diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES.md b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
index 946f9c793..c271f2ceb 100644
--- a/RELEASE-NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 # picocli Release Notes
 
+# <a name="3.0.0-alpha-2"></a> Picocli 3.0.0-alpha-2 (UNRELEASED)
+## <a name="3.0.0-alpha-2-fixes"></a> Fixed issues
+
+- [#307] Enhancement: Provide CommandLine.usage(PrintWriter) method for testing and to facilitate migration from commons-cli to picocli.
+
+## <a name="3.0.0-alpha-2-deprecated"></a> Deprecations
+See [3.0.0-alpha-1]()#3.0.0-alpha-1-deprecated)
+
+## <a name="3.0.0-alpha-2-breaking-changes"></a> Potential breaking changes
+See [3.0.0-alpha-1]()#3.0.0-alpha-1-breaking-changes)
+
 # <a name="3.0.0-alpha-1"></a> Picocli 3.0.0-alpha-1
 The picocli community is pleased to announce picocli 3.0.0-alpha-1.
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/picocli/CommandLine.java b/src/main/java/picocli/CommandLine.java
index 5ab901bb5..3764a1adf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/picocli/CommandLine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/picocli/CommandLine.java
@@ -15,11 +15,7 @@
  */
 package picocli;
 
-import java.io.File;
-import java.io.FileReader;
-import java.io.LineNumberReader;
-import java.io.PrintStream;
-import java.io.StreamTokenizer;
+import java.io.*;
 import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
@@ -1261,9 +1257,13 @@ public static void usage(Object command, PrintStream out, Help.ColorScheme color
      * @param out the printStream to print to
      * @see #usage(PrintStream, Help.ColorScheme)
      */
-    public void usage(PrintStream out) {
-        usage(out, Help.Ansi.AUTO);
-    }
+    public void usage(PrintStream out) { usage(out, Help.Ansi.AUTO); }
+    /**
+     * Delegates to {@link #usage(PrintWriter, Help.Ansi)} with the {@linkplain Help.Ansi#AUTO platform default}.
+     * @param writer the PrintWriter to print to
+     * @see #usage(PrintWriter, Help.ColorScheme)
+     * @since 3.0 */
+    public void usage(PrintWriter writer) { usage(writer, Help.Ansi.AUTO); }
 
     /**
      * Delegates to {@link #usage(PrintStream, Help.ColorScheme)} with the {@linkplain Help#defaultColorScheme(CommandLine.Help.Ansi) default color scheme}.
@@ -1271,9 +1271,11 @@ public void usage(PrintStream out) {
      * @param ansi whether the usage message should include ANSI escape codes or not
      * @see #usage(PrintStream, Help.ColorScheme)
      */
-    public void usage(PrintStream out, Help.Ansi ansi) {
-        usage(out, Help.defaultColorScheme(ansi));
-    }
+    public void usage(PrintStream out, Help.Ansi ansi) { usage(out, Help.defaultColorScheme(ansi)); }
+    /** Similar to {@link #usage(PrintStream, Help.Ansi)} but with the specified {@code PrintWriter} instead of a {@code PrintStream}.
+     * @since 3.0 */
+    public void usage(PrintWriter writer, Help.Ansi ansi) { usage(writer, Help.defaultColorScheme(ansi)); }
+
     /**
      * Prints a usage help message for the annotated command class to the specified {@code PrintStream}.
      * Delegates construction of the usage help message to the {@link Help} inner class and is equivalent to:
@@ -1307,9 +1309,15 @@ public void usage(PrintStream out, Help.Ansi ansi) {
      * @param colorScheme the {@code ColorScheme} defining the styles for options, parameters and commands when ANSI is enabled
      */
     public void usage(PrintStream out, Help.ColorScheme colorScheme) {
-        Help help = new Help(getCommandSpec(), colorScheme);
-        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder()
-                .append(help.headerHeading())
+        out.print(usage(new StringBuilder(), new Help(getCommandSpec(), colorScheme)));
+    }
+    /** Similar to {@link #usage(PrintStream, Help.ColorScheme)}, but with the specified {@code PrintWriter} instead of a {@code PrintStream}.
+     * @since 3.0 */
+    public void usage(PrintWriter writer, Help.ColorScheme colorScheme) {
+        writer.print(usage(new StringBuilder(), new Help(getCommandSpec(), colorScheme)));
+    }
+    private static StringBuilder usage(StringBuilder sb, Help help) {
+        return sb.append(help.headerHeading())
                 .append(help.header())
                 .append(help.synopsisHeading())      //e.g. Usage:
                 .append(help.synopsis(help.synopsisHeadingLength())) //e.g. &lt;main class&gt; [OPTIONS] &lt;command&gt; [COMMAND-OPTIONS] [ARGUMENTS]
@@ -1323,7 +1331,6 @@ public void usage(PrintStream out, Help.ColorScheme colorScheme) {
                 .append(help.commandList())          //e.g.    add       adds the frup to the frooble
                 .append(help.footerHeading())
                 .append(help.footer());
-        out.print(sb);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/test/java/picocli/CommandLineHelpTest.java b/src/test/java/picocli/CommandLineHelpTest.java
index 5f7390995..a43cd204d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/picocli/CommandLineHelpTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/picocli/CommandLineHelpTest.java
@@ -2788,7 +2788,7 @@ class App {
         String expected = String.format("" +
                 "Usage: <main class> [-h]%n" +
                 "  -h%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -2802,7 +2802,7 @@ class App {
         assertTrue(CommandLine.printHelpIfRequested(list, new PrintStream(baos), Help.Ansi.OFF));
 
         String expected = String.format("abc 1.2.3 myversion%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -2815,7 +2815,7 @@ class App {
         assertFalse(CommandLine.printHelpIfRequested(list, new PrintStream(baos), Help.Ansi.OFF));
 
         String expected = "";
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Command(name = "top", subcommands = {Sub.class})
@@ -2903,7 +2903,7 @@ public void testAutoHelpMixinUsageHelpOption() throws Exception {
                     "Usage: <main class> [-hV]%n" +
                     "  -h, --help                  Show this help message and exit.%n" +
                     "  -V, --version               Print version information and exit.%n");
-            assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+            assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
         }
     }
 
@@ -2920,7 +2920,7 @@ public void testAutoHelpMixinVersionHelpOption() throws Exception {
             assertTrue(CommandLine.printHelpIfRequested(list, new PrintStream(baos), Help.Ansi.OFF));
 
             String expected = String.format("1.2.3%n");
-            assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+            assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
         }
     }
 
@@ -2939,7 +2939,7 @@ public void testAutoHelpMixinUsageHelpSubcommandOnAppWithoutSubcommands() throws
                 "  -V, --version               Print version information and exit.%n" +
                 "Commands:%n" +
                 "  help  Displays help information about the specified command%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -2956,7 +2956,7 @@ class App implements Runnable{ public void run(){}}
                 "  -V, --version               Print version information and exit.%n" +
                 "Commands:%n" +
                 "  help  Displays help information about the specified command%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
     @Test
     public void testHelpSubcommandWithValidCommand() throws Exception {
@@ -2968,7 +2968,7 @@ public void testHelpSubcommandWithValidCommand() throws Exception {
         String expected = String.format("" +
                 "Usage: sub%n" +
                 "This is a subcommand%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -2987,7 +2987,7 @@ class App implements Runnable{ public void run(){}}
                 "Commands:%n" +
                 "  sub   This is a subcommand%n" +
                 "  help  Displays help information about the specified command%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -3008,7 +3008,11 @@ class App implements Runnable{ public void run(){}}
                 "%n" +
                 "      [COMMAND]...            The COMMAND to display the usage help message for.%n" +
                 "  -h, --help                  Show usage help for the help command and exit.%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
+
+        StringWriter sw = new StringWriter();
+        new CommandLine(new App()).getSubcommands().get("help").usage(new PrintWriter(sw));
+        assertEquals(expected, sw.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -3026,7 +3030,11 @@ class App implements Runnable{ public void run(){}}
                 "Commands:%n" +
                 "  sub   This is a subcommand%n" +
                 "  help  Displays help information about the specified command%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
+
+        StringWriter sw = new StringWriter();
+        new CommandLine(new App()).usage(new PrintWriter(sw));
+        assertEquals(expected, sw.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -3043,7 +3051,7 @@ public void testUsageTextWithHiddenSubcommand() throws Exception {
                 "Usage: app%n" +
                 "Commands:%n" +
                 "  foo  This is a visible subcommand%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -3061,7 +3069,7 @@ public void testUsage_NoHeaderIfAllSubcommandHidden() throws Exception {
 
         String expected = format("" +
                 "Usage: app%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -3080,7 +3088,7 @@ public void run() { }
                 "Missing required parameters at positions 0..*: FILES%n" +
                 "Usage: <main class> FILES...%n" +
                 "      FILES...                List of files%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -3103,7 +3111,7 @@ public void run() { }
                 "Usage: <main class> [-v] FILES...%n" +
                 "      FILES...                List of files%n" +
                 "  -v                          Print output%n");
-        assertEquals(expected, new String(baos.toByteArray(), "UTF-8"));
+        assertEquals(expected, baos.toString());
     }
 
     @Test