diff --git a/cookiecutter.json b/cookiecutter.json
index 1fb0c44..57d3ce9 100644
--- a/cookiecutter.json
+++ b/cookiecutter.json
@@ -7,5 +7,7 @@
   "python_version": "3.9",
   "author_full_name": "",
   "copyright_holder_full_name": "{{ cookiecutter.author_full_name }}",
-  "use_pandas": "n"
+  "use_fire": "n",
+  "use_pandas": "n",
+  "install_dependencies_now": "y"
 }
diff --git a/hooks/post_gen_project.py b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
index a853c1a..5ef8bf0 100644
--- a/hooks/post_gen_project.py
+++ b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 os.unlink('.venv/.keep')
 shutil.rmtree('licenses')
 
+{%- if cookiecutter.use_fire != "y" %}
+os.unlink('src/fire_workarounds.py')
+{%- endif %}
+
+{%- if cookiecutter.install_dependencies_now == "y" %}
 subprocess.run(
     'pipenv install -d',
     env={
@@ -15,3 +20,4 @@
     check=True,
     shell=True,
 )
+{%- endif %}
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/settings.json b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/settings.json
index eeac632..01075a2 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/settings.json	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/settings.json	
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   "python.linting.pylintEnabled": true,
   "python.linting.pylintPath": "./.venv/bin/pylint",
   "python.linting.enabled": true,
+  "code-runner.ignoreSelection": true,
   "code-runner.executorMap": {
     "python": "pipenv run python",
   },
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/tasks.json b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/tasks.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..432e8d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/.vscode/tasks.json	
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+{
+  // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
+  // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
+  "version": "2.0.0",
+  "tasks": [
+    {%- if cookiecutter.use_fire == "y" %}
+    {
+      "label": "{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}: Show usage help",
+      "type": "process",
+      "command": "pipenv",
+      "args": [
+        "run",
+        "{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}"
+      ],
+      "problemMatcher": [],
+      "group": "build",
+      "presentation": {
+        "clear": true,
+        "showReuseMessage": false
+      }
+    },
+    {%- endif %}
+    {
+      "label": "{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}: Run hello",
+      "type": "process",
+      "command": "pipenv",
+      "args": [
+        "run",
+        "{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}"
+        {%- if cookiecutter.use_fire == "y" %},
+        "hello"
+        {%- endif %}
+      ],
+      "problemMatcher": [],
+      "group": {
+        "kind": "build",
+        "isDefault": true
+      },
+      "presentation": {
+        "clear": true,
+        "showReuseMessage": false
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "label": "{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}: Run hello '{{ cookiecutter.author_full_name }}'",
+      "type": "process",
+      "command": "pipenv",
+      "args": [
+        "run",
+        {%- if cookiecutter.use_fire == "y" %}
+        "{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}",
+        "hello",
+        "{{ cookiecutter.author_full_name }}"
+        {%- else %}
+        "python",
+        "-c",
+        "import {{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}; print({{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.hello(\"{{ cookiecutter.author_full_name }}\"))"
+        {%- endif %}
+      ],
+      "problemMatcher": [],
+      "group": "build",
+      "presentation": {
+        "clear": true,
+        "showReuseMessage": false
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/Pipfile b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/Pipfile
index d4f83ae..10dc227 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/Pipfile	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/Pipfile	
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ name = "pypi"
 
 [packages]
 {{ cookiecutter.project_slug }} = {editable = true, path = "./src"}
+{%- if cookiecutter.use_fire == "y" %}
+colorama = "*"
+fire = "*"
+{%- endif %}
 {%- if cookiecutter.use_pandas == "y" %}
 pandas = "*"
 {%- endif %}
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/fire_workarounds.py b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/fire_workarounds.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cddcc5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/fire_workarounds.py	
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""Several workarounds for known issues in our dependencies"""
+
+import colorama
+import fire
+
+
+def __fire_suppress_pager():
+    """Make Python Fire not use a pager when it prints a help text.
+
+    See also:
+    https://github.com/google/python-fire/issues/188#issuecomment-631419585
+    """
+    fire.core.Display = lambda lines, out: print(*lines, file=out)
+
+
+def __vscode_code_runner_fix_colors():
+    """Work around an issue in the Code Runner extension for
+    Visual Studio Code, which claims to understand ANSI sequences
+    but doesn’t actually interpret them.
+    """
+    colorama.init()
+
+
+def apply():
+    """Applies all known workarounds."""
+    __fire_suppress_pager()
+    __vscode_code_runner_fix_colors()
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py
index 2c4d91f..be4fd5b 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py	
@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
 """This is the description of the {{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }} module."""
+{%- if cookiecutter.use_fire == "y" %}
+import fire
+import fire_workarounds
+{%- endif %}
 
-def hello():
-    """Returns the string `Hello, world!`
+
+def hello(name='world'):
+    """Returns a greeting.
     """
-    return 'Hello, world!'
+    return f'Hello, {name}!'
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
+{%- if cookiecutter.use_fire == "y" %}
+    fire_workarounds.apply()
+    fire.Fire({
+        "hello": hello
+    })
+{%- else %}
     print(hello())
+{%- endif %}
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/tests/test_{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/tests/test_{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py
index 706a50c..1b602e4 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/tests/test_{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}/tests/test_{{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.py	
@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 import {{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}
 
-def test_hello():
-    assert {{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }}.hello() == 'Hello, world!'
+
+def test_hello_with_author_name():
+    assert {{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }} \
+        .hello('{{ cookiecutter.author_full_name }}') \
+        == 'Hello, {{ cookiecutter.author_full_name }}!'
+
+
+def test_hello_with_no_arguments():
+    assert {{ cookiecutter.first_module_name }} \
+        .hello() \
+        == 'Hello, world!'