diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index cf3df57..22cc108 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           repository: mdbase-dev/mdbase-connect
-          ref: 8e960317f0886f8c504023dad873cf8cec82fd99
+          ref: c4fd2f801b12686e1fd1bd25de4a72cf9e14bc5c
           path: .sources/mdbase-connect
 
       - name: Check out Rust implementation
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           repository: callumalpass/mdbase-rs
-          ref: fafea262cffbce1205563a580e4d5850e7e942b2
+          ref: e9297f465f779d0bf6bb3a361abf16eaf80a6944
           path: .sources/mdbase-rs
 
       - name: Check out TypeScript implementation
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index e3a9b5c..3e733be 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           repository: mdbase-dev/mdbase-connect
-          ref: 8e960317f0886f8c504023dad873cf8cec82fd99
+          ref: c4fd2f801b12686e1fd1bd25de4a72cf9e14bc5c
           path: .sources/mdbase-connect
 
       - name: Check out Rust implementation
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           repository: callumalpass/mdbase-rs
-          ref: fafea262cffbce1205563a580e4d5850e7e942b2
+          ref: e9297f465f779d0bf6bb3a361abf16eaf80a6944
           path: .sources/mdbase-rs
 
       - name: Check out TypeScript implementation
diff --git a/public/connect/schemas/connect-protocol.v1.schema.json b/public/connect/schemas/connect-protocol.v1.schema.json
index 42786c8..14f9fdb 100644
--- a/public/connect/schemas/connect-protocol.v1.schema.json
+++ b/public/connect/schemas/connect-protocol.v1.schema.json
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
   "oneOf": [
     { "$ref": "#/$defs/relayOperationRequest" },
     { "$ref": "#/$defs/relayOperationResponse" },
-    { "$ref": "#/$defs/relayPolicySnapshot" }
+    { "$ref": "#/$defs/relayPolicySnapshot" },
+    { "$ref": "#/$defs/authorizationOfferRequest" },
+    { "$ref": "#/$defs/authorizationOfferResponse" },
+    { "$ref": "#/$defs/authorizationActivationRequest" },
+    { "$ref": "#/$defs/authorizationActivationResponse" }
   ],
   "$defs": {
     "uuid": {
@@ -14,7 +18,7 @@
       "pattern": "^[0-9a-fA-F]{8}-[0-9a-fA-F]{4}-[1-8][0-9a-fA-F]{3}-[89abAB][0-9a-fA-F]{3}-[0-9a-fA-F]{12}$"
     },
     "operation": {
-      "enum": ["describe", "changes", "read", "query", "list_views", "execute_view", "read_view_source", "create_view_source", "update_view_source", "delete_view_source", "validate", "create", "update", "delete", "rename", "read_type", "create_type", "update_type", "list_timers", "put_timer", "cancel_timer", "reconcile_timers"]
+      "enum": ["describe", "changes", "read", "query", "list_views", "execute_view", "read_view_source", "create_view_source", "update_view_source", "delete_view_source", "validate", "create", "update", "delete", "rename", "read_type", "create_type", "update_type", "list_timers", "put_timer", "cancel_timer", "reconcile_timers", "sync"]
     },
     "contractRequirement": {
       "type": "object",
@@ -145,6 +149,140 @@
         "encryption": { "$ref": "#/$defs/grantEncryption" }
       }
     },
+    "authorizationCollectionOffer": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["collection_id", "display_name", "spec_version", "contracts"],
+      "properties": {
+        "collection_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "display_name": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 200 },
+        "spec_version": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 30 },
+        "contracts": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "maxItems": 100,
+          "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/contractRequirement" }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "applicationRequirements": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["contracts"],
+      "properties": {
+        "contracts": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "maxItems": 20,
+          "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/contractRequirement" }
+        },
+        "access": { "enum": ["contract", "full_collection"] }
+      }
+    },
+    "typeProvision": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["name", "document", "provides"],
+      "properties": {
+        "name": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 100 },
+        "path": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 500 },
+        "document": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 262144 },
+        "provides": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "maxItems": 20,
+          "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/contractRequirement" }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "applicationProvisions": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["types"],
+      "properties": {
+        "types": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "maxItems": 100,
+          "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/typeProvision" }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "authorizationOfferRequest": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["type", "protocol_version", "request_id", "authorization_id"],
+      "properties": {
+        "type": { "const": "authorization_offer_request" },
+        "protocol_version": { "const": 1 },
+        "request_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "authorization_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" }
+      }
+    },
+    "authorizationOfferResponse": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["type", "protocol_version", "request_id", "paused", "collections"],
+      "properties": {
+        "type": { "const": "authorization_offer_response" },
+        "protocol_version": { "const": 1 },
+        "request_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "paused": { "type": "boolean" },
+        "collections": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "maxItems": 1000,
+          "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/authorizationCollectionOffer" }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "authorizationActivationRequest": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["type", "protocol_version", "request_id", "authorization_id", "collection_id", "requirements", "provisions", "grant"],
+      "properties": {
+        "type": { "const": "authorization_activation_request" },
+        "protocol_version": { "const": 1 },
+        "request_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "authorization_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "collection_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "requirements": { "$ref": "#/$defs/applicationRequirements" },
+        "provisions": { "$ref": "#/$defs/applicationProvisions" },
+        "grant": { "$ref": "#/$defs/grantPolicy" }
+      }
+    },
+    "authorizationActivationResponse": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "required": ["type", "protocol_version", "request_id", "ok", "contracts"],
+      "properties": {
+        "type": { "const": "authorization_activation_response" },
+        "protocol_version": { "const": 1 },
+        "request_id": { "$ref": "#/$defs/uuid" },
+        "ok": { "type": "boolean" },
+        "contracts": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "maxItems": 100,
+          "items": { "$ref": "#/$defs/contractRequirement" }
+        },
+        "error": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "required": ["code", "message"],
+          "properties": {
+            "code": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1 },
+            "message": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1 },
+            "details": true
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "allOf": [
+        {
+          "if": { "properties": { "ok": { "const": true } }, "required": ["ok"] },
+          "then": {
+            "not": { "properties": { "error": true }, "required": ["error"] }
+          },
+          "else": {
+            "required": ["error"]
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    },
     "notificationCriterion": {
       "type": "object",
       "additionalProperties": false,
diff --git a/src/components/DocsLayout.astro b/src/components/DocsLayout.astro
index 78c4687..ff839ef 100644
--- a/src/components/DocsLayout.astro
+++ b/src/components/DocsLayout.astro
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const docGroups = [
       { href: "/sdk/contracts/", label: "Contracts and adapters", key: "contracts" },
       { href: "/sdk/authorization/", label: "Authorization", key: "authorization" },
       { href: "/sdk/operations/", label: "Records and operations", key: "operations" },
-      { href: "/sdk/routing/", label: "Local and hosted routes", key: "routing" },
+      { href: "/sdk/routing/", label: "Authority routes", key: "routing" },
       { href: "/sdk/testing/", label: "Testing", key: "testing" },
       { href: "/sdk/notifications/", label: "Notifications and timers", key: "notifications" },
       { href: "/sdk/offline-sync/", label: "Offline sync", key: "offline-sync" }
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ const docGroups = [
       </details>
       <div class="docs-nav__meta">
         <span>@mdbase/connect</span>
-        <strong>0.1.0-beta.1</strong>
+        <strong>0.1.0-beta.7</strong>
       </div>
     </aside>
     <article class="docs-article">
diff --git a/src/data/conformance.json b/src/data/conformance.json
index 82d4009..bbbb1f6 100644
--- a/src/data/conformance.json
+++ b/src/data/conformance.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "generated_at": "2026-07-26",
+  "generated_at": "2026-07-27",
   "spec_version": "0.3.0",
   "implementations": [
     {
diff --git a/src/pages/connect/index.astro b/src/pages/connect/index.astro
index c8c018e..56b5cd1 100644
--- a/src/pages/connect/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/connect/index.astro
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ const steps = [
     <h2>Local and hosted collections</h2>
     <p>
       Applications use the same SDK and operation envelopes. Routing changes
-      according to where the authoritative collection lives.
+      according to which connector or provider currently holds the collection's
+      authority.
     </p>
     <table class="trust-table">
       <thead>
@@ -116,6 +117,64 @@ const steps = [
     </div>
   </section>
 
+  <section class="content-section" id="one-authority">
+    <h2>Why one movable authority?</h2>
+    <p>
+      Authority is a coordination role, not the only copy of a collection.
+      Writable mirrors can keep ordinary Markdown on several devices, accept
+      changes while offline, and synchronize them later. One authority orders
+      the final accepted changes, enforces collection-wide rules, and gives
+      every mirror the same history to converge on.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Removing that role would not remove coordination. It would require every
+      peer—including filesystem editors that only know how to rewrite a
+      Markdown file—to preserve causal history and agree continuously about
+      concurrent edits, renames, deletes, schema changes, revocation, and
+      garbage collection.
+    </p>
+    <table class="trust-table">
+      <thead>
+        <tr>
+          <th>Concern</th>
+          <th>Equal peers would require</th>
+          <th>One movable authority provides</th>
+        </tr>
+      </thead>
+      <tbody>
+        <tr>
+          <td>Ordinary Markdown tools</td>
+          <td>CRDT or event metadata preserved by every writer</td>
+          <td>Open files remain the editable local format</td>
+        </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>Concurrent changes</td>
+          <td>A deterministic merge for every body and frontmatter value</td>
+          <td>Revision checks, durable mutation receipts, and explicit conflicts</td>
+        </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>Renames, deletes, and configuration</td>
+          <td>Distributed agreement over paths, tombstones, schemas, and constraints</td>
+          <td>One canonical order for collection-wide decisions</td>
+        </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>Offline devices</td>
+          <td>Split-brain reconciliation and peer-membership machinery</td>
+          <td>Queued local work that safely converges when the mirror reconnects</td>
+        </tr>
+      </tbody>
+    </table>
+    <div class="callout">
+      <strong>The role can move without changing the collection.</strong>
+      <p>
+        Authority transfer preserves the collection and record identities,
+        advances an authority epoch, and retires the previous authority. When
+        the previous authority was a local folder, that folder can continue as
+        a mirror. A stale authority cannot accept writes after cutover.
+      </p>
+    </div>
+  </section>
+
   <section class="content-section">
     <h2>The authorization sequence</h2>
     <div class="steps">
@@ -203,7 +262,7 @@ const steps = [
       </div>
       <div>
         <dt>Authority</dt>
-        <dd>The local connector or hosted provider that controls the main copy and makes the final authorization decision.</dd>
+        <dd>The movable coordination role that orders accepted changes, enforces collection rules, and makes the final authorization decision.</dd>
       </div>
       <div>
         <dt>Control plane</dt>
diff --git a/src/pages/sdk/api/index.astro b/src/pages/sdk/api/index.astro
index 54b1910..7c382b1 100644
--- a/src/pages/sdk/api/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/sdk/api/index.astro
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ const error = `try {
     </tbody>
   </table>
 
-  <h2 id="connection">Connection, routing, and hosted sync</h2>
+  <h2 id="connection">Connection, routing, and sync</h2>
   <table class="api-table">
     <thead>
       <tr><th>Method</th><th>Purpose</th></tr>
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ const error = `try {
       <tr><td><code>checkDirectAccess()</code></td><td>Read same-computer availability silently</td></tr>
       <tr><td><code>requestDirectAccess()</code></td><td>Prompt from a user gesture where required</td></tr>
       <tr><td><code>disableDirectAccess()</code></td><td>Persist a relay-only preference for this app</td></tr>
-      <tr><td><code>hostedSync()</code></td><td>Return a refresh-aware sync transport for a hosted grant, or null</td></tr>
+      <tr><td><code>sync()</code></td><td>Return one credential-hiding sync transport for a remote, direct, or relayed authority, or null</td></tr>
       <tr><td><code>pendingMutation()</code></td><td>Inspect an interrupted encrypted mutation</td></tr>
       <tr><td><code>resumePendingMutation()</code></td><td>Recover its exact durable connector receipt</td></tr>
     </tbody>
diff --git a/src/pages/sdk/index.astro b/src/pages/sdk/index.astro
index b95e3e0..53beba7 100644
--- a/src/pages/sdk/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/sdk/index.astro
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export async function listOpenTasks(client: MdbaseCollectionClient<Task>) {
       </tr>
       <tr>
         <td><code>MdbaseConnection</code></td>
-        <td>One collection's operations, renewal, routing, notifications, and hosted sync</td>
+        <td>One collection's operations, renewal, routing, notifications, and provider-neutral sync</td>
         <td>Browser APIs or adapters supplied by a native shell</td>
       </tr>
       <tr>
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export async function listOpenTasks(client: MdbaseCollectionClient<Task>) {
       </tr>
       <tr>
         <td><code>OfflineReplica</code></td>
-        <td>Offline-first applications backed by a hosted collection</td>
+        <td>Offline-first applications backed by any sync-capable authority</td>
         <td><code>@mdbase/connect-sync</code></td>
       </tr>
     </tbody>
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ export async function listOpenTasks(client: MdbaseCollectionClient<Task>) {
     <tbody>
       <tr>
         <td><code>@mdbase/connect</code></td>
-        <td>Authorization, routes, operations, notifications, and hosted sync handoff</td>
+        <td>Authorization, routes, operations, notifications, and authority-neutral sync handoff</td>
       </tr>
       <tr>
         <td><code>@mdbase/connect-dev</code></td>
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ export async function listOpenTasks(client: MdbaseCollectionClient<Task>) {
       </tr>
       <tr>
         <td><code>@mdbase/connect-sync</code></td>
-        <td>Hosted replication state machine, IndexedDB replica, conflicts, and offline mutations</td>
+        <td>Authority-neutral replication state machine, IndexedDB replica, conflicts, and offline mutations</td>
       </tr>
       <tr>
         <td><code>@mdbase/connect-webhooks</code></td>
diff --git a/src/pages/sdk/offline-sync/index.astro b/src/pages/sdk/offline-sync/index.astro
index 0dde310..741c8a2 100644
--- a/src/pages/sdk/offline-sync/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/sdk/offline-sync/index.astro
@@ -8,24 +8,24 @@ const createReplica = `import {
   type ReplicaData
 } from "@mdbase/connect-sync";
 
-const hosted = connection.hostedSync();
-if (!hosted) {
-  throw new Error("Authorize a hosted collection first.");
+const sync = connection.sync();
+if (!sync) {
+  throw new Error("Authorize the sync operation first.");
 }
 
 const initial: ReplicaData<Task> = {
-  replicaId: hosted.replicaId,
+  replicaId: sync.replicaId,
   records: {},
   pending: [],
   conflicts: {}
 };
 
 const store = new IndexedDbReplicaStore<Task>(
-  \`tasks:\${hosted.collectionId}\`,
+  \`tasks:\${sync.collectionId}\`,
   initial
 );
 
-const replica = new OfflineReplica(hosted.transport, store);
+const replica = new OfflineReplica(sync.transport, store);
 await replica.initialize();`;
 
 const mutate = `const optimistic = await replica.queueCreate({
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const promote = `mdbase-mirror promote ./worklog-mirror`;
 
 <DocsLayout
   title="Offline sync"
-  description="Build an offline-first cache for hosted collections with durable mutation IDs, explicit conflicts, and provider-neutral replication."
+  description="Build an offline-first cache for any sync-capable collection authority with durable mutation IDs, explicit conflicts, and provider-neutral replication."
   active="offline-sync"
   headings={[
     { href: "#requirements", label: "Requirements" },
@@ -66,12 +66,13 @@ const promote = `mdbase-mirror promote ./worklog-mirror`;
     { href: "#promote", label: "Move authority to local" }
   ]}
 >
-  <h2 id="requirements">Require a hosted collection</h2>
+  <h2 id="requirements">Require sync access</h2>
   <p>
-    Add <code>"collection_kind": "hosted"</code> to the manifest requirements
-    when the application needs an always-online authority and{" "}
-    <code>hostedSync()</code>. The same application can still maintain an
-    IndexedDB cache and operate while offline.
+    Request the <code>sync</code> operation, then call{" "}
+    <code>connection.sync()</code>. The returned transport is the same whether
+    the collection authority is remote, directly connected, or reached through
+    Connect's relay. Add <code>"collection_kind": "hosted"</code> only when the
+    application specifically requires an always-online hosted authority.
   </p>
   <p>
     Add both packages:
@@ -81,9 +82,8 @@ const promote = `mdbase-mirror promote ./worklog-mirror`;
   <h2 id="replica">Create a persistent replica</h2>
   <CodeBlock code={createReplica} language="ts" label="replica.ts" />
   <p>
-    The SDK keeps the short-lived provider capability private and refreshes it
-    before sync calls. The sync package receives only the provider-neutral
-    transport.
+    The SDK keeps authority credentials and route selection private. The sync
+    package receives only the provider-neutral transport.
   </p>
 
   <h2 id="mutations">Queue optimistic local mutations</h2>
@@ -99,31 +99,32 @@ const promote = `mdbase-mirror promote ./worklog-mirror`;
   <CodeBlock code={conflict} language="ts" label="conflicts.ts" />
   <p>
     Keeping the local version rebases it as a new idempotent mutation against
-    the current hosted revision. Keeping the hosted version discards only that
-    record's queued mutations. Neither choice silently affects other records.
+    the current authority revision. Keeping the authority version discards only
+    that record's queued mutations. Neither choice silently affects other
+    records.
   </p>
 
   <h2 id="mirrors">Filesystem mirrors use the same protocol</h2>
   <p>
-    <code>mdbase-mirror</code> materializes a hosted collection as Markdown,
-    either receive-only or writable. On first connection to an existing
-    directory it compares the complete remote snapshot before writing or
-    uploading. Differing paths stop for explicit review.
+    <code>mdbase-mirror</code> materializes a remotely authoritative collection
+    as Markdown, either receive-only or writable. On first connection to an
+    existing directory it compares the complete remote snapshot before writing
+    or uploading. Differing paths stop for explicit review.
   </p>
 
-  <h2 id="promote">Move hosted authority to a complete local mirror</h2>
-  <CodeBlock code={promote} language="sh" label="Hosted-to-local transfer" />
+  <h2 id="promote">Move remote authority to a complete local mirror</h2>
+  <CodeBlock code={promote} language="sh" label="Remote-to-local transfer" />
   <p>
     Promotion starts from a converged full writable mirror and opens a
-    short-lived approval in Connect. Approval freezes hosted writes at a final
+    short-lived approval in Connect. Approval freezes remote writes at a final
     sequence. The CLI pulls through that sequence, proves the exact record and
     resource manifest, registers the folder with the local connector, and then
     advances the collection authority epoch.
   </p>
   <p>
-    Old hosted grants, provider capabilities, and replicas are revoked at
+    Old remote grants, authority capabilities, and replicas are revoked at
     cutover. Applications authorize the new local authority explicitly.
-    Cancellation or expiry before completion restores hosted writes. The
+    Cancellation or expiry before completion restores remote writes. The
     command is resumable after local materialization.
   </p>
 </DocsLayout>
diff --git a/src/pages/sdk/portable-apps/index.astro b/src/pages/sdk/portable-apps/index.astro
index 755c1a6..a80acca 100644
--- a/src/pages/sdk/portable-apps/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/sdk/portable-apps/index.astro
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const manifest = `{
 }`;
 
 const browserBundle = `<script
-  src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@mdbase/connect@0.1.0-beta.1/dist/browser/mdbase-connect.min.js"
+  src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@mdbase/connect@0.1.0-beta.7/dist/browser/mdbase-connect.min.js"
   integrity="sha384-PD+lazz69NHRGmB9iNPltd6StRK0fJ5hockUI2jyoYwSu3ti0AnRQNrjWMXlHs2D"
   crossorigin="anonymous"></script>`;
 
diff --git a/src/pages/sdk/routing/index.astro b/src/pages/sdk/routing/index.astro
index d86af2a..f9962d3 100644
--- a/src/pages/sdk/routing/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/sdk/routing/index.astro
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ if (status === "permission_required") {
 }
 
 connection.onConnectionChange((info) => {
-  // "direct", "relay", or "hosted"
+  // "direct", "relay", or "remote"
   renderRoute(info?.route);
 });`;
 
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ const options = `const mdbase = new MdbaseConnect({
 ---
 
 <DocsLayout
-  title="Local and hosted routes"
-  description="The SDK selects direct, encrypted relay, or hosted-provider transport behind one operation interface."
+  title="Authority routes"
+  description="The SDK selects direct, encrypted relay, or remote-authority transport behind one operation interface."
   active="routing"
   headings={[
     { href: "#automatic", label: "Automatic routing" },
     { href: "#direct", label: "Direct access" },
     { href: "#relay", label: "Encrypted relay" },
-    { href: "#hosted", label: "Hosted provider" },
+    { href: "#remote", label: "Remote authority" },
     { href: "#portable", label: "Portable files" },
     { href: "#native", label: "Native shells" }
   ]}
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const options = `const mdbase = new MdbaseConnect({
   </p>
   <p>
     Routing state belongs to a collection-bound <code>MdbaseConnection</code>.
-    Different saved collections can be hosted, direct, or relayed at the same
+    Different saved collections can be remote, direct, or relayed at the same
     time.
   </p>
   <CodeBlock code={options} language="ts" label="connect-options.ts" />
@@ -82,26 +82,27 @@ const options = `const mdbase = new MdbaseConnect({
     that intentionally lack end-to-end relay encryption.
   </p>
 
-  <h2 id="hosted">Hosted-provider route</h2>
+  <h2 id="remote">Remote-authority route</h2>
   <p>
-    Authorization for a hosted collection returns a short-lived,
-    grant-bound provider capability. The SDK sends operations directly to the
-    provider, binds browser requests to the approved callback origin, and
-    refreshes that capability as needed.
+    Authorization may return a short-lived, grant-bound remote-authority
+    capability. The SDK sends operations directly to that authority, binds
+    browser requests to the approved callback origin, and refreshes the
+    capability as needed.
   </p>
   <p>
-    Hosted operations go directly from the application to the provider. The
-    provider decrypts records to execute canonical mdbase operations and acts as
-    a trusted data processor.
+    An mdbase hosted provider is one remote-authority deployment. Its operations
+    go directly from the application to the provider. The provider decrypts
+    records to execute canonical mdbase operations and acts as a trusted data
+    processor.
   </p>
 
   <h2 id="portable">Portable files use the same route-neutral connection</h2>
   <p>
-    A downloaded file can use direct, encrypted-relay, or hosted-provider access
-    after its short-code approval. For hosted access, its short-lived capability
-    is bound to the exact grant, collection, scope, operations, expiry, and
-    opaque <code>Origin: null</code>, and remains in process memory. The
-    consuming operation API is identical across all three routes.
+    A downloaded file can use direct, encrypted-relay, or remote-authority
+    access after its short-code approval. For remote access, its short-lived
+    capability is bound to the exact grant, collection, scope, operations,
+    expiry, and opaque <code>Origin: null</code>, and remains in process
+    memory. The consuming operation API is identical across all three routes.
   </p>
 
   <h2 id="native">Native shells</h2>