diff --git a/docs/src/man/bootc-container-lint.md b/docs/src/man/bootc-container-lint.md
index 4badd8bf8..b9b798054 100644
--- a/docs/src/man/bootc-container-lint.md
+++ b/docs/src/man/bootc-container-lint.md
@@ -10,13 +10,16 @@ checks as part of a container build
 # DESCRIPTION
 
 Perform relatively inexpensive static analysis checks as part of a
-container build
+container build.
+
+This is intended to be invoked via e.g. \`RUN bootc container lint\` as
+part of a build process; it will error if any problems are detected.
 
 # OPTIONS
 
 **-h**, **\--help**
 
-:   Print help
+:   Print help (see a summary with -h)
 
 # VERSION
 
diff --git a/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-disk.md b/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-disk.md
index 421ebdd9a..389577ffe 100644
--- a/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-disk.md
+++ b/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-disk.md
@@ -14,7 +14,16 @@ bootc-install-to-disk - Install to the target block device
 
 # DESCRIPTION
 
-Install to the target block device
+Install to the target block device.
+
+This command must be invoked inside of the container, which will be
+installed. The container must be run in \`\--privileged\` mode, and
+hence will be able to see all block devices on the system.
+
+The default storage layout uses the root filesystem type configured in
+the container image, alongside any required system partitions such as
+the EFI system partition. Use \`install to-filesystem\` for anything
+more complex such as RAID, LVM, LUKS etc.
 
 # OPTIONS
 
@@ -58,7 +67,8 @@ previous paragraph. See skopeo(1) for accepted formats.
 
 **\--target-transport**=*TARGET_TRANSPORT* \[default: registry\]
 
-:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults to \`registry\`
+:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults
+    to \`registry\`
 
 **\--target-imgref**=*TARGET_IMGREF*
 
diff --git a/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-existing-root.md b/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-existing-root.md
index 01f0d38b5..17c6745ef 100644
--- a/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-existing-root.md
+++ b/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-existing-root.md
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # NAME
 
-bootc-install-to-existing-root - Perform an installation to the host
-root filesystem
+bootc-install-to-existing-root - Install to the host root filesystem
 
 # SYNOPSIS
 
@@ -16,7 +15,13 @@ root filesystem
 
 # DESCRIPTION
 
-Perform an installation to the host root filesystem
+Install to the host root filesystem.
+
+This is a variant of \`install to-filesystem\` that is designed to
+install \"alongside\" the running host root filesystem. Currently, the
+host root filesystems \`/boot\` partition will be wiped, but the content
+of the existing root will otherwise be retained, and will need to be
+cleaned up if desired when rebooted into the new root.
 
 # OPTIONS
 
@@ -48,7 +53,8 @@ previous paragraph. See skopeo(1) for accepted formats.
 
 **\--target-transport**=*TARGET_TRANSPORT* \[default: registry\]
 
-:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults to \`registry\`
+:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults
+    to \`registry\`
 
 **\--target-imgref**=*TARGET_IMGREF*
 
diff --git a/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-filesystem.md b/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-filesystem.md
index 0ef7c0d9f..ad58f2d5c 100644
--- a/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-filesystem.md
+++ b/docs/src/man/bootc-install-to-filesystem.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # NAME
 
-bootc-install-to-filesystem - Install to the target filesystem
+bootc-install-to-filesystem - Install to an externally created
+filesystem structure
 
 # SYNOPSIS
 
@@ -16,7 +17,12 @@ bootc-install-to-filesystem - Install to the target filesystem
 
 # DESCRIPTION
 
-Install to the target filesystem
+Install to an externally created filesystem structure.
+
+In this variant of installation, the root filesystem alongside any
+necessary platform partitions (such as the EFI system partition) are
+prepared and mounted by an external tool or script. The root filesystem
+is currently expected to be empty by default.
 
 # OPTIONS
 
@@ -75,7 +81,8 @@ previous paragraph. See skopeo(1) for accepted formats.
 
 **\--target-transport**=*TARGET_TRANSPORT* \[default: registry\]
 
-:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults to \`registry\`
+:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults
+    to \`registry\`
 
 **\--target-imgref**=*TARGET_IMGREF*
 
diff --git a/docs/src/man/bootc-install.md b/docs/src/man/bootc-install.md
index 03f71a6bb..9912134ad 100644
--- a/docs/src/man/bootc-install.md
+++ b/docs/src/man/bootc-install.md
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ bootc-install-to-disk(8)
 
 bootc-install-to-filesystem(8)
 
-:   Install to the target filesystem
+:   Install to an externally created filesystem structure
 
 bootc-install-to-existing-root(8)
 
-:   Perform an installation to the host root filesystem
+:   Install to the host root filesystem
 
 bootc-install-print-configuration(8)
 
diff --git a/docs/src/man/bootc-switch.md b/docs/src/man/bootc-switch.md
index fd0409c79..ebd319e8f 100644
--- a/docs/src/man/bootc-switch.md
+++ b/docs/src/man/bootc-switch.md
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ updates via container image tags; for example,
 
 **\--transport**=*TRANSPORT* \[default: registry\]
 
-:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults to \`registry\`
+:   The transport; e.g. oci, oci-archive, containers-storage. Defaults
+    to \`registry\`
 
 **\--enforce-container-sigpolicy**
 
diff --git a/lib/src/cli.rs b/lib/src/cli.rs
index 86f97820d..e169bc5a9 100644
--- a/lib/src/cli.rs
+++ b/lib/src/cli.rs
@@ -118,18 +118,37 @@ pub(crate) struct StatusOpts {
     pub(crate) booted: bool,
 }
 
-/// Options for internal testing
 #[cfg(feature = "install")]
 #[derive(Debug, clap::Subcommand, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub(crate) enum InstallOpts {
-    /// Install to the target block device
+    /// Install to the target block device.
+    ///
+    /// This command must be invoked inside of the container, which will be
+    /// installed. The container must be run in `--privileged` mode, and hence
+    /// will be able to see all block devices on the system.
+    ///
+    /// The default storage layout uses the root filesystem type configured
+    /// in the container image, alongside any required system partitions such as
+    /// the EFI system partition. Use `install to-filesystem` for anything more
+    /// complex such as RAID, LVM, LUKS etc.
     ToDisk(crate::install::InstallToDiskOpts),
-    /// Install to the target filesystem
+    /// Install to an externally created filesystem structure.
+    ///
+    /// In this variant of installation, the root filesystem alongside any necessary
+    /// platform partitions (such as the EFI system partition) are prepared and mounted by an
+    /// external tool or script. The root filesystem is currently expected to be empty
+    /// by default.
     ToFilesystem(crate::install::InstallToFilesystemOpts),
+    /// Install to the host root filesystem.
+    ///
+    /// This is a variant of `install to-filesystem` that is designed to install "alongside"
+    /// the running host root filesystem. Currently, the host root filesystem's `/boot` partition
+    /// will be wiped, but the content of the existing root will otherwise be retained, and will
+    /// need to be cleaned up if desired when rebooted into the new root.
     ToExistingRoot(crate::install::InstallToExistingRootOpts),
     /// Output JSON to stdout that contains the merged installation configuration
     /// as it may be relevant to calling processes using `install to-filesystem`
-    /// that want to honor e.g. `root-fs-type`.
+    /// that in particular want to discover the desired root filesystem type from the container image.
     ///
     /// At the current time, the only output key is `root-fs-type` which is a string-valued
     /// filesystem name suitable for passing to `mkfs.$type`.
@@ -149,6 +168,9 @@ pub(crate) struct ManOpts {
 pub(crate) enum ContainerOpts {
     /// Perform relatively inexpensive static analysis checks as part of a container
     /// build.
+    ///
+    /// This is intended to be invoked via e.g. `RUN bootc container lint` as part
+    /// of a build process; it will error if any problems are detected.
     Lint,
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/install.rs b/lib/src/install.rs
index 25866c583..499db9320 100644
--- a/lib/src/install.rs
+++ b/lib/src/install.rs
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ pub(crate) struct InstallConfigOpts {
     pub(crate) generic_image: bool,
 }
 
-/// Perform an installation to a block device.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, clap::Parser, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub(crate) struct InstallToDiskOpts {
     #[clap(flatten)]
@@ -244,7 +243,6 @@ pub(crate) struct InstallTargetFilesystemOpts {
     pub(crate) skip_finalize: bool,
 }
 
-/// Perform an installation to a mounted filesystem.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, clap::Parser, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub(crate) struct InstallToFilesystemOpts {
     #[clap(flatten)]
@@ -260,7 +258,6 @@ pub(crate) struct InstallToFilesystemOpts {
     pub(crate) config_opts: InstallConfigOpts,
 }
 
-/// Perform an installation to the host root filesystem.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, clap::Parser, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub(crate) struct InstallToExistingRootOpts {
     /// Configure how existing data is treated.