 @@ github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.2.0/go.mod h1:LxeOpSwHxABJmUn/MG1IvRgCAasNZTLOkJPx
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.8.1 h1:dJKuHgqk1NNQlqoA6BTlM1Wf9DOH3NBjQyu0h9+AZZE=
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.8.1/go.mod h1:yWOB1SBYBC5VeMP7gHvWumXLIWorT60ONWic61uBYv0=
 github.com/spf13/cobra v0.0.3/go.mod h1:1l0Ry5zgKvJasoi3XT1TypsSe7PqH0Sj9dhYf7v3XqQ=
+github.com/spf13/cobra v1.5.0 h1:X+jTBEBqF0bHN+9cSMgmfuvv2VHJ9ezmFNf9Y/XstYU=
+github.com/spf13/cobra v1.5.0/go.mod h1:dWXEIy2H428czQCjInthrTRUg7yKbok+2Qi/yBIJoUM=
 github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.3/go.mod h1:DYY7MBk1bdzusC3SYhjObp+wFpr4gzcvqqNjLnInEg4=
+github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5 h1:iy+VFUOCP1a+8yFto/drg2CJ5u0yRoB7fZw3DKv/JXA=
+github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5/go.mod h1:McXfInJRrz4CZXVZOBLb0bTZqETkiAhM9Iw0y3An2Bg=
 github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
 github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.1/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.2.2/go.mod h1:a8OnRcib4nhh0OaRAV+Yts87kKdq0PP7pXfy6kDkUVs=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.3.0/go.mod h1:M5WIy9Dh21IEIfnGCwXGc5bZfKNJtfHm1UVUgZn+9EI=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.5.1 h1:nOGnQDM7FYENwehXlg/kFVnos3rEvtKTjRvOWSzb6H4=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.5.1/go.mod h1:5W2xD1RspED5o8YsWQXVCued0rvSQ+mT+I5cxcmMvtA=
-github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.10.3 h1:oi571Fxz5aHugfBAJd5nkwSk3fzATXtMlpxdLylSCMo=
-github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.10.3/go.mod h1:f8iq5LtQ/bLxafbdBSLPPNsgaW0l/2fYYEHhAyPlwvo=
+github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.11.0 h1:c6bD90aLd2iEsokxhxkY5Er0zA2V9fId2aJfwmrF+do=
+github.com/urfave/cli/v2 v2.11.0/go.mod h1:f8iq5LtQ/bLxafbdBSLPPNsgaW0l/2fYYEHhAyPlwvo=
 github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20201216005158-039620a65673 h1:bAn7/zixMGCfxrRTfdpNzjtPYqr8smhKouy9mxVdGPU=
 github.com/xrash/smetrics v0.0.0-20201216005158-039620a65673/go.mod h1:N3UwUGtsrSj3ccvlPHLoLsHnpR27oXr4ZE984MbSER8=
 github.com/yvasiyarov/go-metrics v0.0.0-20140926110328-57bccd1ccd43/go.mod h1:aX5oPXxHm3bOH+xeAttToC8pqch2ScQN/JoXYupl6xs=
diff --git a/internal/cmd/flags.go b/internal/cmd/flags.go
index 6f4aab737..9381e8db1 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/flags.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/flags.go
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
@@ -53,6 +56,70 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
+var (
+	PflagKey = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:      "key",
+		Shorthand: "k",
+		Usage:     "signing key name",
+	}
+	SetPflagKey = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *string) {
+		cmd.Flags().StringVarP(p, PflagKey.Name, PflagKey.Shorthand, "", PflagKey.Usage)
+	}
+
+	PflagKeyFile = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:  "key-file",
+		Usage: "signing key file",
+	}
+	SetPflagKeyFile = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *string) {
+		cmd.Flags().StringVar(p, PflagKeyFile.Name, "", PflagKeyFile.Usage)
+	}
+
+	PflagCertFile = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:  "cert-file",
+		Usage: "signing certificate file",
+	}
+	SetPflagCertFile = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *string) {
+		cmd.Flags().StringVar(p, PflagCertFile.Name, "", PflagCertFile.Usage)
+	}
+
+	PflagTimestamp = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:      "timestamp",
+		Shorthand: "t",
+		Usage:     "timestamp the signed signature via the remote TSA",
+	}
+	SetPflagTimestamp = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *string) {
+		cmd.Flags().StringVarP(p, PflagTimestamp.Name, PflagTimestamp.Shorthand, "", PflagTimestamp.Usage)
+	}
+
+	PflagExpiry = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:      "expiry",
+		Shorthand: "e",
+		Usage:     "expire duration",
+	}
+	SetPflagExpiry = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *time.Duration) {
+		cmd.Flags().DurationVarP(p, PflagExpiry.Name, PflagExpiry.Shorthand, time.Duration(0), PflagExpiry.Usage)
+	}
+
+	PflagReference = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:      "reference",
+		Shorthand: "r",
+		Usage:     "original reference",
+	}
+	SetPflagReference = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *string) {
+		cmd.Flags().StringVarP(p, PflagReference.Name, PflagReference.Shorthand, "", PflagReference.Usage)
+	}
+
+	// TODO: cobra does not support letter shorthand
+	PflagPluginConfig = &pflag.Flag{
+		Name:      "pluginConfig",
+		Shorthand: "c",
+		Usage:     "list of comma-separated {key}={value} pairs that are passed as is to the plugin, refer plugin documentation to set appropriate values",
+	}
+	SetPflagPluginConfig = func(cmd *cobra.Command, p *string) {
+		cmd.Flags().StringVarP(p, PflagPluginConfig.Name, PflagPluginConfig.Shorthand, "", PflagPluginConfig.Usage)
+	}
+)
+
 // KeyValueSlice is a flag with type int
 type KeyValueSlice interface {
 	Set(value string) error