diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3cffcab63..48b4f5fe9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,3 +40,13 @@ Copy your stable ~/bin/sbt script to ~/bin/xsbt and change it to use the launche
 If using the 0.10 development branch, the launcher is at:
 
 	<xsbt>/target/sbt-launch-0.10.1-SNAPSHOT.jar
+
+## Modifying sbt
+
+When developing sbt itself, there is no need to run `build-all`, since this generates documentation as well.  For the fastest turnaround time for checking compilation only, run `compile`.
+
+To use your modified version of sbt in a project locally, run `publish-local`.  If you have modified the launcher, also run `proguard`.
+
+After each `publish-local`, clean the `project/boot/` directory in the project in which you want to use the locally built sbt.  Alternatively, if sbt is running and the launcher hasn't changed, run `reboot full` to have sbt do this for you.
+
+If a project has `project/build.properties` defined, either delete the file or change `sbt.version` to `0.10.1-SNAPSHOT`.
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