diff --git a/README b/README
index 4ab17664c0..01a69236fd 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -18,3 +18,19 @@ COMPILING AND INSTALLING:
   make
 (do this as root unless you are installing in your users directories):
   make install
+
+EFL build is based on "profiles". It will default to "dev" for
+unreleased software and "release" for official tarballs. One can
+change it with --with-profile=NAME, where NAME is one of:
+
+  * dev: debug features, assert() and extra checks useful to test
+    software.
+
+  * release: optimizations and less checks so it runs faster.
+
+
+CRYPTOGRAPHIC SYSTEM: EFL officially uses "openssl" library to do
+signature, cipher and related. Alternatively one can use "gnutls"
+(some distros are strict about licenses and want gnutls instead of
+openssl) or disable it. One can change it with --with-crypto=NAME,
+where NAME is one of: "openssl", "gnutls" and "none".