diff --git a/light9/rdfdb/autodepgraphapi.py b/light9/rdfdb/autodepgraphapi.py
--- a/light9/rdfdb/autodepgraphapi.py
+++ b/light9/rdfdb/autodepgraphapi.py
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ log = logging.getLogger('syncedgraph')
 
 class AutoDepGraphApi(object):
     """
+    knockoutjs-inspired API for automatically building a dependency
+    tree while reading the graph. See addHandler().
+    
     mixin for SyncedGraph, separated here because these methods work together
     """
 
     def __init__(self):
-        self._watchers = GraphWatchers()
+        self._watchers = _GraphWatchers()
         self.currentFuncs = [] # stack of addHandler callers
     
     def addHandler(self, func):
@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ class AutoDepGraphApi(object):
     # subjects(RDF.type, t) call
 
 
-class GraphWatchers(object):
+class _GraphWatchers(object):
     """
     store the current handlers that care about graph changes
     """
diff --git a/light9/rdfdb/currentstategraphapi.py b/light9/rdfdb/currentstategraphapi.py
--- a/light9/rdfdb/currentstategraphapi.py
+++ b/light9/rdfdb/currentstategraphapi.py
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ from rdflib import ConjunctiveGraph
 from light9.rdfdb.rdflibpatch import contextsForStatement as rp_contextsForStatement
 
 class CurrentStateGraphApi(object):
-    
+    """
+    mixin for SyncedGraph, separated here because these methods work together
+    """
+
     def currentState(self, context=None):
         """
         a graph you can read without being in an addHandler
diff --git a/light9/rdfdb/grapheditapi.py b/light9/rdfdb/grapheditapi.py
--- a/light9/rdfdb/grapheditapi.py
+++ b/light9/rdfdb/grapheditapi.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ from light9.rdfdb.patch import Patch
 
 class GraphEditApi(object):
     """
+    fancier graph edits
+    
     mixin for SyncedGraph, separated here because these methods work together
     """
 
diff --git a/light9/rdfdb/patchreceiver.py b/light9/rdfdb/patchreceiver.py
--- a/light9/rdfdb/patchreceiver.py
+++ b/light9/rdfdb/patchreceiver.py
@@ -10,19 +10,25 @@ class PatchReceiver(object):
     master. See onPatch for what happens when the rdfdb master sends
     us a patch
     """
-    def __init__(self, label, graph, initiallySynced):
+    def __init__(self, graph, label, initiallySynced):
+        """
+        label is what we'll call ourselves to the rdfdb server
+
+        initiallySynced is a deferred that we'll call back when we get
+        the first patch from the server
+        """
         self.graph = graph
         self.initiallySynced = initiallySynced
         
         listen = reactor.listenTCP(0, cyclone.web.Application(handlers=[
-            (r'/update', makePatchEndpoint(self.onPatch)),
+            (r'/update', makePatchEndpoint(self._onPatch)),
         ]))
         port = listen._realPortNumber  # what's the right call for this?
         self.updateResource = 'http://localhost:%s/update' % port
         log.info("listening on %s" % port)
-        self.register(label)
+        self._register(label)
 
-    def onPatch(self, p):
+    def _onPatch(self, p):
         """
         central server has sent us a patch
         """
@@ -39,7 +45,7 @@ class PatchReceiver(object):
             self.initiallySynced.callback(None)
             self.initiallySynced = None
 
-    def register(self, label):
+    def _register(self, label):
 
         def done(x):
             log.debug("registered with rdfdb")
diff --git a/light9/rdfdb/patchsender.py b/light9/rdfdb/patchsender.py
--- a/light9/rdfdb/patchsender.py
+++ b/light9/rdfdb/patchsender.py
@@ -3,25 +3,6 @@ import cyclone.httpclient
 from twisted.internet import defer
 log = logging.getLogger('syncedgraph')
 
-def sendPatch(putUri, patch, **kw):
-    """
-    kwargs will become extra attributes in the toplevel json object
-    """
-    body = patch.makeJsonRepr(kw)
-    log.debug("send body: %r", body)
-    def ok(done):
-        if not str(done.code).startswith('2'):
-            raise ValueError("sendPatch request failed %s: %s" % (done.code, done.body))
-        log.debug("sendPatch finished, response: %s" % done.body)
-        return done
-
-    return cyclone.httpclient.fetch(
-        url=putUri,
-        method='PUT',
-        headers={'Content-Type': ['application/json']},
-        postdata=body,
-        ).addCallback(ok)
-
 class PatchSender(object):
     """
     SyncedGraph may generate patches faster than we can send
@@ -29,6 +10,13 @@ class PatchSender(object):
     they go the server
     """
     def __init__(self, target, myUpdateResource):
+        """
+        target is the URI we'll send patches to
+
+        myUpdateResource is the URI for this sender of patches, which
+        maybe needs to be the actual requestable update URI for
+        sending updates back to us
+        """
         self.target = target
         self.myUpdateResource = myUpdateResource
         self._patchesToSend = []
@@ -93,3 +81,23 @@ class PatchSender(object):
         log.error(e)
         self._continueSending()
 
+def sendPatch(putUri, patch, **kw):
+    """
+    PUT a patch as json to an http server. Returns deferred.
+    
+    kwargs will become extra attributes in the toplevel json object
+    """
+    body = patch.makeJsonRepr(kw)
+    log.debug("send body: %r", body)
+    def ok(done):
+        if not str(done.code).startswith('2'):
+            raise ValueError("sendPatch request failed %s: %s" % (done.code, done.body))
+        log.debug("sendPatch finished, response: %s" % done.body)
+        return done
+
+    return cyclone.httpclient.fetch(
+        url=putUri,
+        method='PUT',
+        headers={'Content-Type': ['application/json']},
+        postdata=body,
+        ).addCallback(ok)
diff --git a/light9/rdfdb/syncedgraph.py b/light9/rdfdb/syncedgraph.py
--- a/light9/rdfdb/syncedgraph.py
+++ b/light9/rdfdb/syncedgraph.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class SyncedGraph(CurrentStateGraphApi, 
         self.initiallySynced = defer.Deferred()
         _graph = self._graph = ConjunctiveGraph()
 
-        self._receiver = PatchReceiver(label, _graph, self.initiallySynced)
+        self._receiver = PatchReceiver(_graph, label, self.initiallySynced)
         
         self._sender = PatchSender('http://localhost:8051/patches',
                                    self._receiver.updateResource)