diff --git a/crates/acvm_backend_barretenberg/src/lib.rs b/crates/acvm_backend_barretenberg/src/lib.rs
index 9c04746cfd5..9f327ad8398 100644
--- a/crates/acvm_backend_barretenberg/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/acvm_backend_barretenberg/src/lib.rs
@@ -8,9 +8,16 @@ mod cli;
 mod proof_system;
 mod smart_contract;
 
+const BACKENDS_DIR: &str = ".nargo/backends";
+
+pub fn backends_directory() -> PathBuf {
+    let home_directory = dirs::home_dir().unwrap();
+    home_directory.join(BACKENDS_DIR)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 fn get_bb() -> Backend {
-    let bb = Backend::new();
+    let bb = Backend::default();
     crate::assert_binary_exists(&bb);
     bb
 }
@@ -24,21 +31,24 @@ fn assert_binary_exists(backend: &Backend) -> PathBuf {
     binary_path
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Default)]
-pub struct Backend {}
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Backend {
+    name: String,
+}
+
+impl Default for Backend {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self { name: "acvm-backend-barretenberg".to_string() }
+    }
+}
 
 impl Backend {
-    pub fn new() -> Backend {
-        Backend::default()
+    pub fn new(name: String) -> Backend {
+        Backend { name }
     }
 
     fn backend_directory(&self) -> PathBuf {
-        const BACKENDS_DIR: &str = ".nargo/backends";
-        const BACKEND_NAME: &str = "acvm-backend-barretenberg";
-
-        let home_directory = dirs::home_dir().unwrap();
-
-        home_directory.join(BACKENDS_DIR).join(BACKEND_NAME)
+        backends_directory().join(&self.name)
     }
 
     fn binary_path(&self) -> PathBuf {
diff --git a/crates/nargo_cli/src/backends.rs b/crates/nargo_cli/src/backends.rs
index feaded3971d..10e6d380da0 100644
--- a/crates/nargo_cli/src/backends.rs
+++ b/crates/nargo_cli/src/backends.rs
@@ -1 +1,28 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use acvm_backend_barretenberg::backends_directory;
 pub(crate) use acvm_backend_barretenberg::Backend;
+
+fn active_backend_file_path() -> PathBuf {
+    backends_directory().join(".selected_backend")
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn set_active_backend(backend_name: &str) {
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(
+        active_backend_file_path().parent().expect("active backend file should have parent"),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(active_backend_file_path(), backend_name.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn get_active_backend() -> String {
+    let active_backend_file = active_backend_file_path();
+
+    if !active_backend_file.is_file() {
+        let barretenberg = "acvm-backend-barretenberg";
+        set_active_backend(barretenberg);
+        return barretenberg.to_string();
+    }
+
+    std::fs::read_to_string(active_backend_file).unwrap()
+}
diff --git a/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/ls_cmd.rs b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/ls_cmd.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5a3d07e065a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/ls_cmd.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+use acvm_backend_barretenberg::backends_directory;
+use clap::Args;
+
+use crate::errors::CliError;
+
+/// Prints the list of available backends
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Args)]
+pub(crate) struct LsCommand;
+
+pub(crate) fn run(_args: LsCommand) -> Result<(), CliError> {
+    for backend in get_available_backends() {
+        println!("{}", backend);
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub(super) fn get_available_backends() -> Vec<String> {
+    let backend_directory_contents = std::fs::read_dir(backends_directory()).unwrap();
+
+    backend_directory_contents
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter_map(|entry| {
+            let path = entry.ok()?.path();
+            if path.is_dir() {
+                path.file_name().map(|name| name.to_string_lossy().to_string())
+            } else {
+                None
+            }
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
diff --git a/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/mod.rs b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..23f6e0c2491
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+use clap::{Args, Subcommand};
+
+use crate::errors::CliError;
+
+mod ls_cmd;
+mod use_cmd;
+
+#[non_exhaustive]
+#[derive(Args, Clone, Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct BackendCommand {
+    #[command(subcommand)]
+    command: BackendCommands,
+}
+
+#[non_exhaustive]
+#[derive(Subcommand, Clone, Debug)]
+pub(crate) enum BackendCommands {
+    Ls(ls_cmd::LsCommand),
+    Use(use_cmd::UseCommand),
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn run(cmd: BackendCommand) -> Result<(), CliError> {
+    let BackendCommand { command } = cmd;
+
+    match command {
+        BackendCommands::Ls(args) => ls_cmd::run(args),
+        BackendCommands::Use(args) => use_cmd::run(args),
+    }?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/use_cmd.rs b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/use_cmd.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a21e45956fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/backend_cmd/use_cmd.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+use clap::Args;
+
+use crate::{backends::set_active_backend, errors::CliError};
+
+use super::ls_cmd::get_available_backends;
+
+/// Select the currently active backend
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Args)]
+pub(crate) struct UseCommand {
+    backend: String,
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn run(args: UseCommand) -> Result<(), CliError> {
+    let backends = get_available_backends();
+
+    assert!(backends.contains(&args.backend), "backend doesn't exist");
+
+    set_active_backend(&args.backend);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/mod.rs b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/mod.rs
index 0a1fc059ff4..e33ae21cea7 100644
--- a/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nargo_cli/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use color_eyre::eyre;
 
+use crate::backends::get_active_backend;
+
 mod fs;
 
+mod backend_cmd;
 mod check_cmd;
 mod codegen_verifier_cmd;
 mod compile_cmd;
@@ -47,6 +50,8 @@ pub(crate) struct NargoConfig {
 #[non_exhaustive]
 #[derive(Subcommand, Clone, Debug)]
 enum NargoCommand {
+    #[command(hide = true)] // Hidden while dynamic backends feature is being built out.
+    Backend(backend_cmd::BackendCommand),
     Check(check_cmd::CheckCommand),
     CodegenVerifier(codegen_verifier_cmd::CodegenVerifierCommand),
     #[command(alias = "build")]
@@ -70,11 +75,18 @@ pub(crate) fn start_cli() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     }
 
     // Search through parent directories to find package root if necessary.
-    if !matches!(command, NargoCommand::New(_) | NargoCommand::Init(_) | NargoCommand::Lsp(_)) {
+    if !matches!(
+        command,
+        NargoCommand::New(_)
+            | NargoCommand::Init(_)
+            | NargoCommand::Lsp(_)
+            | NargoCommand::Backend(_)
+    ) {
         config.program_dir = find_package_root(&config.program_dir)?;
     }
 
-    let backend = crate::backends::Backend::default();
+    let active_backend = get_active_backend();
+    let backend = crate::backends::Backend::new(active_backend);
 
     match command {
         NargoCommand::New(args) => new_cmd::run(&backend, args, config),
@@ -87,6 +99,7 @@ pub(crate) fn start_cli() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         NargoCommand::Test(args) => test_cmd::run(&backend, args, config),
         NargoCommand::Info(args) => info_cmd::run(&backend, args, config),
         NargoCommand::CodegenVerifier(args) => codegen_verifier_cmd::run(&backend, args, config),
+        NargoCommand::Backend(args) => backend_cmd::run(args),
         NargoCommand::Lsp(args) => lsp_cmd::run(&backend, args, config),
     }?;