diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/closer-look.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/closer-look.xml
index d22de8fd99..a690544364 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/closer-look.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/closer-look.xml
@@ -830,6 +830,97 @@
+
+
+ Image Generation
+
+
+ Once packages are split and stored in the Package Feeds area,
+ the OpenEmbedded build system uses BitBake to generate the
+ root filesystem image:
+
+
+
+
+ The image generation process consists of several stages and
+ depends on many variables.
+ The do_rootfs uses these key variables
+ to help create the list of packages to actually install:
+
+ IMAGE_INSTALL:
+ Lists out the base set of packages to install from
+ the Package Feeds area.
+ IMAGE_FEATURES:
+ Specifies features to include in the image.
+ These features map to additional packages for
+ installation.
+ PACKAGE_CLASSES:
+ Specifies the package manager to use and consequently
+ helps determine where to locate packages within the
+ Package Feeds area.
+ PACKAGE_EXCLUDE:
+ Specifies packages that should not be installed.
+
+
+
+
+
+ In addition to the previously mentioned variables, the image
+ generation process uses
+ IMAGE_LINGUAS
+ to determine what language for which packages are being
+ installed.
+
+
+
+ Part of the image generation process includes compressing the
+ root filesystem image.
+ Compression is accomplished through several optimization
+ routines designed to reduce the overall size of the image.
+
+
+
+ The process runs as many post installation scripts as possible.
+ Any scripts that cannot be run are run when the system is
+ first booted.
+ If you are using a read-only root filesystem, all the post
+ installation scripts are run during the package installation
+ phase since the root filesystem cannot be written into.
+
+
+
+ During the Prelink phase, optimization processes are run across
+ the image.
+ These processes include mklibs and
+ prelink.
+ The mklibs optimizes the size of the
+ libraries.
+ The prelink process optimizes the dynamic
+ linking of shared libraries to reduce start up time of the
+ executables.
+ See the
+ IMAGE_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND
+ and
+ ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND
+ variables for additional information.
+
+
+
+ After the root filesystem has been constructed, the image
+ generation process turns everything into an image file or
+ a set of image files.
+ we need to turn into an image file or set of image files.
+ The formats used for the root filesystem depend on the
+ IMAGE_FSTYPES
+ variable.
+
+
+
+ The entire image generation process is run under Pseudo.
+ Running under Pseudo ensures that the files in the root
+ filesystem have correct ownership.
+
+