Change starter wording to free (#2864)

s-stumbo · SharpRake · web-flow · commit 96f0cb2fc2da · 2026-01-02T12:39:54.000-05:00
[ ] Check if this is a typo or other quick fix and ignore the rest :) ## Type of change Wording updates ### What should this PR do? This PR resolves some pages that are affected by [Issue 5564](chainguard-dev/internal#5564), but does not fully resolve that issue. --------- Signed-off-by: s-stumbo <sally.stumbo@chainguard.dev> Signed-off-by: s-stumbo <100295939+s-stumbo@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Mark Drake <33191761+SharpRake@users.noreply.github.com>
diff --git a/content/chainguard/chainguard-images/about/images-categories.md b/content/chainguard/chainguard-images/about/images-categories.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Chainguard Containers are a collection of curated, distroless container images d
 
 Within the [Chainguard Containers Directory](https://images.chainguard.dev/), Chainguard Containers are organized into five general categories (with some falling into multiple categories):
 
-* **Starter**
+* **Free**
 * **Base**
 * **Application**
 * **FIPS**
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ Within the [Chainguard Containers Directory](https://images.chainguard.dev/), Ch
 This conceptual article will outline each of these categories in turn, including their uses as well as examples of images from each category. It will also highlight important considerations one should make when using images from these categories.
 
 
-## Starter Containers
+## Free Containers
 
-Chainguard offers a set of container images that are publicly available and don’t require authentication for download and use; they are free to use for everyone. We refer to these as our *Starter Containers*, and they cover several use cases for different language ecosystems. Starter Containers are limited to the latest build of a given image, and are always tagged as `latest` and `latest-dev`.
+Chainguard offers a set of container images that are publicly available and don’t require authentication for download and use; they are free to use for everyone. We refer to these as our *Free Containers*, and they cover several use cases for different language ecosystems. Free Containers are limited to the latest build of a given image, and are always tagged as `latest` and `latest-dev`.
 
-You can access these images directly from Chainguard's registry from the `chainguard` repository. For example, to download the cURL Starter image, you could run a command like the following:
+You can access these images directly from Chainguard's registry from the `chainguard` repository. For example, to download the cURL Free image, you could run a command like the following:
 
 ```shell
 docker pull cgr.dev/chainguard/curl
@@ -44,15 +44,15 @@ To access any other image, you will need to do so through your organization's pr
 docker pull cgr.dev/chainguard.edu/chainguard-base
 ```
 
-Note that you won't have access to the organization's repository used in this example, but if your organization has access to the `chainguard-base` image you will be able to pull this image using your organization's repository name in place of `chainguard.edu`. Chainguard's registry provides public access to all Starter images, and provides customer access for Production images after logging in and authenticating.
+Note that you won't have access to the organization's repository used in this example, but if your organization has access to the `chainguard-base` image you will be able to pull this image using your organization's repository name in place of `chainguard.edu`. Chainguard's registry provides public access to all Free images, and provides customer access for Production images after logging in and authenticating.
 
-For a complete list of Starter images that are currently available, check out the [**Starter** category on Chainguard Containers Directory](https://images.chainguard.dev/?category=starter). Registered users can also access all Starter and available Production images in the [Chainguard Console](https://console.chainguard.dev/overview). After logging in you will be able to find all the currently available Starter Containers in the **Public images** tab. 
+For a complete list of Free images that are currently available, check out the [**Free** category on Chainguard Containers Directory](https://images.chainguard.dev/?category=free). Registered users can also access all Free and available Production images in the [Chainguard Console](https://console.chainguard.dev/overview). After logging in you will be able to find all the currently available Free Containers in the **Public images** tab. 
 
 ### Production Containers
 
-The rest of Chainguard Containers, those that **are not** Starter images and not included in the free tier of images, are referred to as *Production Containers*. Production images are enterprise-ready images that come with patch SLAs and features such as Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) readiness and unique time-stamped tags. Unlike Starter images, which are typically paired with only the latest version of an upstream package, Production images offer specific major and minor versions of open source software.
+The rest of Chainguard Containers, those that **are not** Free images and not included in the free tier of images, are referred to as *Production Containers*. Production images are enterprise-ready images that come with patch SLAs and features such as Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) readiness and unique time-stamped tags. Unlike Free images, which are typically paired with only the latest version of an upstream package, Production images offer specific major and minor versions of open source software.
 
-As with the Starter Container category, any container image considered a Production image will also fall into at least one of the other categories listed in this guide. To view the Production container images that your organization has access to, select the appropriate organization in the drop-down menu above the left-hand navigation and then click the **Organization images** tab.
+As with the Free Container category, any container image considered a Production image will also fall into at least one of the other categories listed in this guide. To view the Production container images that your organization has access to, select the appropriate organization in the drop-down menu above the left-hand navigation and then click the **Organization images** tab.
 
 
 ## Base Containers
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ For more information, please refer to our conceptual article on [FIPS Chainguard
 
 ## Container Image Type Considerations
 
-There is some overlap between the different container image categories outlined in this guide. For example, the [PyTorch](https://images.chainguard.dev/directory/image/pytorch/overview) image is an AI image, but it is also part of our free tier, meaning it's also a Starter image. 
+There is some overlap between the different container image categories outlined in this guide. For example, the [PyTorch](https://images.chainguard.dev/directory/image/pytorch/overview) image is an AI image, but it is also part of our free tier, meaning it's also a Free image. 
 
 Many customers use both Application and Base Containers. Note that it often takes more time to migrate your applications to a Base container image in comparison to an Application image due to the complexity of coordinating multiple teams, testing, and release schedules. We recommend starting with and migrating to Application container images first while your teams get trained and onboarded with Base container images.
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ The process of adding or updating certificates, configuring APK repositories, an
 
 By reading this guide, you should have a better understanding of how Chainguard categorizes its container images and what these categories mean. To recap:
 
-* **Starter**: Chainguard's free tier of container images
+* **Free**: Chainguard's free tier of container images
 * **Base**: Containers meant to be built upon
 * **Application**: Containers meant to be run directly
 * **FIPS**: Contain FIPS-validated cryptographic modules
diff --git a/content/chainguard/chainguard-images/overview.md b/content/chainguard/chainguard-images/overview.md
@@ -54,15 +54,15 @@ To maximize the stability and re-usability of our layers, Chainguard identified,
 
 The primary benefit of this layered approach is that when one package changes it impacts only its particular layer, requiring only that layer to be downloaded again. Because the other layers don't need to be downloaded again, Chainguard's multi-layer container images support greater efficiency and developer velocity.
 
-## Production and Starter Containers
+## Production and Free Containers
 
-Chainguard offers a collection of container images that are publicly available and don't require authentication, being free to use by anyone. We refer to these images as **Starter containers**, and they cover several use cases for different language ecosystems. Starter images are limited to the latest build of a given image, tagged as `latest` and `latest-dev`.
+Chainguard offers a collection of container images that are publicly available and don't require authentication, being free to use by anyone. We refer to these images as **Free images**, and they cover several use cases for different language ecosystems. Free images are limited to the latest build of a given image, tagged as `latest` and `latest-dev`.
 
-Production containers are enterprise-ready images that come with patch SLAs and features such as [Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) readiness](/chainguard/chainguard-images/images-features/fips-images/) and [unique time stamped tags](/chainguard/chainguard-images/images-features/unique-tags/). Unlike Starter containers, which are typically paired with only the latest version of an upstream package, Production containers offer specific major and minor versions of open source software. Chainguard offers two pricing options for Production containers: Per-Image Pricing and [Catalog Pricing](/chainguard/chainguard-images/about/pricing/).
+Production containers are enterprise-ready images that come with patch SLAs and features such as [Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) readiness](/chainguard/chainguard-images/images-features/fips-images/) and [unique time stamped tags](/chainguard/chainguard-images/images-features/unique-tags/). Unlike Free containers, which are typically paired with only the latest version of an upstream package, Production containers offer specific major and minor versions of open source software. Chainguard offers two pricing options for Production containers: Per-Image Pricing and [Catalog Pricing](/chainguard/chainguard-images/about/pricing/).
 
 You can access our container images directly from [Chainguard's registry](/chainguard/chainguard-registry/overview/). Chainguard's registry provides public access to all public Chainguard Containers, and provides customer access for Production Containers after logging in and authenticating.
 
-For a complete list of Starter containers that are currently available, check our [Containers Directory](https://images.chainguard.dev/?category=developer). Registered users can also access all Starter and Production containers in the [Chainguard Console](https://console.chainguard.dev/?utm=docs). After logging in you will be able to find all the current Starter containers in the **Public containers** tab. If you've selected an appropriate Organization in the drop-down menu above the left hand navigation, you can find your organization's Production containers in the **Organization images** tab.
+For a complete list of Free Containers that are currently available, check our [Containers Directory](https://images.chainguard.dev/?category=developer). Registered users can also access all Free and Production container images in the [Chainguard Console](https://console.chainguard.dev/?utm=docs). After logging in you will be able to find all the current Free containers in the **Chainguard catalog** tab. If you've selected an appropriate Organization in the drop-down menu above the left hand navigation, you can find your organization's Production containers in the **Organization** tab.
 
 
 ## Comparing Container Images
diff --git a/content/chainguard/chainguard-os/faq.md b/content/chainguard/chainguard-os/faq.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ This FAQ addresses common questions about [Chainguard OS](/chainguard/chainguard
 Chainguard OS is a minimal, hardened Linux-based operating system designed for secure, containerized software delivery. Built in-house by Chainguard, it serves as the foundation for Chainguard’s container products and emphasizes continuous integration, immutable artifacts, and alignment with upstream software.
 
 ## What is the relationship between Chainguard OS and Wolfi?
-Wolfi refers to the OS of Chainguard’s [free starter container images](/chainguard/chainguard-images/about/images-categories/#starter-containers).
+Wolfi refers to the OS of Chainguard’s [free tier container images](/chainguard/chainguard-images/about/images-categories/#starter-containers).
 
 Chainguard OS refers to the production-grade distribution that powers all other Chainguard products.
 
diff --git a/content/software-security/trademark.md b/content/software-security/trademark.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ The Trademark Policy details:
 * Scenarios where trademark use is not permitted,
 * When Chainguard’s permission may be required to use a given trademark. 
 
-Under Chainguard’s Trademark Policy, when using the free-tier Chainguard Starter Containers and Wolfi components, artifacts that are created by you must clearly delineate which software is installed by you (instead of Chainguard) in such a way that is clear to vulnerability scanners and end users that you are the author of said changes to the software and not Chainguard. Further, if you attempt to rebuild Chainguard packages or Containers from source, you must remove all references to Chainguard or Wolfi in adherence to the Trademark Policy. 
+Under Chainguard’s Trademark Policy, when using Chainguard's free-tier container images and Wolfi components, artifacts that are created by you must clearly delineate which software is installed by you (instead of Chainguard) in such a way that is clear to vulnerability scanners and end users that you are the author of said changes to the software and not Chainguard. Further, if you attempt to rebuild Chainguard packages or Containers from source, you must remove all references to Chainguard or Wolfi in adherence to the Trademark Policy. 
 
 ## How not to use Chainguard Trademarks 
 
