diff -r 000000000000 -r 6474c204b198 build/docs/glossary.rst
--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/build/docs/glossary.rst	Wed Dec 31 06:09:35 2014 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+========
+Glossary
+========
+
+.. glossary::
+   :sorted:
+
+   object directory
+       A directory holding the output of the build system. The build
+       system attempts to isolate all file modifications to this
+       directory. By convention, object directories are commonly
+       directories under the source directory prefixed with **obj-**.
+       e.g. **obj-firefox**.
+
+   mozconfig
+       A shell script used to configure the build system.
+
+   configure
+       A generated shell script which detects the current system
+       environment, applies a requested set of build configuration
+       options, and writes out metadata to be consumed by the build
+       system.
+
+   config.status
+       An executable file produced by **configure** that takes the
+       generated build config and writes out files used to build the
+       tree. Traditionally, config.status writes out a bunch of
+       Makefiles.
+
+   install manifest
+       A file containing metadata describing file installation rules.
+       A large part of the build system consists of copying files
+       around to appropriate places. We write out special files
+       describing the set of required operations so we can process the
+       actions effeciently. These files are install manifests.
+
+   clobber build
+      A build performed with an initially empty object directory. All
+      build actions must be performed.
+
+   incremental build
+      A build performed with the result of a previous build in an
+      object directory. The build should not have to work as hard because
+      it will be able to reuse the work from previous builds.
+
+   mozinfo
+      An API for accessing a common and limited subset of the build and
+      run-time configuration. See :ref:`mozinfo`.