diff --git a/src/js/commands.ts b/src/js/commands.ts
index 9f213e3..c7e779e 100644
--- a/src/js/commands.ts
+++ b/src/js/commands.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,17 @@
 
 import { scrollback } from "./dom.js"
 
-export const commands: Record<string, () => void> = {
+export const commands: string[] = []
+
+export const browserCommands: Record<string, () => any> = {
   fullscreen: () => document.body.requestFullscreen(),
   clear: () => scrollback.innerHTML = "",
+  commands: () => commands.join(" ")
+}
+
+export function cacheCommands(cmds: string[]) {
+  commands.length = 0
+  commands.push(...cmds)
+  commands.push(...Object.keys(browserCommands))
+  commands.sort()
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/js/shell.ts b/src/js/shell.ts
index 68e5412..d70b12c 100644
--- a/src/js/shell.ts
+++ b/src/js/shell.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ////
 // The shell runs on the server and processes input, returning output.
 
+import type { Message, CommandResult } from "../shared/types.js"
 import { addInput, setStatus, addOutput } from "./scrollback.js"
 import { send } from "./websocket.js"
 import { randomID } from "../shared/utils.js"
-import type { Message, CommandResult } from "../shared/types.js"
 import { addToHistory } from "./history.js"
-import { commands } from "./commands.js"
+import { browserCommands, cacheCommands } from "./commands.js"
 
 export function runCommand(input: string) {
     const id = randomID()
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ export function runCommand(input: string) {
 
     const [cmd = "", ...args] = input.split(" ")
 
-    if (commands[cmd]) {
-        commands[cmd]()
+    if (browserCommands[cmd]) {
+        const result = browserCommands[cmd]()
+        if (result) addOutput(id, result)
         setStatus(id, "ok")
     } else {
         send({ id, type: "input", data: input })
@@ -25,16 +26,18 @@ export function runCommand(input: string) {
 }
 
 // message received from server
-export function handleMessage(data: Message) {
-    if (data.type === "output") {
-        handleOutput(data)
+export function handleMessage(msg: Message) {
+    if (msg.type === "output") {
+        handleOutput(msg)
+    } else if (msg.type === "commands") {
+        cacheCommands(msg.data as string[])
     } else {
-        console.error("unknown message type", data)
+        console.error("unknown message type", msg)
     }
 }
 
 function handleOutput(msg: Message) {
     const result = msg.data as CommandResult
-    setStatus(msg.id, result.status)
-    addOutput(msg.id, result.output)
+    setStatus(msg.id!, result.status)
+    addOutput(msg.id!, result.output)
 }
diff --git a/src/server.tsx b/src/server.tsx
index 85f611f..900b000 100644
--- a/src/server.tsx
+++ b/src/server.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ app.get("/ws", upgradeWebSocket(async c => {
     return {
         onOpen(_e, ws) {
             wsConnections.push(ws)
+            ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "commands", data: ["hello", "echo"] }))
         },
         async onMessage(event, ws) {
             let data: Message | undefined
diff --git a/src/shared/types.ts b/src/shared/types.ts
index 3d83a3c..c39505b 100644
--- a/src/shared/types.ts
+++ b/src/shared/types.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 export type Message = {
     session?: string
-    id: string
-    type: "input" | "output"
-    data: string | CommandResult
+    id?: string
+    type: "input" | "output" | "commands"
+    data: CommandResult | string | string[]
 }
 
 export type CommandResult = {