diff --git a/cmd/algocfg/profileCommand.go b/cmd/algocfg/profileCommand.go
index ef64dda0be..2cf467d060 100644
--- a/cmd/algocfg/profileCommand.go
+++ b/cmd/algocfg/profileCommand.go
@@ -19,39 +19,70 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
 	"github.com/algorand/go-algorand/cmd/util/datadir"
 	"github.com/algorand/go-algorand/config"
 	"github.com/algorand/go-algorand/util/codecs"
 )
 
-// profileConfigUpdater updates the provided config for non-defaults in a given profile
-type profileConfigUpdater func(cfg config.Local) config.Local
-
-// defaultConfigUpdater leaves all default values in place
-func defaultConfigUpdater(cfg config.Local) config.Local {
-	return cfg
-}
-
-// relayConfigUpdater alters config values to set up a relay node
-func relayConfigUpdater(cfg config.Local) config.Local {
-	cfg.Archival = true
-	cfg.EnableLedgerService = true
-	cfg.EnableBlockService = true
-	cfg.NetAddress = "4160"
-	return cfg
+// configUpdater updates the provided config for non-defaults in a given profile
+type configUpdater struct {
+	updateFunc  func(cfg config.Local) config.Local
+	description string
 }
 
 var (
+	development = configUpdater{
+		description: "Build on Algorand.",
+		updateFunc: func(cfg config.Local) config.Local {
+			cfg.EnableExperimentalAPI = true
+			cfg.EnableDeveloperAPI = true
+			return cfg
+		},
+	}
+
+	conduit = configUpdater{
+		description: "Provide data for the Conduit tool.",
+		updateFunc: func(cfg config.Local) config.Local {
+			cfg.EnableFollowMode = true
+			cfg.MaxAcctLookback = 64
+			cfg.CatchupParallelBlocks = 64
+			return cfg
+		},
+	}
+
+	participation = configUpdater{
+		description: "Participate in consensus or simply ensure chain health by validating blocks.",
+		updateFunc: func(cfg config.Local) config.Local {
+			cfg.CatchupBlockValidateMode = 0b1100
+			return cfg
+		},
+	}
+
+	relay = configUpdater{
+		description: "Relay consensus messages across the network and support catchup.",
+		updateFunc: func(cfg config.Local) config.Local {
+			cfg.Archival = true
+			cfg.EnableLedgerService = true
+			cfg.EnableBlockService = true
+			cfg.NetAddress = "4160"
+			return cfg
+		},
+	}
+
 	// profileNames are the supported pre-configurations of config values
-	profileNames = map[string]profileConfigUpdater{
-		"relay":   relayConfigUpdater,
-		"default": defaultConfigUpdater,
+	profileNames = map[string]configUpdater{
+		"participation": participation,
+		"conduit":       conduit,
+		"relay":         relay,
+		"development":   development,
 	}
+
 	forceUpdate bool
 )
 
@@ -64,8 +95,19 @@ func init() {
 
 var profileCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "profile",
-	Short: "Manipulate config profiles",
-	Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
+	Short: "Generate config.json file from a profile.",
+	Long: `Initialize algod config.json files based on a usage profile.
+
+The config file generated by these profiles can be used as a starting point
+for a nodes configuration. The defaults for a given profile should be treated
+as supplemental to the documentation, you should review the documentation to
+understand what the settings are doing.
+
+For more details about configuration settings refer to the developer portal:
+https://developer.algorand.org/docs/run-a-node/reference/config/
+
+Profiles are subject to change or removal.`,
+	Args: cobra.NoArgs,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		cmd.HelpFunc()(cmd, args)
 	},
@@ -73,20 +115,25 @@ var profileCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 var listProfileCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "list",
-	Short: "List config profiles",
+	Short: "A list of valid config profiles and a short description.",
 	Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		var profiles string
+		longest := 0
 		for key := range profileNames {
-			profiles += fmt.Sprintf("%s ", key)
+			if len(key) > longest {
+				longest = len(key)
+			}
+		}
+
+		for key, value := range profileNames {
+			reportInfof("%-*s  %s", longest, key, value.description)
 		}
-		reportInfof(profiles)
 	},
 }
 
 var setProfileCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "set",
-	Short: "Set preconfigured config defaults",
+	Short: "Set config.json file from a profile.",
 	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		datadir.OnDataDirs(func(dataDir string) {
@@ -120,7 +167,7 @@ var setProfileCmd = &cobra.Command{
 func getConfigForArg(configType string) (config.Local, error) {
 	cfg := config.GetDefaultLocal()
 	if updater, ok := profileNames[configType]; ok {
-		return updater(cfg), nil
+		return updater.updateFunc(cfg), nil
 	}
 	return config.Local{}, fmt.Errorf("invalid profile type %v", configType)
 }