diff --git a/dbal/cpp/src/client.cpp b/dbal/cpp/src/client.cpp
index b0fb0e1ae..68c7bf564 100644
--- a/dbal/cpp/src/client.cpp
+++ b/dbal/cpp/src/client.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@ Result<int> Client::batchDeleteUsers(const std::vector<std::string>& ids) {
     return entities::user::batchDelete(getStore(), ids);
 }
 
+Result<std::vector<User>> Client::searchUsers(const std::string& query, int limit) {
+    return entities::user::search(getStore(), query, limit);
+}
+
+Result<int> Client::countUsers(const std::optional<UserRole>& role) {
+    return entities::user::count(getStore(), role);
+}
+
 Result<bool> Client::setCredential(const CreateCredentialInput& input) {
     return entities::credential::set(getStore(), input);
 }
diff --git a/dbal/cpp/tests/unit/client_test.cpp b/dbal/cpp/tests/unit/client_test.cpp
index c47e98935..70087d078 100644
--- a/dbal/cpp/tests/unit/client_test.cpp
+++ b/dbal/cpp/tests/unit/client_test.cpp
@@ -211,6 +211,75 @@ void test_credential_validation() {
     std::cout << "  ✓ Empty password hash rejected" << std::endl;
 }
 
+void test_user_search() {
+    std::cout << "Testing user search..." << std::endl;
+
+    dbal::ClientConfig config;
+    config.adapter = "sqlite";
+    config.database_url = ":memory:";
+    dbal::Client client(config);
+
+    dbal::CreateUserInput user1;
+    user1.username = "search_alpha";
+    user1.email = "alpha@example.com";
+    auto result1 = client.createUser(user1);
+    assert(result1.isOk());
+
+    dbal::CreateUserInput user2;
+    user2.username = "search_beta";
+    user2.email = "beta@examples.com";
+    auto result2 = client.createUser(user2);
+    assert(result2.isOk());
+
+    auto found = client.searchUsers("search", 10);
+    assert(found.isOk());
+    assert(found.value().size() >= 2);
+    std::cout << "  ✓ Search matched multiple users" << std::endl;
+
+    auto caseInsensitive = client.searchUsers("SEARCH_BETA", 10);
+    assert(caseInsensitive.isOk());
+    assert(caseInsensitive.value().size() == 1);
+    assert(caseInsensitive.value()[0].username == "search_beta");
+    std::cout << "  ✓ Search is case-insensitive" << std::endl;
+
+    auto limited = client.searchUsers("search", 1);
+    assert(limited.isOk());
+    assert(limited.value().size() == 1);
+    std::cout << "  ✓ Search respects limit" << std::endl;
+}
+
+void test_user_count() {
+    std::cout << "Testing user count..." << std::endl;
+
+    dbal::ClientConfig config;
+    config.adapter = "sqlite";
+    config.database_url = ":memory:";
+    dbal::Client client(config);
+
+    dbal::CreateUserInput user;
+    user.username = "count_user";
+    user.email = "count@example.com";
+    auto result = client.createUser(user);
+    assert(result.isOk());
+
+    dbal::CreateUserInput admin;
+    admin.username = "count_admin";
+    admin.email = "count_admin@example.com";
+    admin.role = dbal::UserRole::Admin;
+    auto adminResult = client.createUser(admin);
+    assert(adminResult.isOk());
+
+    auto totalCount = client.countUsers();
+    assert(totalCount.isOk());
+    assert(totalCount.value() >= 2);
+    std::cout << "  ✓ Total user count matches" << std::endl;
+
+    auto adminCount = client.countUsers(dbal::UserRole::Admin);
+    assert(adminCount.isOk());
+    assert(adminCount.value() >= 1);
+    std::cout << "  ✓ Admin count matches" << std::endl;
+}
+
 void test_get_user() {
     std::cout << "Testing get user..." << std::endl;
     
diff --git a/frontends/cli/CMakeLists.txt b/frontends/cli/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..44c123e04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontends/cli/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.27)
+project(metabuilder_cli VERSION 0.1.0 LANGUAGES CXX)
+
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
+
+include(${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/conan_toolchain.cmake OPTIONAL)
+
+add_executable(metabuilder-cli
+    src/main.cpp
+    src/commands/command_dispatch.cpp
+    src/utils/http_client.cpp
+)
+
+find_package(cpr CONFIG REQUIRED)
+
+target_link_libraries(metabuilder-cli PRIVATE cpr::cpr)
+target_compile_features(metabuilder-cli PRIVATE cxx_std_20)
+target_include_directories(metabuilder-cli PRIVATE src)
+
+install(TARGETS metabuilder-cli
+    RUNTIME DESTINATION bin
+)
diff --git a/frontends/cli/src/utils/http_client.h b/frontends/cli/src/utils/http_client.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ed2a81f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontends/cli/src/utils/http_client.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cpr/cpr.h>
+#include <string>
+
+class HttpClient {
+public:
+  explicit HttpClient(std::string base_url);
+
+  cpr::Response get(const std::string &path) const;
+  cpr::Response post(const std::string &path,
+                     const std::string &body,
+                     const std::string &content_type = "application/json") const;
+
+  [[nodiscard]] const std::string &base_url() const noexcept;
+
+private:
+  std::string base_url_;
+};