diff --git a/doc/conf.py b/doc/conf.py
index 9fee3826..0c7d91e6 100644
--- a/doc/conf.py
+++ b/doc/conf.py
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ def __getattr__(cls, name):
     ('manpages/bob-graph', 'bob-graph', 'Generate dependency graph', ['Ralf Hubert'], 1),
     ('manpages/bob-init', 'bob-init', 'Initialize out-of-source build tree', ['Jan Klötzke'], 1),
     ('manpages/bob-jenkins', 'bob-jenkins', 'Configure Jenkins server', ['Jan Klötzke'], 1),
+    ('manpages/bob-layers', 'bob-layers', 'Manage Layers', ['BobBuildTool Team'], 1),
     ('manpages/bob-ls', 'bob-ls', 'List package hierarchy', ['Jan Klötzke'], 1),
     ('manpages/bobpaths', 'bobpaths', 'Specifying paths to Bob packages', ['Jan Klötzke'], 7),
     ('manpages/bob-project', 'bob-project', 'Create IDE project files', ['Jan Klötzke'], 1),
diff --git a/doc/manpages/bob-layers.rst b/doc/manpages/bob-layers.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d457f7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/manpages/bob-layers.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+.. _manpage-layers:
+
+bob-layers
+==========
+
+.. only:: not man
+
+   Name
+   ----
+
+   bob-layers - Handle layers
+
+Synopsis
+--------
+
+::
+
+    bob layers [-h] [-c CONFIGFILE] [-lc LAYERCONFIG] [-v] [-D DEFINES]
+               [--attic | --no-attic] 
+               {update,status}
+
+Description
+-----------
+
+Update layers or show their SCM-status. The following sub-commands are
+available:
+
+``update``
+    Updates the layers.
+
+``status``
+    Show the SCM-status of each layer and optionally list modifications. See
+    :ref:`bob status <manpage-bob-status>` for a description of the output
+    fields.
+
+Options
+-------
+
+``--attic``
+    Move layer workspace to attic if inline SCM switching is not possible.
+    (Default)
+
+``--no-attic``
+    Do not move layer workspace to attic if inline SCM switching is not possible.
+    Instead a build error is issued.
+
+``-c CONFIGFILE``
+    Use additional configuration file.
+
+    The ``.yaml`` suffix is appended automatically and the configuration file
+    is searched relative to the project root directory unless an absolute path
+    is given. Bob will parse these user configuration files after
+    *default.yaml*. They are using the same schema.
+
+    This option can be given multiple times. The files will be parsed in the
+    order as they appeared on the command line.
+
+``-lc LAYERCONFIG``
+    Use additional layer configuration file.
+
+    This is special kind of configuration file to control the layers checkout. Only
+    ``layersWhitelist`` and ``layersScmOverrides`` are supported.
+
+    The ``.yaml`` suffix is appended automatically and the configuration file
+    is searched relative to the project root directory unless an absolute path
+    is given.
+
+``-D VAR=VALUE``
+    Override default or set environment variable.
+
+    Sets the variable ``VAR`` to ``VALUE``. This overrides the value possibly
+    set by ``default.yaml``, config files passed by ``-c`` or any file that was
+    included by either of these files.
+
+``-v, --verbose``
+    Increase verbosity (may be specified multiple times)
diff --git a/doc/manpages/index.rst b/doc/manpages/index.rst
index 0f69ae5a..9a4b7367 100644
--- a/doc/manpages/index.rst
+++ b/doc/manpages/index.rst
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Contents:
    bob-graph
    bob-init
    bob-jenkins
+   bob-layers
    bob-ls
    bobpaths
    bob-project
diff --git a/doc/manual/configuration.rst b/doc/manual/configuration.rst
index 091e2c72..d31a5ecc 100644
--- a/doc/manual/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/configuration.rst
@@ -1927,7 +1927,7 @@ equal.
 layers
 ~~~~~~
 
-Type: List of strings
+Type: List of strings or SCM-Dictionary or List of SCM-Dictionaries
 
 The ``layers`` section consists of a list of layer names that are then expected
 in the ``layers`` directory relative to the ``conig.yaml`` referencing them::
@@ -1949,8 +1949,40 @@ of lower precedence.
 
 See :ref:`configuration` for more information.
 
+Typically layers have their own VCS. To provide them to the root-recipes common
+VCS-methods like git-submodules can be used. Another possibility is to provide a
+SCM-Dictionary (see :ref:`configuration-recipes-scm`)::
+
+    layers:
+        - name: myapp
+          scm: git
+          url: git@foo.bar:myapp.git
+          commit: ...
+        - bsp
+
+Only `git`,`svn`,`url` and `cvs` scm's are supported for layers. During layers
+checkout the regular ``whitelist`` and ``scmOverrides`` settings are not used.
+Instead the checkout could be controlled by ``layersWhitelist`` and
+``layersScmOverrides``.
+
+If a scmSpec is given Bob takes care of the layer management:
+
+- layers are checked out / updated during bob-build (except build-only)
+- bob layers command to update / show status (see :ref:`manpage-layers`).
+
 .. _configuration-config-plugins:
 
+layersWhitelist
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Whitelist for layers update only. See :ref:`configuration-config-whitelist`.
+
+layersScmOverrides
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+:ref:`configuration-config-scmOverrides` used by layers checkout / update.
+Conditional overrides are not supported.
+
 plugins
 ~~~~~~~