diff --git a/xtask/src/argument_parsing.rs b/xtask/src/argument_parsing.rs
index 3a89dfc531..34e0064d52 100644
--- a/xtask/src/argument_parsing.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/argument_parsing.rs
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ pub enum Backends {
 
 impl Backends {
     #[allow(clippy::wrong_self_convention)]
-    pub fn to_target(&self) -> Target {
+    pub fn to_target(&self) -> Target<'static> {
         match self {
             Backends::Thumbv6 => ARMV6M,
             Backends::Thumbv7 => ARMV7M,
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ impl Backends {
     }
 
     #[allow(clippy::wrong_self_convention)]
-    pub fn to_rtic_feature(&self) -> &str {
+    pub fn to_rtic_feature(&self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
             Backends::Thumbv6 => "thumbv6-backend",
             Backends::Thumbv7 => "thumbv7-backend",
@@ -132,14 +132,14 @@ impl Backends {
         }
     }
     #[allow(clippy::wrong_self_convention)]
-    pub fn to_rtic_macros_feature(&self) -> &str {
+    pub fn to_rtic_macros_feature(&self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
             Backends::Thumbv6 | Backends::Thumbv8Base => "cortex-m-source-masking",
             Backends::Thumbv7 | Backends::Thumbv8Main => "cortex-m-basepri",
         }
     }
     #[allow(clippy::wrong_self_convention)]
-    pub fn to_rtic_uitest_feature(&self) -> &str {
+    pub fn to_rtic_uitest_feature(&self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
             Backends::Thumbv6 | Backends::Thumbv8Base => "rtic-uitestv6",
             Backends::Thumbv7 | Backends::Thumbv8Main => "rtic-uitestv7",
@@ -205,9 +205,6 @@ pub struct Cli {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Subcommand)]
 pub enum Commands {
-    /// Check formatting
-    FormatCheck(PackageOpt),
-
     /// Format code
     #[clap(alias = "fmt")]
     Format(FormatOpt),
@@ -270,9 +267,9 @@ pub enum Commands {
 pub struct FormatOpt {
     #[clap(flatten)]
     pub package: PackageOpt,
-    /// Only check formatting, without applying fixes.
-    #[clap(short, long, alias = "check-only")]
-    pub check: bool,
+    /// Apply formatting fixes immediately.
+    #[clap(short, long)]
+    pub apply: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Args, Debug, Clone)]
diff --git a/xtask/src/cargo_commands.rs b/xtask/src/cargo_commands.rs
index 26fb3148be..ec5fcfaa53 100644
--- a/xtask/src/cargo_commands.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/cargo_commands.rs
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@ use crate::{
     command::{BuildMode, CargoCommand},
     command_parser, RunResult,
 };
-use log::{error, info, Level};
+use log::error;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "rayon")]
 use rayon::prelude::*;
 
 use iters::*;
 
-enum FinalRunResult<'c> {
+pub enum FinalRunResult<'c> {
     Success(CargoCommand<'c>, RunResult),
     Failed(CargoCommand<'c>, RunResult),
     CommandError(anyhow::Error),
@@ -36,71 +36,10 @@ fn run_and_convert<'a>(
     }
 }
 
-fn handle_results(results: Vec<FinalRunResult>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let errors = results.iter().filter_map(|r| {
-        if let FinalRunResult::Failed(c, r) = r {
-            Some((c, r))
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    });
-
-    let successes = results.iter().filter_map(|r| {
-        if let FinalRunResult::Success(c, r) = r {
-            Some((c, r))
-        } else {
-            None
-        }
-    });
-
-    let log_stdout_stderr = |level: Level| {
-        move |(command, result): (&CargoCommand, &RunResult)| {
-            let stdout = &result.stdout;
-            let stderr = &result.stderr;
-            if !stdout.is_empty() && !stderr.is_empty() {
-                log::log!(
-                    level,
-                    "Output for \"{command}\"\nStdout:\n{stdout}\nStderr:\n{stderr}"
-                );
-            } else if !stdout.is_empty() {
-                log::log!(
-                    level,
-                    "Output for \"{command}\":\nStdout:\n{}",
-                    stdout.trim_end()
-                );
-            } else if !stderr.is_empty() {
-                log::log!(
-                    level,
-                    "Output for \"{command}\"\nStderr:\n{}",
-                    stderr.trim_end()
-                );
-            }
-        }
-    };
-
-    successes.clone().for_each(log_stdout_stderr(Level::Debug));
-    errors.clone().for_each(log_stdout_stderr(Level::Error));
-
-    successes.for_each(|(cmd, _)| {
-        info!("Success: {cmd}");
-    });
-
-    errors.clone().for_each(|(cmd, _)| {
-        error!("Failed: {cmd}");
-    });
-
-    let ecount = errors.count();
-    if ecount != 0 {
-        Err(anyhow::anyhow!("{ecount} commands failed."))
-    } else {
-        Ok(())
-    }
-}
-
-pub trait CoalescingRunning {
+pub trait CoalescingRunner<'c> {
     /// Run all the commands in this iterator, and coalesce the results into
     /// one error (if any individual commands failed)
-    fn run_and_coalesce(self) -> anyhow::Result<()>;
+    fn run_and_coalesce(self) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>>;
 }
 
 #[cfg(not(feature = "rayon"))]
@@ -111,13 +50,12 @@ mod iters {
         examples.into_iter()
     }
 
-    impl<'g, 'c, I> CoalescingRunning for I
+    impl<'g, 'c, I> CoalescingRunner<'c> for I
     where
         I: Iterator<Item = (&'g Globals, CargoCommand<'c>, bool)>,
     {
-        fn run_and_coalesce(self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-            let results: Vec<_> = self.map(run_and_convert).collect();
-            handle_results(results)
+        fn run_and_coalesce(self) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
+            self.map(run_and_convert).collect()
         }
     }
 }
@@ -130,28 +68,26 @@ mod iters {
         examples.into_par_iter()
     }
 
-    impl<'g, 'c, I> CoalescingRunning for I
+    impl<'g, 'c, I> CoalescingRunner<'c> for I
     where
         I: ParallelIterator<Item = (&'g Globals, CargoCommand<'c>, bool)>,
     {
-        fn run_and_coalesce(self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-            let results: Vec<_> = self.map(run_and_convert).collect();
-            handle_results(results)
+        fn run_and_coalesce(self) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
+            self.map(run_and_convert).collect()
         }
     }
 }
 
 /// Cargo command to either build or check
-pub fn cargo(
+pub fn cargo<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
     operation: BuildOrCheck,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
-    package: &PackageOpt,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
+    package: &'c PackageOpt,
     backend: Backends,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let runner = package.packages().map(|package| {
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
+    let runner = package.packages().map(move |package| {
         let target = backend.to_target();
-
         let features = package.extract_features(target, backend);
 
         let command = match operation {
@@ -180,13 +116,13 @@ pub fn cargo(
 /// Cargo command to either build or check all examples
 ///
 /// The examples are in rtic/examples
-pub fn cargo_example(
+pub fn cargo_example<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
     operation: BuildOrCheck,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
     backend: Backends,
-    examples: &[String],
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    examples: &'c [String],
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     let runner = examples_iter(examples).map(|example| {
         let features = Some(backend.to_target().and_features(backend.to_rtic_feature()));
 
@@ -212,12 +148,12 @@ pub fn cargo_example(
 }
 
 /// Run cargo clippy on selected package
-pub fn cargo_clippy(
+pub fn cargo_clippy<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
-    package: &PackageOpt,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
+    package: &'c PackageOpt,
     backend: Backends,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     let runner = package.packages().map(|p| {
         let target = backend.to_target();
         let features = p.extract_features(target, backend);
@@ -238,12 +174,12 @@ pub fn cargo_clippy(
 }
 
 /// Run cargo fmt on selected package
-pub fn cargo_format(
+pub fn cargo_format<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
-    package: &PackageOpt,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
+    package: &'c PackageOpt,
     check_only: bool,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     let runner = package.packages().map(|p| {
         (
             globals,
@@ -259,34 +195,31 @@ pub fn cargo_format(
 }
 
 /// Run cargo doc
-pub fn cargo_doc(
+pub fn cargo_doc<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
     backend: Backends,
-    arguments: &Option<ExtraArguments>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    arguments: &'c Option<ExtraArguments>,
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     let features = Some(backend.to_target().and_features(backend.to_rtic_feature()));
 
-    command_parser(
-        globals,
-        &CargoCommand::Doc {
-            cargoarg,
-            features,
-            arguments: arguments.clone(),
-        },
-        false,
-    )?;
-    Ok(())
+    let command = CargoCommand::Doc {
+        cargoarg,
+        features,
+        arguments: arguments.clone(),
+    };
+
+    vec![run_and_convert((globals, command, false))]
 }
 
 /// Run cargo test on the selected package or all packages
 ///
 /// If no package is specified, loop through all packages
-pub fn cargo_test(
+pub fn cargo_test<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    package: &PackageOpt,
+    package: &'c PackageOpt,
     backend: Backends,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     package
         .packages()
         .map(|p| (globals, TestMetadata::match_package(p, backend), false))
@@ -294,29 +227,29 @@ pub fn cargo_test(
 }
 
 /// Use mdbook to build the book
-pub fn cargo_book(
+pub fn cargo_book<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    arguments: &Option<ExtraArguments>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<RunResult> {
-    command_parser(
+    arguments: &'c Option<ExtraArguments>,
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
+    vec![run_and_convert((
         globals,
-        &CargoCommand::Book {
+        CargoCommand::Book {
             arguments: arguments.clone(),
         },
         false,
-    )
+    ))]
 }
 
 /// Run examples
 ///
 /// Supports updating the expected output via the overwrite argument
-pub fn run_test(
+pub fn run_test<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
     backend: Backends,
-    examples: &[String],
+    examples: &'c [String],
     overwrite: bool,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     let target = backend.to_target();
     let features = Some(target.and_features(backend.to_rtic_feature()));
 
@@ -348,13 +281,13 @@ pub fn run_test(
 }
 
 /// Check the binary sizes of examples
-pub fn build_and_check_size(
+pub fn build_and_check_size<'c>(
     globals: &Globals,
-    cargoarg: &Option<&str>,
+    cargoarg: &'c Option<&'c str>,
     backend: Backends,
-    examples: &[String],
-    arguments: &Option<ExtraArguments>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    examples: &'c [String],
+    arguments: &'c Option<ExtraArguments>,
+) -> Vec<FinalRunResult<'c>> {
     let target = backend.to_target();
     let features = Some(target.and_features(backend.to_rtic_feature()));
 
diff --git a/xtask/src/command.rs b/xtask/src/command.rs
index 99b7518557..71dda2b83b 100644
--- a/xtask/src/command.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/command.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-use crate::{debug, ExtraArguments, Package, RunResult, Target, TestRunError};
+use log::{error, info, Level};
+
+use crate::{
+    cargo_commands::FinalRunResult, ExtraArguments, Package, RunResult, Target, TestRunError,
+};
 use core::fmt;
 use std::{
     fs::File,
@@ -279,7 +283,7 @@ impl core::fmt::Display for CargoCommand<'_> {
                     .map(|t| format!("test {t}"))
                     .unwrap_or("all tests".into());
                 let feat = feat(features);
-                write!(f, "Run {test} in {p} ({feat})")
+                write!(f, "Run {test} in {p} (features: {feat})")
             }
             CargoCommand::Book { arguments: _ } => write!(f, "Build the book"),
             CargoCommand::ExampleSize {
@@ -652,7 +656,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for BuildMode {
 }
 
 pub fn run_command(command: &CargoCommand, stderr_mode: OutputMode) -> anyhow::Result<RunResult> {
-    debug!("👟 {command}");
+    log::info!("👟 {command}");
 
     let result = Command::new(command.executable())
         .args(command.args())
@@ -697,3 +701,64 @@ pub fn run_successful(run: &RunResult, expected_output_file: &str) -> Result<(),
         Ok(())
     }
 }
+
+pub fn handle_results(results: Vec<FinalRunResult>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let errors = results.iter().filter_map(|r| {
+        if let FinalRunResult::Failed(c, r) = r {
+            Some((c, r))
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    });
+
+    let successes = results.iter().filter_map(|r| {
+        if let FinalRunResult::Success(c, r) = r {
+            Some((c, r))
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    });
+
+    let log_stdout_stderr = |level: Level| {
+        move |(command, result): (&CargoCommand, &RunResult)| {
+            let stdout = &result.stdout;
+            let stderr = &result.stderr;
+            if !stdout.is_empty() && !stderr.is_empty() {
+                log::log!(
+                    level,
+                    "Output for \"{command}\"\nStdout:\n{stdout}\nStderr:\n{stderr}"
+                );
+            } else if !stdout.is_empty() {
+                log::log!(
+                    level,
+                    "Output for \"{command}\":\nStdout:\n{}",
+                    stdout.trim_end()
+                );
+            } else if !stderr.is_empty() {
+                log::log!(
+                    level,
+                    "Output for \"{command}\"\nStderr:\n{}",
+                    stderr.trim_end()
+                );
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    successes.clone().for_each(log_stdout_stderr(Level::Debug));
+    errors.clone().for_each(log_stdout_stderr(Level::Error));
+
+    successes.for_each(|(cmd, _)| {
+        info!("✅ Success: {cmd}");
+    });
+
+    errors.clone().for_each(|(cmd, _)| {
+        error!("❌ Failed: {cmd}");
+    });
+
+    let ecount = errors.count();
+    if ecount != 0 {
+        Err(anyhow::anyhow!("{ecount} commands failed."))
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/xtask/src/main.rs b/xtask/src/main.rs
index ae0f5edacd..b572591fd4 100644
--- a/xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use std::{
     str,
 };
 
-use log::{debug, error, info, log_enabled, trace, Level};
+use log::{error, info, log_enabled, trace, Level};
 
 use crate::{
     argument_parsing::{Backends, BuildOrCheck, Cli, Commands},
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ use crate::{
         build_and_check_size, cargo, cargo_book, cargo_clippy, cargo_doc, cargo_example,
         cargo_format, cargo_test, run_test,
     },
-    command::{run_command, run_successful, CargoCommand},
+    command::{handle_results, run_command, run_successful, CargoCommand},
 };
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
@@ -217,27 +217,19 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         Some("--quiet")
     };
 
-    match cli.command {
-        Commands::FormatCheck(args) => {
-            info!("Running cargo fmt --check: {args:?}");
-            let check_only = true;
-            cargo_format(globals, &cargologlevel, &args, check_only)?;
-        }
-        Commands::Format(args) => {
-            info!("Running cargo fmt: {args:?}");
-            cargo_format(globals, &cargologlevel, &args.package, args.check)?;
-        }
+    let final_run_results = match &cli.command {
+        Commands::Format(args) => cargo_format(globals, &cargologlevel, &args.package, !args.apply),
         Commands::Clippy(args) => {
             info!("Running clippy on backend: {backend:?}");
-            cargo_clippy(globals, &cargologlevel, &args, backend)?;
+            cargo_clippy(globals, &cargologlevel, &args, backend)
         }
         Commands::Check(args) => {
             info!("Checking on backend: {backend:?}");
-            cargo(globals, BuildOrCheck::Check, &cargologlevel, &args, backend)?;
+            cargo(globals, BuildOrCheck::Check, &cargologlevel, &args, backend)
         }
         Commands::Build(args) => {
             info!("Building for backend: {backend:?}");
-            cargo(globals, BuildOrCheck::Build, &cargologlevel, &args, backend)?;
+            cargo(globals, BuildOrCheck::Build, &cargologlevel, &args, backend)
         }
         Commands::ExampleCheck => {
             info!("Checking on backend: {backend:?}");
@@ -247,7 +239,7 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 &cargologlevel,
                 backend,
                 &examples_to_run,
-            )?;
+            )
         }
         Commands::ExampleBuild => {
             info!("Building for backend: {backend:?}");
@@ -257,7 +249,7 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 &cargologlevel,
                 backend,
                 &examples_to_run,
-            )?;
+            )
         }
         Commands::Size(args) => {
             // x86_64 target not valid
@@ -268,7 +260,7 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 backend,
                 &examples_to_run,
                 &args.arguments,
-            )?;
+            )
         }
         Commands::Qemu(args) | Commands::Run(args) => {
             // x86_64 target not valid
@@ -279,23 +271,23 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 backend,
                 &examples_to_run,
                 args.overwrite_expected,
-            )?;
+            )
         }
         Commands::Doc(args) => {
             info!("Running cargo doc on backend: {backend:?}");
-            cargo_doc(globals, &cargologlevel, backend, &args.arguments)?;
+            cargo_doc(globals, &cargologlevel, backend, &args.arguments)
         }
         Commands::Test(args) => {
             info!("Running cargo test on backend: {backend:?}");
-            cargo_test(globals, &args, backend)?;
+            cargo_test(globals, &args, backend)
         }
         Commands::Book(args) => {
             info!("Running mdbook");
-            cargo_book(globals, &args.arguments)?;
+            cargo_book(globals, &args.arguments)
         }
-    }
+    };
 
-    Ok(())
+    handle_results(final_run_results)
 }
 
 // run example binary `example`