diff --git a/doc/api/customization.md b/doc/api/customization.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a636d164507e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/customization.md
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# Customization
+
+> Stability: 1.0 - Early development
+
+Node.js has multiple APIs for customizing behavior and can easily be invoked via
+[`--import`][]. The package.json of such a plugin would look something like
+this:
+
+```json
+{
+  "name": "example-nodejs-plugin",
+  "keywords": [
+    "nodejs-plugin"
+  ],
+  "exports": {
+    "register": "./registration.mjs"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Setting the keyword `nodejs-plugin` is important for users to find the
+package (which may be automated). It should also contain the official name(s)
+for the support it provides; a plugin extending Node.js support for TypeScript
+should contain `typescript` in its keywords; a customization package that does
+not extend Node.js support for TypeScript should not contain `typescript` (such
+as when the library is itself merely written in TypeScript). Incorrect keywords
+will cause a package to be listed for things it does not do, aggravating users.
+
+## Setting up a plugin
+
+These steps configure Node.js with a customization plugin:
+
+1. Install the plugin via your preferred package manager. For finding the
+   plugin, package managers provide often a CLI utility, such as [`npm
+   search`][], as well as a website.
+2. Once installed, in order to get Node.js to use it, you have 2 options:
+   * Pass the `--import` directly in the shell command:
+   `node --import=example-nodejs-plugin/register" main.mjs`. This option works
+   well when the command is simple, but it can
+   quickly become unwieldy as the list of flags grows, and it requires you to
+   remember everything you need to pass.
+   * Create a [`.env`][`--env-file`] file containing an [`--import`][] for your
+   chosen plugin, like `NODE_OPTIONS="--import=example-nodejs-plugin/register"`.
+   This option avoids the command becoming unwieldly, and it's easier to
+   remember (a single, unchanging `--env-file` flag).
+      * Include the `.env` file flag on subsequent runs, like
+      `node --env-file=.env main.mjs`.
+
+## APIs
+
+Customizable systems each expose a `register` function, whereby the
+customization plugin is registered into Node.js.
+
+* [`node:module`][module.register]
+
+[`"exports"`]: packages.md#exports
+[`--env-file`]: cli.md#--env-file
+[`--import`]: cli.md#--import
+[`npm search`]: https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v10/commands/npm-search
+[module.register]: module.md#moduleregisterspecifier-parenturl-options
diff --git a/doc/api/module.md b/doc/api/module.md
index f4338028abe3..a07e18cd4754 100644
--- a/doc/api/module.md
+++ b/doc/api/module.md
@@ -683,6 +683,47 @@ export async function load(url, context, nextLoad) {
 In a more advanced scenario, this can also be used to transform an unsupported
 source to a supported one (see [Examples](#examples) below).
 
+### External formats
+
+Node.js natively understands a handful of formats (see the table in [`load`
+hook][load hook]). Non-native or external formats require transpilation to
+something Node.js understands, and many packages exist to handle this. A simple
+example of such a package would look something like this:
+
+```json
+{
+  "name": "example-nodejs-plugin",
+  "keywords": [
+    "nodejs-plugin",
+    "typescript"
+  ],
+  "exports": {
+    "register": "./registration.mjs",
+    "typescript": "./hooks/typescript.mjs"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+> **Note**: The `"typescript"` entry point is not required but it makes the next
+> step (and possibly others) simpler.
+
+```mjs
+import { register } from 'node:module';
+
+register('example-nodejs-plugin/typescript');
+```
+
+`typescript.mjs` would contain [customization hooks][hooks]:
+
+* A [`resolve` hook][resolve hook] that sets `format` for applicable modules to
+  the format it handles, such as `'typescript'`.
+* A [`load` hook][load hook] that transpiles the external format (as signaled by
+  its `resolve` hook) to something Node.js understands.
+* Optionally, an [`initialize` hook][`initialize`].
+
+See [Node.js Customization][Customization] for information about registering and
+persisting these plugins.
+
 ### Examples
 
 The various module customization hooks can be used together to accomplish
@@ -1027,6 +1068,7 @@ returned object contains the following keys:
 
 [CommonJS]: modules.md
 [Conditional exports]: packages.md#conditional-exports
+[Customization]: customization.md
 [Customization hooks]: #customization-hooks
 [ES Modules]: esm.md
 [HTTPS and HTTP imports]: esm.md#https-and-http-imports
@@ -1048,5 +1090,6 @@ returned object contains the following keys:
 [load hook]: #loadurl-context-nextload
 [module wrapper]: modules.md#the-module-wrapper
 [realm]: https://tc39.es/ecma262/#realm
+[resolve hook]: #resolvespecifier-context-nextresolve
 [source map include directives]: https://sourcemaps.info/spec.html#h.lmz475t4mvbx
 [transferrable objects]: worker_threads.md#portpostmessagevalue-transferlist