diff --git a/gc/gc.go b/gc/gc.go
index 4f71cb305..079a6eae9 100644
--- a/gc/gc.go
+++ b/gc/gc.go
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ type Stats interface {
 //
 // We can probably use this to inform a design for incremental GC by injecting
 // callbacks to the set modification algorithms.
+//
+// https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracing_garbage_collection#Tri-color_marking
 func Tricolor(roots []Node, refs func(ref Node) ([]Node, error)) (map[Node]struct{}, error) {
 	var (
 		grays     []Node                // maintain a gray "stack"
diff --git a/metadata/content.go b/metadata/content.go
index e024f9a50..66d0ee263 100644
--- a/metadata/content.go
+++ b/metadata/content.go
@@ -772,6 +772,7 @@ func writeExpireAt(expire time.Time, bkt *bolt.Bucket) error {
 	return bkt.Put(bucketKeyExpireAt, expireAt)
 }
 
+// garbageCollect removes all contents that are no longer used.
 func (cs *contentStore) garbageCollect(ctx context.Context) (d time.Duration, err error) {
 	cs.l.Lock()
 	t1 := time.Now()
diff --git a/metadata/db.go b/metadata/db.go
index c5a2f2eb4..2d9cbf31a 100644
--- a/metadata/db.go
+++ b/metadata/db.go
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ func (s GCStats) Elapsed() time.Duration {
 	return s.MetaD
 }
 
-// GarbageCollect starts garbage collection
+// GarbageCollect removes resources (snapshots, contents, ...) that are no longer used.
 func (m *DB) GarbageCollect(ctx context.Context) (gc.Stats, error) {
 	m.wlock.Lock()
 	t1 := time.Now()
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@ func (m *DB) GarbageCollect(ctx context.Context) (gc.Stats, error) {
 	return stats, err
 }
 
+// getMarked returns all resources that are used.
 func (m *DB) getMarked(ctx context.Context) (map[gc.Node]struct{}, error) {
 	var marked map[gc.Node]struct{}
 	if err := m.db.View(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
diff --git a/metadata/gc.go b/metadata/gc.go
index b526d995d..60bf410a6 100644
--- a/metadata/gc.go
+++ b/metadata/gc.go
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ var (
 	labelGCFlat       = []byte("containerd.io/gc.flat")
 )
 
+// scanRoots sends the given channel "root" resources that are certainly used.
+// The caller could look the references of the resources to find all resources that are used.
 func scanRoots(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, nc chan<- gc.Node) error {
 	v1bkt := tx.Bucket(bucketKeyVersion)
 	if v1bkt == nil {
@@ -276,6 +278,7 @@ func scanRoots(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, nc chan<- gc.Node) error {
 	return cerr
 }
 
+// references finds the resources that are reachable from the given node.
 func references(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, node gc.Node, fn func(gc.Node)) error {
 	switch node.Type {
 	case ResourceContent:
@@ -328,6 +331,7 @@ func references(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, node gc.Node, fn func(gc.Node)
 	return nil
 }
 
+// scanAll finds all resources regardless whether the resources are used or not.
 func scanAll(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, fn func(ctx context.Context, n gc.Node) error) error {
 	v1bkt := tx.Bucket(bucketKeyVersion)
 	if v1bkt == nil {
@@ -408,6 +412,7 @@ func scanAll(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, fn func(ctx context.Context, n gc
 	return nil
 }
 
+// remove all buckets for the given node.
 func remove(ctx context.Context, tx *bolt.Tx, node gc.Node) error {
 	v1bkt := tx.Bucket(bucketKeyVersion)
 	if v1bkt == nil {
diff --git a/metadata/snapshot.go b/metadata/snapshot.go
index 0c267060d..348602093 100644
--- a/metadata/snapshot.go
+++ b/metadata/snapshot.go
@@ -790,6 +790,7 @@ func validateSnapshot(info *snapshots.Info) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// garbageCollect removes all snapshots that are no longer used.
 func (s *snapshotter) garbageCollect(ctx context.Context) (d time.Duration, err error) {
 	s.l.Lock()
 	t1 := time.Now()