diff --git a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/extension.py b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/extension.py
index c53d11c8..13e46a6f 100644
--- a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/extension.py
+++ b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/extension.py
@@ -9,12 +9,22 @@
 import os
 import os.path
 import shutil
+import subprocess
+import textwrap
 
 import jinja2
 import qiime2.sdk
 
 
 def generate_rst(app):
+    app.info("Generating QIIME 2 plugin directory... (this may take awhile)")
+
+    # Refresh the CLI cache just in case it is out of date with what's
+    # installed (this should only affect packages while they are installed in
+    # development mode). The CLI is used below to generate some of the help
+    # text.
+    subprocess.run(['qiime', 'dev', 'refresh-cache'], check=True)
+
     plugins = qiime2.sdk.PluginManager().plugins
     loader = jinja2.PackageLoader('sphinx_extensions.plugin_directory',
                                   'templates')
@@ -32,47 +42,41 @@ def generate_rst(app):
         fh.write(rendered)
 
     for plugin in plugins.values():
-        plugin_dir = os.path.join(rst_dir, plugin.name)
+        plugin_cli_name = plugin.name.replace('_', '-')
+        plugin_dir = os.path.join(rst_dir, plugin_cli_name)
         os.mkdir(plugin_dir)
 
         index_path = os.path.join(plugin_dir, 'index.rst')
         with open(index_path, 'w') as fh:
             template = env.get_template('plugin.rst')
-            rendered = template.render(plugin=plugin)
+            rendered = template.render(title=plugin_cli_name, plugin=plugin)
             fh.write(rendered)
 
         for action in plugin.actions.values():
-            action_path = os.path.join(plugin_dir, '%s.rst' % action.id)
-            with open(action_path, 'w') as fh:
-                title = '%s: %s' % (action.id, action.name)
+            action_cli_name = action.id.replace('_', '-')
+            action_path = os.path.join(plugin_dir, '%s.rst' % action_cli_name)
 
-                input_specs = _get_param_specs(action.signature, 'inputs')
-                parameter_specs = _get_param_specs(action.signature,
-                                                   'parameters')
-                output_specs = _get_param_specs(action.signature, 'outputs',
-                                                no_default='N/A')
+            with open(action_path, 'w') as fh:
+                title = '%s: %s' % (action_cli_name, action.name)
+                directive_indent = ' ' * 3
+
+                app.info("Generating help text for `%s %s`..." %
+                         (plugin_cli_name, action_cli_name))
+                command = ['qiime', plugin_cli_name, action_cli_name, '--help']
+                proc = subprocess.run(command, check=True,
+                                      stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                      stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+                cli_help = textwrap.indent(proc.stdout.decode('utf-8'),
+                                           directive_indent).strip()
+                api_help = textwrap.indent(action.__call__.__doc__,
+                                           directive_indent).strip()
 
                 template = env.get_template('action.rst')
-                rendered = template.render(action=action, title=title,
-                                           input_specs=input_specs,
-                                           parameter_specs=parameter_specs,
-                                           output_specs=output_specs)
+                rendered = template.render(title=title, cli_help=cli_help,
+                                           api_help=api_help)
                 fh.write(rendered)
 
 
-def _get_param_specs(signature, group, no_default='Required'):
-    specs = []
-    for name, spec in getattr(signature, group).items():
-        default = no_default
-        if spec.has_default():
-            default = spec.default
-        description = 'No description'
-        if spec.has_description():
-            description = spec.description
-        specs.append((name, spec.qiime_type, default, description))
-    return specs
-
-
 def cleanup_rst(app, exception):
     if hasattr(app, 'plugin_directory_rst_dir') and \
             os.path.exists(app.plugin_directory_rst_dir):
diff --git a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/action.rst b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/action.rst
index deccaa43..268e2741 100644
--- a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/action.rst
+++ b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/action.rst
@@ -1,48 +1,23 @@
 {{ title }}
 {{ '=' * title|length }}
 
-{{ action.description }}
-
 .. raw:: html
 
-   <table class="table action-signature">
-     {% for group, specs in (('Inputs', input_specs),
-                             ('Parameters', parameter_specs),
-                             ('Outputs', output_specs)) %}
-     <thead>
-       <tr>
-         <th colspan="4">{{ group }}</th>
-       </tr>
-       {% if specs %}
-       <tr>
-         <th>Name</th>
-         <th>Type</th>
-         <th>Default</th>
-         <th>Description</th>
-       </tr>
-       {% else %}
-       <tr>
-         <th colspan="4" class="text-muted">N/A</th>
-       </tr>
-       {% endif %}
-     </thead>
-     <tbody>
-       {% for spec in specs %}
-       <tr>
-         {% for content in spec[:3] %}
-         <td>
-           <code class="docutils literal">
-             <span class="pre">{{ content }}</span>
-           </code>
-         </td>
-         {% endfor %}
-         <td>
-           {% for line in spec[3].splitlines() %}
-           {{ line|urlize }}<br/>
-           {% endfor %}
-         </td>
-       </tr>
-       {% endfor %}
-     </tbody>
-     {% endfor %}
-   </table>
+   <div class="tabbed">
+     <ul class="nav nav-tabs">
+       <li class="active"><a data-toggle="tab" href="#cli">Command line interface</a></li>
+       <li><a data-toggle="tab" href="#api">Artifact API</a></li>
+     </ul>
+     <div class="tab-content">
+       <div id="cli" class="tab-pane fade in active">
+         <pre>
+           {{- cli_help -}}
+         </pre>
+       </div>
+       <div id="api" class="tab-pane fade">
+         <pre>
+           {{- api_help -}}
+         </pre>
+       </div>
+     </div>
+   </div>
diff --git a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/available.rst b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/available.rst
index 13726dd4..cacb1992 100644
--- a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/available.rst
+++ b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/available.rst
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ QIIME 2 microbiome analysis functionality is made available to users via plugins
    :maxdepth: 3
 
    {% for name, plugin in plugins|dictsort %}
+   {% set cli_name = name.replace('_', '-') %}
    {% if plugin.short_description %}
-   {{ name }}: {{ plugin.short_description }} <{{ name }}/index>
+   {{ cli_name }}: {{ plugin.short_description }} <{{ cli_name }}/index>
    {% else %}
-   {{ name }}/index
+   {{ cli_name }}/index
    {% endif %}
    {% endfor %}
-
diff --git a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/plugin.rst b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/plugin.rst
index 534f5cba..c218fb4c 100644
--- a/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/plugin.rst
+++ b/source/sphinx_extensions/plugin_directory/templates/plugin.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-{{ plugin.name }}
-{{ '=' * plugin.name|length }}
+{{ title }}
+{{ '=' * title|length }}
 
 .. raw:: html
 
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
        <tr>
          <th scope="row">Description</th>
          <td>
-         	{% for line in plugin.description.splitlines() %}
-         	{{ line|urlize }}<br/>
-         	{% endfor %}
+           {% for line in plugin.description.splitlines() %}
+           {{ line|urlize }}<br/>
+           {% endfor %}
          </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ Methods
    :maxdepth: 1
 
    {% for id, _ in plugin.methods|dictsort %}
-   {{ id }}
+   {{ id.replace('_', '-') }}
    {% endfor %}
 {% else %}
 This plugin does not have any methods.
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Visualizers
    :maxdepth: 1
 
    {% for id, _ in plugin.visualizers|dictsort %}
-   {{ id }}
+   {{ id.replace('_', '-') }}
    {% endfor %}
 {% else %}
 This plugin does not have any visualizers.
diff --git a/source/theme/static/style.css b/source/theme/static/style.css
index 154c7d66..a5af8d65 100644
--- a/source/theme/static/style.css
+++ b/source/theme/static/style.css
@@ -74,11 +74,6 @@ div.admonition.qiime1 {
     border: 1px solid #FAEBCC;
 }
 
-/* `plugin_directory` extension */
-.action-signature th[colspan] {
-    text-align: center;
-}
-
 /* `tabbed` content */
 .tabbed .white-bg {
     background-color: #FFFFFF !important;