diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index d472eed252..a6963f268b 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ RELEASE  VERSION/DATE TO BE FILLED IN LATER
       Google style.
     - Additional small tweaks to Environment.py type hints, fold some overly
       long function signature lines, and some linting-insipired cleanups.
+    - Test framework: tweak module docstrings
 
 
 RELEASE 4.10.1 - Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:51:57 -0700
diff --git a/RELEASE.txt b/RELEASE.txt
index ef9fd7607e..571cc35d17 100644
--- a/RELEASE.txt
+++ b/RELEASE.txt
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ IMPROVEMENTS
 - Additional small tweaks to Environment.py type hints, fold some overly
 long function signature lines, and some linting-insipired cleanups.
 
+- Test framework: tweak module docstrings
+
 
 PACKAGING
 ---------
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestCmd.py b/testing/framework/TestCmd.py
index b4edc1b624..dc1d2667ff 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestCmd.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestCmd.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-# Copyright 2000-2024 Steven Knight
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: PSF-2.0
+#
+# Copyright 2000-2010 Steven Knight
+# Copyright The SCons Foundation
 #
 # This module is free software, and you may redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the same terms as Python itself, so long as this copyright message
@@ -22,19 +25,23 @@
 
 The TestCmd module provides a framework for portable automated testing
 of executable commands and scripts (in any language, not just Python),
-especially commands and scripts that require file system interaction.
+particularly those that require file system interaction.
 
-In addition to running tests and evaluating conditions, the TestCmd
-module manages and cleans up one or more temporary workspace
-directories, and provides methods for creating files and directories in
-those workspace directories from in-line data, here-documents), allowing
-tests to be completely self-contained.
+Beyond running tests and evaluating conditions, the TestCmd module manages
+temporary workspace directories, providing methods to create files and
+directories from inline data (here-documents) and from fixture files.
 
-A TestCmd environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestCmd environment object by instantiating the class:
 
     import TestCmd
     test = TestCmd.TestCmd()
 
+TestCmd is the bottom layer of an extensible stack. You will probably
+encounter it via derived classes such as the companion :class:`TestCommon`
+class, or, if used in the SCons project, via :class:`TestSCons` and
+other specializations, with the functionality implemented here provided
+via inheritance.
+
 There are a bunch of keyword arguments available at instantiation:
 
     test = TestCmd.TestCmd(
@@ -648,7 +655,7 @@ def match_re(
 def match_re_dotall(
     lines: str | list[str] | None = None,
     res: str | list[str] | None = None,
-) -> Match[str] | None:
+) -> re.Match[str] | None:
     """Match function using regular expression match.
 
     Unlike :math:`match_re`, the arguments are converted to strings (if necessary)
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestCommon.py b/testing/framework/TestCommon.py
index 33a901399a..2c21d820ca 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestCommon.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestCommon.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: PSF-2.0
+#
 # Copyright 2000-2010 Steven Knight
+# Copyright The SCons Foundation
 #
 # This module is free software, and you may redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the same terms as Python itself, so long as this copyright message
@@ -27,12 +30,12 @@
 explicit checks unnecessary, making the test scripts themselves simpler
 to write and easier to read.
 
-The TestCommon class is a subclass of the TestCmd class.  In essence,
-TestCommon is a wrapper that handles common TestCmd error conditions in
-useful ways.  You can use TestCommon directly, or subclass it for your
-program and add additional (or override) methods to tailor it to your
-program's specific needs.  Alternatively, the TestCommon class serves
-as a useful example of how to define your own TestCmd subclass.
+The TestCommon class is a subclass of the :mod:`TestCmd:mod:` class.
+In essence, TestCommon` is a wrapper that handles common TestCmd` error
+conditions in useful ways.  You can use TestCommon directly, or subclass
+it for your program and add additional (or override) methods to tailor
+it to your program's specific needs.  Alternatively, the TestCommon class
+serves as a useful example of how to define your own TestCmd subclass.
 
 As a subclass of TestCmd, TestCommon provides access to all of the
 variables and methods from the TestCmd module.  Consequently, you can
@@ -771,7 +774,7 @@ def start(
         arguments=None,
         universal_newlines=None,
         **kw,
-    ):
+    ) -> Popen:
         """
         Starts a program or script for the test environment, handling
         any exceptions.
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestRuntest.py b/testing/framework/TestRuntest.py
index 52bba9c9ef..b62a829553 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestRuntest.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestRuntest.py
@@ -24,14 +24,17 @@
 """
 A testing framework for the runtest.py command used to invoke SCons tests.
 
-A TestRuntest environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestRuntest environment object by instantiating the class:
 
+    import TestRuntest
     test = TestRuntest()
 
-TestRuntest is a subclass of TestCommon, which is in turn is a subclass
-of TestCmd), and hence has available all of the methods and attributes
-from those classes, as well as any overridden or additional methods or
-attributes defined in this subclass.
+    test = TestRuntest()
+
+TestRuntest is a subclass of :class:`TestCommon`, which is in turn is a
+subclass of :class:`TestCmd`, and hence has available all of the methods
+and attributes from those classes, as well as any overridden or additional
+methods or attributes defined in this subclass.
 """
 
 import os
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestSCons.py b/testing/framework/TestSCons.py
index a3ada082fe..d471bd66e6 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestSCons.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestSCons.py
@@ -24,14 +24,19 @@
 """
 A testing framework for the SCons software construction tool.
 
-A TestSCons environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestSCons environment object by instantiating the class:
 
-    test = TestSCons()
+    import TestSCons
+    test = TestSCons.TestSCons()
 
-TestScons is a subclass of TestCommon, which in turn is a subclass
-of TestCmd), and hence has available all of the methods and attributes
-from those classes, as well as any overridden or additional methods or
-attributes defined in this subclass.
+:class:`TestScons' is a subclass of :class:`TestCommon,` which in turn
+is a subclass of :class:`TestCmd`, and hence has available all of the
+methods and attributes from those classes, as well as any overridden or
+additional methods or attributes defined in this subclass.
+
+This class is further specialized for specific testing purposes in
+modules :mod:`TestSConsMSVS`, :mod:`TestSConsTar`, :mod:`TestSCons_time`,
+:mod:`TestSConsign` as well as in this file in :class:`TimeSCons`.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -47,7 +52,7 @@
 
 from SCons.Util import get_hash_format, get_current_hash_algorithm_used
 from TestCommon import *
-from TestCommon import __all__, _python_
+from TestCommon import __all__
 
 # Some tests which verify that SCons has been packaged properly need to
 # look for specific version file names.  Replicating the version number
@@ -146,7 +151,7 @@ def re_escape(str):
 # Helper functions that we use as a replacement to the default re.match
 # when searching for special strings in stdout/stderr.
 #
-def search_re(out, l):
+def search_re(out: str, l: str) -> int | None:
     """Search the regular expression 'l' in the output 'out'
     and return the start index when successful.
     """
@@ -157,7 +162,7 @@ def search_re(out, l):
     return None
 
 
-def search_re_in_list(out, l):
+def search_re_in_list(out: str, l: str) -> int | None:
     """Search the regular expression 'l' in each line of
     the given string list 'out' and return the line's index
     when successful.
@@ -203,12 +208,20 @@ def deprecated_python_version(version=sys.version_info):
     deprecated_python_msg = ""
 
 
-def initialize_sconsflags(ignore_python_version):
-    """
-    Add the --warn=no-python-version option to SCONSFLAGS for every
-    command so test scripts don't have to filter out Python version
-    deprecation warnings.
-    Same for --warn=no-visual-c-missing.
+def initialize_sconsflags(ignore_python_version: bool) -> str | None:
+    """Set up SCONSFLAGS for every command.
+
+    Used so test scripts don't need to worry about unexpected warnings
+    in their output.
+
+    ``--warn=no-python-version`` is used to suppress Python version
+    deprecation warnings while such are active.
+
+    ``--warn=no-visual-c-missing`` is used so Windows systems which don't
+    have Visual C++ installed don't get warnings about it.
+
+    Returns:
+      the original ``SCONSFLAGS`` value, if any, so it can be restored
     """
     save_sconsflags = os.environ.get('SCONSFLAGS')
     if save_sconsflags:
@@ -229,7 +242,8 @@ def initialize_sconsflags(ignore_python_version):
     return save_sconsflags
 
 
-def restore_sconsflags(sconsflags) -> None:
+def restore_sconsflags(sconsflags: str | None) -> None:
+    """Restore the original SCONSFLAGS value, if any."""
     if sconsflags is None:
         del os.environ['SCONSFLAGS']
     else:
@@ -249,18 +263,14 @@ def restore_sconsflags(sconsflags) -> None:
 
 
 class NoMatch(Exception):
-    """
-    Exception for matchPart to indicate there was no match found in the passed logfile
-    """
+    """There was no match in the passed logfile."""
 
     def __init__(self, p) -> None:
         self.pos = p
 
 
 def match_part_of_configlog(log, logfile, lastEnd, NoMatch=NoMatch):
-    """
-    Match part of the logfile
-    """
+    """Match part of the logfile."""
     # print("Match:\n%s\n==============\n%s" % (log , logfile[lastEnd:]))
     m = re.match(log, logfile[lastEnd:])
     if not m:
@@ -368,8 +378,7 @@ def Environment(self, ENV=None, *args, **kw):
         return None
 
     def detect(self, var, prog=None, ENV=None, norm=None):
-        """
-        Return the detected path to a tool program.
+        """Return the detected path to a tool program.
 
         Searches first the named construction variable, then
         the SCons path.
@@ -401,7 +410,7 @@ def detect(self, var, prog=None, ENV=None, norm=None):
 
         return self.where_is(prog)
 
-    def detect_tool(self, tool, prog=None, ENV=None):
+    def detect_tool(self, tool, prog=None, ENV=None) -> bool:
         """
         Given a tool (i.e., tool specification that would be passed
         to the "tools=" parameter of Environment()) and a program that
@@ -410,12 +419,11 @@ def detect_tool(self, tool, prog=None, ENV=None):
 
         By default, prog is set to the value passed into the tools parameter.
         """
-
         if not prog:
             prog = tool
         env = self.Environment(ENV, tools=[tool])
         if env is None:
-            return None
+            return False
         return env.Detect([prog])
 
     def where_is(self, prog, path=None, pathext=None):
@@ -476,8 +484,9 @@ def wrap_stdout(
         )
 
     def run(self, *args, **kw) -> None:
-        """
-        Set up SCONSFLAGS for every command so test scripts don't need
+        """Run a command.
+
+        Sets up ``SCONSFLAGS`` first  so test scripts don't need
         to worry about unexpected warnings in their output.
         """
         sconsflags = initialize_sconsflags(self.ignore_python_version)
@@ -1810,9 +1819,8 @@ def venv_path():
 
         return (python, incpath, libpath, libname + _lib)
 
-    def start(self, *args, **kw):
-        """
-        Starts SCons in the test environment.
+    def start(self, *args, **kw) -> Popen:
+        """Starts SCons in the test environment.
 
         This method exists to tell Test{Cmd,Common} that we're going to
         use standard input without forcing every .start() call in the
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestSConsMSVS.py b/testing/framework/TestSConsMSVS.py
index 0c4b510d21..23e2744fc2 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestSConsMSVS.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestSConsMSVS.py
@@ -24,15 +24,16 @@
 """
 A testing framework for the SCons software construction tool.
 
-A TestSConsMSVS environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestSConsMSVS environment object by instantiating the class:
 
+    import TestSConsMSVS
     test = TestSConsMSVS()
 
-TestSConsMSVS is a subsclass of TestSCons, which is in turn a subclass
-of TestCommon, which is in turn is a subclass of TestCmd), and hence
-has available all of the methods and attributes from those classes,
-as well as any overridden or additional methods or attributes defined
-in this subclass.
+TestSConsMSVS is a subsclass of :class:`TestSCons`, which is a subclass of
+:class:`TestCommon`, which is in turn is a subclass of :class:`TestCmd`,
+and hence has available all of the methods and attributes from those
+classes, as well as any overridden or additional methods or attributes
+defined in this subclass.
 """
 
 import os
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestSConsTar.py b/testing/framework/TestSConsTar.py
index 1c3e0490d2..68ef879092 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestSConsTar.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestSConsTar.py
@@ -24,15 +24,19 @@
 """
 A testing framework for the SCons software construction tool.
 
-A TestSConsTar environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestSConsTar environment object by instantiating the class:
 
+    import TestSConsTar
     test = TestSConsTar()
 
-TestSConsTar is a subsclass of TestSCons, which is in turn a subclass
-of TestCommon, which is in turn is a subclass of TestCmd), and hence
-has available all of the methods and attributes from those classes,
-as well as any overridden or additional methods or attributes defined
-in this subclass.
+TestSConsTar is a subsclass of :class:`TestSCons`, which is in turn
+a subclass of :class:`TestCommon`, which is in turn is a subclass
+of :class:`TestCmd`, and hence has available all of the methods and
+attributes from those classes, as well as any overridden or additional
+methods or attributes defined in this subclass.
+
+This module exists to provide support for using ``tar`` on Windows,
+where the state is a bit unpredictable.
 """
 
 import os
@@ -69,6 +73,9 @@
     # tar.exe --version (GH windows-2025):
     #   bsdtar 3.7.7 - libarchive 3.7.7 zlib/1.2.13.1-motley liblzma/5.4.3 bz2lib/1.0.8 libzstd/1.5.5
 
+    # Later versions may support even more, e.g;
+    #   bsdtar 3.8.4 - libarchive 3.8.4 zlib/1.2.13.1-motley liblzma/5.8.1 bz2lib/1.0.8 libzstd/1.5.7 cng/2.0 libb2/bundles
+
     def _is_windows_system_tar(tar):
 
         if not tar:
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestSCons_time.py b/testing/framework/TestSCons_time.py
index be447e17c5..50825c1cf7 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestSCons_time.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestSCons_time.py
@@ -24,14 +24,15 @@
 """
 A testing framework for the scons-time.py script
 
-A TestSCons_time environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestSCons_time environment object by instantiating the class:
 
+    import TestSCons_time
     test = TestSCons_time()
 
-TestSCons_time is a subclass of TestCommon, which is in turn is a subclass
-of TestCmd), and hence has available all of the methods and attributes
-from those classes, as well as any overridden or additional methods or
-attributes defined in this subclass.
+TestSCons_time is a subclass of :class:`TestCommon`, which is in turn a
+subclass of :class:`TestCmd`, and hence has available all of the methods
+and attributes from those classes, as well as any overridden or additional
+methods or attributes defined in this subclass.
 """
 
 import os
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestSConsign.py b/testing/framework/TestSConsign.py
index f84ed53881..eb665cd3f4 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestSConsign.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestSConsign.py
@@ -22,17 +22,18 @@
 # WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
 """
-A testing framework for the "sconsign" script tool.
+A testing framework for the "sconsign" tool.
 
-A TestSConsign environment object is created via the usual invocation:
+Create a TestSConsign environment object by instantiating the class:
 
+    import TestSConsign
     test = TestSConsign()
 
-TestSconsign is a subclass of TestSCons, which is a subclass of
-TestCommon, which is in turn is a subclass of TestCmd), and hence
-has available all of the methods and attributes from those classes,
-as well as any overridden or additional methods or attributes defined
-in this subclass.
+TestSConsign is a subsclass of :class:`TestSCons`, which is a subclass of
+:class:`TestCommon`, which is in turn is a subclass of :class:`TestCmd`,
+and hence has available all of the methods and attributes from those
+classes, as well as any overridden or additional methods or attributes
+defined in this subclass.
 """
 
 import os