diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/configuration.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/configuration.xml
index 8d05dcd34b4..cebc4122c6c 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/configuration.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/configuration.xml
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@
  <xi:include href="networking.xml" />
  <xi:include href="linux-kernel.xml" />
  <xi:include href="../generated/modules.xml" xpointer="xpointer(//section[@id='modules']/*)" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles.xml" />
 <!-- Apache; libvirtd virtualisation -->
 </part>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..92c0f6202f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+<chapter xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="ch-profiles">
+ <title>Profiles</title>
+ <para>
+  In some cases, it may be desirable to take advantage of commonly-used,
+  predefined configurations provided by nixpkgs, but different from those that
+  come as default. This is a role fulfilled by NixOS's Profiles, which come as
+  files living in <filename>&lt;nixpkgs/nixos/modules/profiles&gt;</filename>.
+  That is to say, expected usage is to add them to the imports list of your
+  <filename>/etc/configuration.nix</filename> as such:
+ </para>
+ <programlisting>
+  imports = [
+   &lt;nixpkgs/nixos/modules/profiles/profile-name.nix&gt;
+  ];
+ </programlisting>
+ <para>
+  Even if some of these profiles seem only useful in the context of
+  install media, many are actually intended to be used in real installs.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  What follows is a brief explanation on the purpose and use-case for each
+  profile. Detailing each option configured by each one is out of scope.
+ </para>
+ <xi:include href="profiles/all-hardware.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/base.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/clone-config.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/demo.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/docker-container.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/graphical.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/hardened.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/headless.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/installation-device.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/minimal.xml" />
+ <xi:include href="profiles/qemu-guest.xml" />
+</chapter>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/all-hardware.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/all-hardware.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..17297519947
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/all-hardware.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-all-hardware">
+ <title>All Hardware</title>
+ <para>
+  Enables all hardware supported by NixOS: i.e., all firmware is
+  included, and all devices from which one may boot are enabled in the initrd.
+  Its primary use is in the NixOS installation CDs.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  The enabled kernel modules include support for SATA and PATA, SCSI
+  (partially), USB, Firewire (untested), Virtio (QEMU, KVM, etc.), VMware, and
+  Hyper-V. Additionally, <xref linkend="opt-hardware.enableAllFirmware"/> is
+  enabled, and the firmware for the ZyDAS ZD1211 chipset is specifically
+  installed.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/base.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/base.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f58a35d626e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/base.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-base">
+ <title>Base</title>
+ <para>
+  Defines the software packages included in the "minimal"
+  installation CD. It installs several utilities useful in a simple recovery or
+  install media, such as a text-mode web browser, and tools for manipulating
+  block devices, networking, hardware diagnostics, and filesystems (with their
+  respective kernel modules).
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/clone-config.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/clone-config.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..87c8b9ee31b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/clone-config.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-clone-config">
+ <title>Clone Config</title>
+ <para>
+  This profile is used in installer images.
+  It provides an editable configuration.nix that imports all the modules that
+  were also used when creating the image in the first place.
+  As a result it allows users to edit and rebuild the live-system.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/demo.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/demo.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..98829e4696d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/demo.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-demo">
+ <title>Demo</title>
+ <para>
+  This profile just enables a <systemitem class="username">demo</systemitem> user, with password <literal>demo</literal>, uid <literal>1000</literal>, <systemitem class="groupname">wheel</systemitem>
+  group and <link linkend="opt-services.xserver.displayManager.sddm.autoLogin">
+   autologin in the SDDM display manager</link>.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/docker-container.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/docker-container.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bf962442cce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/docker-container.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-docker-container">
+ <title>Docker Container</title>
+ <para>
+  This is the profile from which the Docker images are generated. It prepares a
+  working system by importing the <link linkend="sec-profile-minimal">Minimal</link> and
+  <link linkend="sec-profile-clone-config">Clone Config</link> profiles, and setting appropriate
+  configuration options that are useful inside a container context, like
+  <xref linkend="opt-boot.isContainer"/>.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/graphical.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/graphical.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5ded61d9763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/graphical.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-graphical">
+ <title>Graphical</title>
+ <para>
+  Defines a NixOS configuration with the Plasma 5 desktop. It's used by the
+  graphical installation CD.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  It sets <xref linkend="opt-services.xserver.enable"/>,
+  <xref linkend="opt-services.xserver.displayManager.sddm.enable"/>,
+  <xref linkend="opt-services.xserver.desktopManager.plasma5.enable"/> (
+  <link linkend="opt-services.xserver.desktopManager.plasma5.enableQt4Support">
+   without Qt4 Support</link>), and
+  <xref linkend="opt-services.xserver.libinput.enable"/> to true. It also
+  includes glxinfo and firefox in the system packages list.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/hardened.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/hardened.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b3b433792f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/hardened.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-hardened">
+ <title>Hardened</title>
+ <para>
+  A profile with most (vanilla) hardening options enabled by default,
+  potentially at the cost of features and performance.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  This includes a hardened kernel, and limiting the system information
+  available to processes through the <filename>/sys</filename> and
+  <filename>/proc</filename> filesystems. It also disables the User Namespaces
+  feature of the kernel, which stops Nix from being able to build anything
+  (this particular setting can be overriden via
+  <xref linkend="opt-security.allowUserNamespaces"/>). See the <literal
+   xlink:href="https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs/tree/master/nixos/modules/profiles/hardened.nix">
+   profile source</literal> for further detail on which settings are altered.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/headless.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/headless.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..54dc61f236e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/headless.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-headless">
+ <title>Headless</title>
+ <para>
+  Common configuration for headless machines (e.g., Amazon EC2 instances).
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  Disables <link linkend="opt-sound.enable">sound</link>,
+  <link linkend="opt-boot.vesa">vesa</link>, serial consoles,
+  <link linkend="opt-systemd.enableEmergencyMode">emergency mode</link>,
+  <link linkend="opt-boot.loader.grub.splashImage">grub splash images</link> and
+  configures the kernel to reboot automatically on panic.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/installation-device.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/installation-device.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..44ccfc538ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/installation-device.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-installation-device">
+ <title>Installation Device</title>
+ <para>
+  Provides a basic configuration for installation devices like CDs. This means
+  enabling hardware scans, using the <link linkend="sec-profile-clone-config">
+   Clone Config profile</link> to guarantee
+  <filename>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</filename> exists (for
+  <command>nixos-rebuild</command> to work), a copy of the Nixpkgs channel
+  snapshot used to create the install media.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  Additionally, documentation for <link linkend="opt-documentation.enable">
+   Nixpkgs</link> and <link linkend="opt-documentation.nixos.enable">NixOS
+   </link> are forcefully enabled (to override the
+   <link linkend="sec-profile-minimal">Minimal profile</link> preference); the
+   NixOS manual is shown automatically on TTY 8, sudo and udisks are disabled.
+   Autologin is enabled as root.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  A message is shown to the user to start a display manager if needed,
+  ssh with <xref linkend="opt-services.openssh.permitRootLogin"/> are enabled (but
+  doesn't autostart). WPA Supplicant is also enabled without autostart.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  Finally, vim is installed, root is set to not have a password, the kernel is
+  made more silent for remote public IP installs, and several settings are
+  tweaked so that the installer has a better chance of succeeding under
+  low-memory environments.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/minimal.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/minimal.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a24af21bd7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/minimal.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-minimal">
+ <title>Minimal</title>
+ <para>
+  This profile defines a small NixOS configuration. It does not contain any
+  graphical stuff. It's a very short file that enables
+  <link linkend="opt-environment.noXlibs">noXlibs</link>, sets
+  <link linkend="opt-i18n.supportedLocales">i18n.supportedLocales</link>
+  to only support the user-selected locale,
+  <link linkend="opt-documentation.enable">disables packages' documentation
+  </link>, and <link linkend="opt-sound.enable">disables sound</link>.
+ </para>
+</section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/qemu-guest.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/qemu-guest.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d08068650fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/profiles/qemu-guest.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
+         xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
+         xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
+         version="5.0"
+         xml:id="sec-profile-qemu-guest">
+ <title>QEMU Guest</title>
+ <para>
+  This profile contains common configuration for virtual machines running under
+  QEMU (using virtio).
+ </para>
+ <para>
+  It makes virtio modules available on the initrd, sets the system time from
+  the hardware clock to work around a bug in qemu-kvm, and
+  <link linkend="opt-security.rngd.enable">enables rngd</link>.
+ </para>
+</section>