diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
index abb40a8e1b..74478981d0 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@
     </para>
 </section>
 
-<section id='ref-classes-populate_sdk'>
+<section id='ref-classes-populate-sdk'>
     <title><filename>populate_sdk.bbclass</filename></title>
 
     <para>
@@ -1402,6 +1402,70 @@
     </para>
 </section>
 
+<section id='ref-classes-populate-sdk-*'>
+    <title><filename>populate_sdk_*.bbclass</filename></title>
+
+    <para>
+        The <filename>populate_sdk_*</filename> family of classes support
+        SDK creation.
+        This family of classes consists of the following:
+        <itemizedlist>
+            <listitem><para><emphasis><filename>populate_sdk_base</filename>:</emphasis>
+                The base class supporting SDK creation under all package
+                managers (i.e. DEB, RPM, and IPK).</para></listitem>
+            <listitem><para><emphasis><filename>populate_sdk_deb</filename>:</emphasis>
+                Supports creation of the SDK given the Debian package manager.
+                </para></listitem>
+            <listitem><para><emphasis><filename>populate_sdk_rpm</filename>:</emphasis>
+                Supports creation of the SDK given the RPM package manager.
+                </para></listitem>
+            <listitem><para><emphasis><filename>populate_sdk_ipk</filename>:</emphasis>
+                Supports creation of the SDK given the IPK package manager.
+                </para></listitem>
+        </itemizedlist>
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        The <filename>populate_sdk_base</filename> package inherits the
+        appropriate <filename>populate_sdk_*</filename> (i.e.
+        <filename>deb</filename>, <filename>rpm</filename>, and
+        <filename>ipk</filename>) based on
+        <link linkend='var-IMAGE_PKGTYPE'><filename>IMAGE_PKGTYPE</filename></link>.
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        The base class ensures all source and destination directories are
+        established and then populates the SDK.
+        After populating the SDK, the <filename>populate_sdk_base</filename>
+        class constructs two images:
+        <link linkend='var-SDK_ARCH'><filename>SDK_ARCH</filename></link><filename>-nativesdk</filename>,
+        which contains the cross-compiler and associated tooling, and the
+        target, which contains a target root filesystem that is configured for
+        the SDK usage.
+        These two images reside in
+        <link linkend='var-SDK_OUTPUT'><filename>SDK_OUTPUT</filename></link>,
+        which consists of the following:
+        <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     ${SDK_OUTPUT}/&lt;sdk_arch-nativesdk pkgs&gt;
+     ${SDK_OUTPUT}/${SDKTARGETSYSROOT}/&lt;target pkgs&gt;
+        </literallayout>
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        Finally, the base populate SDK class creates the toolchain
+        environment setup script, the tarball of the SDK, and the installer.
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        The respective <filename>populate_sdk_deb</filename>,
+        <filename>populate_sdk_rpm</filename>, and
+        <filename>populate_sdk_ipk</filename> classes each support the
+        specific type of SDK.
+        These classes are inherited by and used with the
+        <filename>populate_sdk_base</filename> class.
+    </para>
+</section>
+
 <section id='ref-classes-perl'>
     <title>Perl Modules - <filename>cpan.bbclass</filename></title>
 
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index fccffe77bb..dee179d393 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -2645,6 +2645,36 @@
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-IMAGE_PKGTYPE'><glossterm>IMAGE_PKGTYPE</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Defines the package type (DEB, RPM, IPK, or TAR) used
+                    by the OpenEmbedded build system.
+                    The variable is defined appropriately by the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_deb'><filename>package_deb</filename></link>
+                    class, the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_rpm'><filename>package_rpm</filename></link>
+                    class, the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_ipk'><filename>package_ipk</filename></link>
+                    class, or the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-package_tar'><filename>package_tar</filename></link>
+                    class as follows:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "deb"
+     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "ipk"
+     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "rpm"
+     IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "tar"
+                    </literallayout>
+                    The
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-populate-sdk-*'><filename>package_sdk_base</filename></link>
+                    and
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-image'><filename>image</filename></link>
+                    classes use the <filename>IMAGE_PKGTYPE</filename> for
+                    packaging up images and SDKs.
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-IMAGE_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND'><glossterm>IMAGE_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
@@ -5436,6 +5466,21 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-SDK_DIR'><glossterm>SDK_DIR</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    The parent directory used by the OpenEmbedded build system
+                    when creating SDK output.
+                    The
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-populate-sdk-*'><filename>populate_sdk_base</filename></link>
+                    class defines the variable as follows:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     SDK_DIR = "${<link linkend='var-WORKDIR'><filename>WORKDIR</filename></link>}/sdk"
+                    </literallayout>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-SDK_NAME'><glossterm>SDK_NAME</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
@@ -5455,6 +5500,21 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-SDK_OUTPUT'><glossterm>SDK_OUTPUT</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    The location used by the OpenEmbedded build system when
+                    creating SDK output.
+                    The
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-populate-sdk-*'><filename>populate_sdk_base</filename></link>
+                    class defines the variable as follows:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     SDK_OUTPUT = "${<link linkend='var-SDK_DIR'>SDK_DIR</link>}/image"
+                    </literallayout>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-SDKIMAGE_FEATURES'><glossterm>SDKIMAGE_FEATURES</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>Equivalent to