docs: update README

Author: evansims

README.md

@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > Under active development. Not production-ready.
 
-Most documentation lives within component repositories:
+Component documentation:
 
-- **[engine/](https://github.com/inferadb/engine/tree/main/docs)** — Engine docs (API, IPL, architecture)
-- **[control/](https://github.com/inferadb/control/tree/main/docs)** — Control docs (authentication, entities)
-
-Deployment documentation lives in the [deploy repository](https://github.com/inferadb/deploy/tree/main/docs).
+- **[engine/](https://github.com/inferadb/engine/tree/main/docs)** — API, IPL, architecture
+- **[control/](https://github.com/inferadb/control/tree/main/docs)** — Authentication, entities
+- **[deploy/](https://github.com/inferadb/deploy/tree/main/docs)** — Deployment guides
 
 ## Whitepapers
 
@@ -38,13 +37,8 @@ Deployment documentation lives in the [deploy repository](https://github.com/inf
 
 ## Community
 
-Join us on [Discord](https://discord.gg/inferadb) to discuss InferaDB, get help with your projects, and connect with other developers. Whether you have questions, want to share what you're building, or are interested in contributing, we'd love to have you!
+Join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/inferadb) to discuss InferaDB, get help, or contribute.
 
 ## License
 
-Licensed under either of:
-
-- [Apache License, Version 2.0](LICENSE-APACHE)
-- [MIT License](LICENSE-MIT)
-
-at your option.
+Dual-licensed under [MIT](LICENSE-MIT) or [Apache 2.0](LICENSE-APACHE).

whitepapers/InferaDB.md

@@ -4,21 +4,18 @@
 
 Modern applications demand fine-grained, contextual authorization systems capable
 of enforcing access control across distributed, multi-tenant, and multi-region
-environments. Traditional role-based (RBAC) and attribute-based (ABAC) systems
-fail to scale with the complexity of today's ecosystems, where relationships,
-hierarchies, and dynamic policies define access semantics.
+environments. Traditional RBAC and ABAC systems fail to scale when relationships,
+hierarchies, and dynamic policies define access.
 
-**InferaDB** is an inference-driven authorization database that unifies
+**InferaDB** is an inference-driven authorization database unifying
 relationship-based access control (ReBAC), logical policy reasoning, and
-standardized interoperability through the **AuthZEN** specification. It draws
-inspiration from **Google Zanzibar** [1], incorporates the execution and
-co-location principles of **SpacetimeDB** [2], and introduces a modular,
-reasoning-first approach to access control through deterministic policy
-inference and sandboxed logic execution.
+**AuthZEN** interoperability. It draws from **Google Zanzibar** [1] and
+**SpacetimeDB's** co-location model [2], adding deterministic policy inference
+and sandboxed logic execution.
 
-Built entirely in **Rust** for low-latency and strong consistency, with a
-**TypeScript** dashboard for developer accessibility, InferaDB delivers
-authorization that is **explainable, auditable, and composable** — by design.
+Built in **Rust** for low latency and strong consistency, with a **TypeScript**
+dashboard, InferaDB delivers **explainable, auditable, composable**
+authorization — by design.
 
 ## Executive Summary
 
@@ -41,10 +38,10 @@ InferaDB addresses three critical challenges in modern authorization:
 
 ## Motivation
 
-Authorization is one of the most critical yet under-engineered components of
-modern distributed systems. Developers often hardcode access rules, deploy
-unverified policy code, or rely on brittle role-based systems that collapse
-under the complexity of real-world resource graphs. Common challenges include:
+Authorization is critical yet under-engineered in distributed systems.
+Developers hardcode access rules, deploy unverified policies, or rely on
+brittle role-based systems that break under real-world resource graphs. Common
+challenges include:
 
 - Inconsistent authorization logic across services.
 - Poor visibility and auditability of decisions.
@@ -57,7 +54,7 @@ relationships and logical inferences, not just static roles or attributes.
 
 ## Design Philosophy
 
-The design of InferaDB is guided by five core principles:
+Five principles guide InferaDB's design:
 
 | Principle                        | Description                                                                                                                                                     |
 | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
@@ -138,8 +135,8 @@ graph TD
 ```
 
 Each **PDP cell** operates autonomously with local data and computation,
-reducing cross-region latency while preserving strong consistency through
-causally ordered replication.
+reducing cross-region latency while preserving consistency through causal
+replication.
 
 ## Infera Policy Language (IPL)
 
@@ -178,9 +175,9 @@ permission view = viewer or (is_public == true and time_now < resource.expiry)
 
 ## WASM Policy Modules
 
-While declarative policies cover most authorization logic, real-world access
-control often depends on **contextual or domain-specific logic** — such as IP
-ranges, subscription tiers, workflow states, or compliance rules.
+Declarative policies cover most authorization logic, but real-world access
+control often requires **domain-specific checks** — IP ranges, subscription
+tiers, workflow states, or compliance rules.
 
 InferaDB supports **WASM Policy Modules**: sandboxed, tenant-scoped logic
 extensions that execute in-process within each PDP cell. Each module is:
@@ -225,10 +222,10 @@ consistency and security guarantees.
 
 ## Consistency Model
 
-Authorization systems face a fundamental tension: **strong consistency** ensures
-correct access decisions, but **global coordination** introduces latency.
-InferaDB resolves this through a carefully designed consistency model that
-prioritizes correctness while enabling low-latency reads.
+Authorization systems face a tension: **strong consistency** ensures correct
+decisions, but **global coordination** adds latency. InferaDB resolves this
+with a consistency model prioritizing correctness while enabling low-latency
+reads.
 
 ### The New Enemy Problem
 
@@ -268,9 +265,8 @@ This design enables **read-your-writes consistency** without global coordination
 
 ## Scalability and Performance
 
-InferaDB achieves high throughput and low latency through architectural
-decisions that co-locate computation with data and minimize cross-region
-coordination.
+InferaDB achieves high throughput and low latency by co-locating computation
+with data and minimizing cross-region coordination.
 
 ### Performance Characteristics
 
@@ -306,9 +302,8 @@ hashing. Large tenants can be further sharded by namespace or resource type.
 
 ## Security Model
 
-InferaDB is designed with a **zero-trust architecture** where every component
-assumes compromise of adjacent systems. Security is not an add-on—it's
-foundational to the design.
+InferaDB uses a **zero-trust architecture**: every component assumes adjacent
+systems are compromised. Security is foundational, not an add-on.
 
 ### Threat Model
 
@@ -424,9 +419,8 @@ inferadb/
 
 ## Comparison with Alternatives
 
-The authorization landscape includes several mature solutions. InferaDB
-differentiates through its combination of inference-based reasoning, standards
-compliance, and extensibility.
+Several mature authorization solutions exist. InferaDB differentiates with
+inference-based reasoning, standards compliance, and extensibility.
 
 | Capability          | InferaDB                 | SpiceDB                          | OpenFGA           | Oso                  | Cerbos          |
 | ------------------- | ------------------------ | -------------------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------- | --------------- |
@@ -446,12 +440,11 @@ compliance, and extensibility.
 
 ## Conclusion
 
-InferaDB represents a next-generation approach to authorization — where policies
-are logic, decisions are proofs, and relationships form the foundation of
-access reasoning. By combining the consistency of Zanzibar, the interoperability
-of AuthZEN, and the composability of WASM-based modules, InferaDB establishes a
-new standard for trust, transparency, and developer experience in distributed
-access control.
+InferaDB represents next-generation authorization — policies as logic, decisions
+as proofs, relationships as the foundation of access reasoning. Combining
+Zanzibar's consistency, AuthZEN interoperability, and WASM composability,
+InferaDB sets a new standard for trust, transparency, and developer experience
+in distributed access control.
 
 > **Authorize by Reason, at Scale.**