diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 338c23d..9fcc652 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,32 +1,105 @@
 # netupgrade
 
-Servers full upgrade script
+Interactive CLI tool to run upgrade and maintenance actions on multiple remote hosts over SSH.
 
 ## Where to use
 
-- On a dedicated server (bastion, ...)
+- On a dedicated server (bastion, jump host, ...)
 - On your computer with an alias to your dedicated server
-- On your computer (not recommended)
+- On your computer directly (not recommended)
+
+## Features
+
+- Select one or more hosts from an interactive checklist
+- Run predefined actions on each selected host
+- Write execution logs to `~/netupgrade.log`
+
+Supported actions:
+
+- `apt`
+- `yum`
+- `pkg`
+- `pacman`
+- `apk`
+- `reboot`
+- `cmd:<remote command>`
+- `docker-stacks:<directory>`
+
+## Requirements
+
+- `bash`
+- `ssh`
+- `whiptail`
+- `nano`
+- `sed`
+- `tee`
 
 ## Install
 
-### Bin as root
+### Install the executable
 
-``` bash
-cp bin/netupgrade to /usr/local/bin
+```bash README.md
+cp bin/netupgrade /usr/local/bin/netupgrade
+chmod +x /usr/local/bin/netupgrade
 ```
 
-### Config as user
+### Create the config directory
 
-``` bash
-mkdir -p ~/.config/netuprade
-touch ~/.config/netuprade/index.cfg
+```bash README.md
+mkdir -p ~/.config/netupgrade
+touch ~/.config/netupgrade/index.cfg
 ```
 
 ### Alias on your computer with a dedicated server
 
-You can save it in your .bashrc
+You can save it in your `.bashrc`
 
-``` bash
+```bash README.md
 alias netupgrade='ssh -t user@10.0.0.10 netupgrade'
 ```
+
+## Configuration
+
+The default config file is:
+
+```text README.md
+~/.config/netupgrade/index.cfg
+```
+
+The script sources this file as Bash code. It must define a `NODES` array.
+
+Each entry uses this format:
+
+```text README.md
+host;display-name;action1;action2;...
+```
+
+Example:
+
+```bash README.md
+NODES=(
+  "192.168.1.10;web-01;apt;reboot"
+  "192.168.1.11;db-01;apt;cmd:systemctl restart postgresql"
+  "192.168.1.12;docker-01;docker-stacks:/opt/stacks"
+)
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+```bash README.md
+netupgrade [--help] [-f] [-y] [configfilename]
+```
+
+Options:
+
+- `--help`: show help
+- `-f`: preselect all nodes
+- `-y`: pass non-interactive confirmation flags to supported package managers
+- `configfilename`: path to a config file
+
+## Notes
+
+- SSH connections currently use `root@host`
+- The tool is interactive and intended for manual administration workflows
+- After execution, the log file is opened in `nano`
+- The configuration file is sourced as shell code, so only use trusted config files
diff --git a/bin/netupgrade b/bin/netupgrade
index fb8a6de..583b6db 100755
--- a/bin/netupgrade
+++ b/bin/netupgrade
@@ -1,12 +1,20 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 showHelp() {
-	echo "netupgrade [-f] [-y] [configfilename]"
+	echo "netupgrade [--help] [-f] [-y] [configfilename]"
 	echo ""
-	echo "              -f : Select all nodes"
-	echo "              -y : No confirmation"
-	echo "              -b : Breack on error"
-	echo "  configfilename : a cfg filename"
+	echo "  --help         Show this help message"
+	echo "  -f             Select all nodes"
+	echo "  -y             No confirmation for supported package managers"
+	echo "  configfilename Path to a cfg file"
+}
+
+checkDependencies() {
+	command -v ssh >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: ssh is required"; exit 1; }
+	command -v whiptail >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: whiptail is required"; exit 1; }
+	command -v nano >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: nano is required"; exit 1; }
+	command -v sed >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: sed is required"; exit 1; }
+	command -v tee >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "Error: tee is required"; exit 1; }
 }
 
 pressAnyKey(){
@@ -238,6 +246,7 @@ while [[ ${#} -gt 0 ]]; do
 	esac
 done
 
+checkDependencies
 loadConfig
 selectNodes
 
diff --git a/state.md b/state.md
index 09e9bce..62d318a 100644
--- a/state.md
+++ b/state.md
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ Supported action types currently include:
 ## Main issues identified
 
 ### 1. Documentation accuracy problems
-- `README.md` contains a typo in the configuration path (`netuprade` instead of `netupgrade`)
-- The CLI help mentions `-b` but that option is not implemented
-- `--help` exists in code but is not documented in the displayed usage
-- The configuration format is not documented in enough detail
+- `README.md` and CLI help were updated to better match current behavior
+- The previous typo in the configuration path (`netuprade`) has been fixed
+- The unsupported `-b` option was removed from the displayed help
+- The configuration format and supported actions are now documented in more detail
 
 ### 2. Shell robustness concerns
 - Node parsing relies on replacing `;` with spaces and re-splitting:
@@ -71,8 +71,7 @@ Supported action types currently include:
 - The `docker-stacks` remote loop should be reviewed carefully for quoting and path safety
 
 ### 4. UX and dependency issues
-- `whiptail` is required for selection but is not checked before use
-- `nano` is required for log viewing but is not checked before use
+- Required runtime dependencies are now checked at startup (`ssh`, `whiptail`, `nano`, `sed`, `tee`)
 - The workflow is highly interactive and not well suited for automation
 - `rm -i` introduces an extra prompt even when the rest of the flow is meant to be streamlined
 
@@ -91,10 +90,10 @@ Supported action types currently include:
 ## Recommended direction
 
 ### Short term
-- Fix documentation and help output to match actual behavior
 - Correct the remote command bugs, especially for `pacman`
-- Add dependency checks for required external tools
-- Either implement or remove unsupported CLI options such as `-b`
+- Improve parsing of node entries to avoid whitespace-splitting issues
+- Review `docker-stacks` remote command quoting and behavior
+- Consider making SSH user, log path, and editor configurable
 
 ### Medium term
 - Improve parsing of node entries to avoid whitespace-splitting issues
@@ -108,6 +107,12 @@ Supported action types currently include:
 - Consider a safer declarative configuration format if the project grows
 - Add test coverage for parsing and command construction
 
+## Recent changes
+- `README.md` was expanded to document installation, requirements, usage, configuration format, and supported actions
+- `bin/netupgrade` help output was aligned with actual CLI behavior and now documents `--help`
+- A startup dependency check was added before loading configuration or opening the interactive selector
+- The unsupported `-b` option remains unimplemented and is no longer shown in help output
+
 ## Change guidance
 - Preserve backward compatibility for existing config files where possible
 - Prefer incremental hardening over a full rewrite