diff --git a/src/bootstrap/README.md b/src/bootstrap/README.md
index 2965174b45bcc..12e09cb07dbb2 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/README.md
+++ b/src/bootstrap/README.md
@@ -63,6 +63,21 @@ build/
     debug/
     release/
 
+  # Build directory for various tools like `typos` that are only ever
+  # built for the host system, and always with stage0 cargo.
+  misc-tools/
+    bin/
+    target/
+
+  # Directory where js dependencies like tsc and eslint are stored.
+  node_modules/
+    .bin/
+
+  # Copy of package.json and package-lock.json, because npm requires these
+  # to be in the same directory as `node_modules`.
+  package.json
+  package-lock.json
+
   # Output of the dist-related steps like dist-std, dist-rustc, and dist-docs
   dist/
 
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs
index dcc4898cae16a..4f096d50ea5c3 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/tool.rs
@@ -394,6 +394,9 @@ macro_rules! bootstrap_tool {
         }
 
         impl<'a> Builder<'a> {
+            /// Ensure a tool is built, then get the path to its executable.
+            ///
+            /// The actual building, if any, will be handled via [`ToolBuild`].
             pub fn tool_exe(&self, tool: Tool) -> PathBuf {
                 match tool {
                     $(Tool::$name =>
@@ -1552,6 +1555,8 @@ pub const TEST_FLOAT_PARSE_ALLOW_FEATURES: &str = "f16,cfg_target_has_reliable_f
 impl Builder<'_> {
     /// Gets a `BootstrapCommand` which is ready to run `tool` in `stage` built for
     /// `host`.
+    ///
+    /// This also ensures that the given tool is built (using [`ToolBuild`]).
     pub fn tool_cmd(&self, tool: Tool) -> BootstrapCommand {
         let mut cmd = command(self.tool_exe(tool));
         let compiler = self.compiler(0, self.config.host_target);