diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5251104
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Qwertyflip
+
+qwertyflip transforms input files by flipping their characters based on keyboard positions.
+
+You can run it as:
+
+```bash
+./qwertyflip <command file> <input file>
+```
+
+where `command file` is a file containing a string of comma-separated transforms. The transforms can
+be one of `H` for a horizontal keyboard flip, `V` for a vertical keyboard flip, or `+/-N` for a shift
+by N positions. So the command `H,-3,V` would flip an input of `1` first horizontally to `0`, then
+shift by -3 positions to `7`, then flip vertically to `m`.
+
+Output is produced to standard out.
diff --git a/flip/flip.go b/flip/flip.go
index c5fb0f3..30de648 100644
--- a/flip/flip.go
+++ b/flip/flip.go
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ const (
 	ROWS     = 4
 )
 
-func NewFlipper() Flipper {
-	flipper := Flipper{
+func NewFlipper() *Flipper {
+	flipper := &Flipper{
 		keyboard: "1234567890qwertyuiopasdfghjkl;zxcvbnm,./",
 		keyMap:   make(map[rune]int),
 		builder:  strings.Builder{},
@@ -77,18 +77,33 @@ func (f *Flipper) Shift(places int, line string) string {
 	return f.builder.String()
 }
 
-func (f *Flipper) RunCommand(command, line string) (string, error) {
-	components := strings.Split(command, ",")
-	for _, component := range components {
-		if component == "H" {
-			line = f.HorizontalFlip(line)
-		} else if component == "V" {
-			line = f.VerticalFlip(line)
-		} else if places, err := strconv.Atoi(component); err == nil {
-			line = f.Shift(places, line)
+type flipperFunction func(string) string
+
+type Transform []flipperFunction
+
+func (f *Flipper) ParseCommand(command string) (Transform, error) {
+	parts := strings.Split(command, ",")
+	retval := make([]flipperFunction, len(parts))
+	for i, part := range parts {
+		if part == "H" {
+			retval[i] = f.HorizontalFlip
+		} else if part == "V" {
+			retval[i] = f.VerticalFlip
+		} else if places, err := strconv.Atoi(part); err == nil {
+			retval[i] = func(line string) string { return f.Shift(places, line) }
+		} else if part == "" {
+			// just in case there's a trailing comma or similar
+			retval[i] = func(line string) string { return line }
 		} else {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("%s is an invalid command", component)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is an invalid command", part)
 		}
 	}
-	return line, nil
+	return retval, nil
+}
+
+func (t Transform) Apply(line string) string {
+	for _, funct := range t {
+		line = funct(line)
+	}
+	return line
 }
diff --git a/flip/flip_test.go b/flip/flip_test.go
index 18d0a02..cdb6a2a 100644
--- a/flip/flip_test.go
+++ b/flip/flip_test.go
@@ -86,16 +86,36 @@ func TestCommands(t *testing.T) {
 		{"asdf", "V,-3"}:         "890q",
 		{"3 Dragons?", "V,-8,H"}: "h Dt84;c7?",
 		{"ミaカbサc", "-28,H"}:      "ミ,カ4サ6",
+		{"1", "H,-3,V"}:          "m",
+		{"1", ""}:                "1",
 	}
 	for test, expected := range tests {
 		t.Run(test.line+"_"+test.command, func(t *testing.T) {
-			result, err := flipper.RunCommand(test.command, test.line)
+			transform, err := flipper.ParseCommand(test.command)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
+			result := transform.Apply(test.line)
 			if result != expected {
 				t.Fatalf("Expected %s got %s", expected, result)
 			}
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestBadCommands(t *testing.T) {
+	flipper := flip.NewFlipper()
+	tests := []string{
+		"HOORAY",
+		"H,V,T",
+		"-30,-3f",
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test, func(t *testing.T) {
+			_, err := flipper.ParseCommand(test)
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Expected %s to error but it didn't", test)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 893da02..e9be9c9 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -10,17 +10,18 @@ import (
 	"github.com/fastfadingviolets/qwertyflip/flip"
 )
 
-func getCommand(fromFile string) (string, error) {
+func getTransform(flipper *flip.Flipper, fromFile string) (flip.Transform, error) {
 	cmdFile, err := os.Open(fromFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to open command file %s: %v", fromFile, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to open command file %s: %v", fromFile, err)
 	}
 	defer cmdFile.Close()
 	bytes, err := io.ReadAll(cmdFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to read command file %s: %v", fromFile, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to read command file %s: %v", fromFile, err)
 	}
-	return strings.TrimSpace(string(bytes)), nil
+	cmdString := strings.TrimSpace(string(bytes))
+	return flipper.ParseCommand(cmdString)
 }
 
 func main() {
@@ -29,13 +30,13 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	commandFile, inputFile := os.Args[1], os.Args[2]
-	command, err := getCommand(commandFile)
+	flipper := flip.NewFlipper()
+	transform, err := getTransform(flipper, commandFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprint(os.Stderr, err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	flipper := flip.NewFlipper()
 	file, err := os.Open(inputFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Unable to open input file %s: %v", inputFile, err)
@@ -44,11 +45,7 @@ func main() {
 	defer file.Close()
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
 	for scanner.Scan() {
-		line, err := flipper.RunCommand(command, scanner.Text())
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprint(os.Stderr, err)
-			os.Exit(1)
-		}
+		line := transform.Apply(scanner.Text())
 		fmt.Println(line)
 	}
 }