diff --git a/src/codedecorum/cli.py b/src/codedecorum/cli.py
index 8b973fa..6c8b618 100644
--- a/src/codedecorum/cli.py
+++ b/src/codedecorum/cli.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import sys
 from dataclasses import replace
 from datetime import timedelta
-from importlib.metadata import version
+from importlib.metadata import metadata, version
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from codedecorum.api import RuleUnit, Scope
@@ -39,9 +39,17 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         metavar=("RULE", "PATH"),
     )
     parser.add_argument("--approval-timeout", type=_approval_timeout, metavar="DURATION")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--plugin-help",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="show the complete plugin setup and rule-authoring guide, then exit",
+    )
     parser.add_argument("--version", action="version", version=version("codedecorum"))
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
 
+    if args.plugin_help:
+        print(_plugin_help())
+        return 0
     if args.approval_timeout is not None and args.unlocking_with_explicit_human_approval is None:
         parser.error("--approval-timeout requires --unlocking-with-explicit-human-approval")
     if args.unlocking_with_explicit_human_approval is not None and args.paths:
@@ -125,6 +133,16 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     return int(bool(diagnostics))
 
 
+def _plugin_help() -> str:
+    readme = metadata("codedecorum").get_payload()
+    heading = "## How to write a plugin"
+    _, separator, remainder = readme.partition(f"{heading}\n")
+    if not separator:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"packaged README does not contain {heading!r}")
+    body, _, _ = remainder.partition("\n## ")
+    return f"{heading}\n{body.rstrip()}"
+
+
 def _approval_timeout(value: str) -> timedelta:
     units = {"s": 1, "m": 60, "h": 3600}
     try:
diff --git a/tests/test_contracts.py b/tests/test_contracts.py
index 4f21d12..a892552 100644
--- a/tests/test_contracts.py
+++ b/tests/test_contracts.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import subprocess
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Mapping
 from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
+from importlib.metadata import metadata
 from pathlib import Path, PurePosixPath
 
 import pytest
@@ -270,6 +271,24 @@ def test_parameterized_guidance_contract() -> None:
         configure_rules((invalid,), Config())
 
 
+def test_plugin_help_prints_packaged_readme_section(
+    capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str],
+) -> None:
+    readme = metadata("codedecorum").get_payload()
+    expected = readme[readme.index("## How to write a plugin") :].split("\n## ", 1)[0].rstrip()
+
+    assert main(["--plugin-help"]) == 0
+    assert capsys.readouterr().out.rstrip() == expected
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exit_info:
+        main(["--help"])
+    assert exit_info.value.code == 0
+    help_output = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "--plugin-help" in help_output
+    assert "show the complete plugin setup and rule-authoring" in help_output
+    assert "guide, then exit" in help_output
+
+
 def test_complete_plugin_pipeline(tmp_path: Path, capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]) -> None:
     root = tmp_path / "repo"
     subprocess.run(["git", "init", "-q", "-b", "main", root], check=True)