A number of features in the docs call out that they require "Fleetd, the Fleet agent manager".... Fleetd = orbit, right? Also, how would one use Fleet without Fleetd/orbit?

You can use the stock open source

osqueryd

Orbit is part of fleetd, We're trying to be more consistent about the terminology since there it isn't the only thing included in the package 🙂

Oh, generic osqueryd that points to the Fleet server? Well that seems silly 😉

Using vanilla osquery makes sense in some environments, but those are getting fewer as of late.

I was looking at how to add our own custom tables, seems like the September update allows for that now but we have to set up our own server for the extension. Which makes sense. Coin flip as to whether setting up the server or writing the extension is more difficult 😅

FWIW you can also install extensions separately and configure fleetd to use them. This means you don't get autoupdates, but you also don't need to manage the update system (which is a Premium feature).

Which part is a premium feature?

self-hosted autoupdates

Oh... the disclaimer here makes it sound either/or: https://fleetdm.com/docs/configuration/agent-configuration#configure-fleetd-update-channels

What you linked there is referring to setting which version clients update to from the Fleet server (rather than only when the packages are first built)

Obviously I don't know what I'm talking about 😅

So it requires the Fleet Premium server on a new enough version AND the agent on a new enough version. There's no Premium agent though.

The parent section here https://fleetdm.com/docs/configuration/agent-configuration#extensions makes it sound like to include any additional extension, a TUF server is available, and doesn't mention premium

(Which I see is not quite clear enough)

So I can push the extension myself, and just add the extension section to the config, and be good to go?

Without Fleet Premium you can use whatever method you like to get an extension binary on the system and then configure the agent to use it with the fleet agent options.

I suppose that simplifies things

Passing that feedback along, thank you.