diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/install-failure.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/install-failure.yml
index 811a585..8b87205 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/install-failure.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/install-failure.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ body:
         Simulator Broker is **Alpha**, **macOS-only**, and needs **Xcode** to
         create or run iOS Simulators. Install the CLI with
         `brew install fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simbroker` or
-        `npm install -g` of the `simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.3.tgz` from GitHub
+        `npm install -g` of the `simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.4.tgz` from GitHub
         Releases. Install the operator app with
         `brew install --cask fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simulator-broker`.
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ body:
       label: What install path did you use?
       options:
         - Homebrew (`brew install fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simbroker`)
-        - npm (`npm install -g` of `simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.3.tgz` from GitHub Releases)
+        - npm (`npm install -g` of `simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.4.tgz` from GitHub Releases)
         - Homebrew cask (`brew install --cask fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simulator-broker`)
         - CLI-only (`bash scripts/install_local.sh --cli-only`)
         - Contributor app + CLI (`npm run install:local`)
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index dab6d49..0603715 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# Publish the Alpha CLI tarball and the packable npm CLI when a version
-# tag is pushed. After merge, create the matching tag (example:
-# v0.1.0-alpha.1). This workflow does not build or attach the macOS app.
+# Publish the Alpha CLI tarball, its SHA-256 checksum, and the packable npm
+# CLI when a version tag is pushed. The operator attaches the signed,
+# notarized macOS app zip, completing the four-custom-asset Release contract.
 name: Release CLI
 
 on:
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ jobs:
           fi
           gh release create "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}" \
             --title "Simulator Broker ${GITHUB_REF_NAME}" \
-            --notes "Alpha CLI and npm package. Install the CLI with \`brew install fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simbroker\` or \`npm install -g\` the attached \`simbroker-${version}.tgz\`. Install the operator app with \`brew install --cask fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simulator-broker\`. Node.js 20 or newer is required. macOS and Xcode are still required to create and run iOS Simulators. This workflow attaches the CLI tarball and npm package; the signed, notarized operator app zip is attached to the same GitHub Release by the operator. See CHANGELOG.md." \
+            --notes "Alpha release artifacts. Install the CLI with \`brew install fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simbroker\` or \`npm install -g\` the attached \`simbroker-${version}.tgz\`. Install the operator app with \`brew install --cask fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simulator-broker\`. Node.js 20 or newer is required. macOS and Xcode are still required to create and run iOS Simulators. This workflow attaches three custom assets: the CLI tarball, its SHA-256 checksum, and the npm package. The operator attaches the signed, notarized app zip to complete exactly four custom assets; GitHub source archives are generated separately. See CHANGELOG.md." \
             "${prerelease_args[@]}" \
             "$asset" \
             "$checksum" \
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index dfca6b5..8156901 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [0.1.0-alpha.4] - 2026-08-31
+
+This release hardens the public install, upgrade, and dashboard paths used for
+the first broader Simulator Broker announcement. It also makes the complete
+GitHub Release inventory explicit: CLI archive, CLI checksum, npm tarball, and
+notarized app zip.
+
 ### Added
 
 - `scripts/package_cask_zip.sh` (`npm run package:cask-zip`) writes the
@@ -18,6 +25,36 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   `codesign --verify --deep --strict` and an unstapled app with
   `xcrun stapler validate`. It does not build, sign, notarize, tag, or
   publish.
+- Correlated installed-app smoke evidence now proves that the launched
+  `/Applications` app decoded the freshly prepared broker snapshot and
+  completed a manual refresh under one exact process, executable, state root,
+  and snapshot generation.
+
+### Changed
+
+- Public onboarding now keeps Homebrew CLI, Homebrew cask, guided setup,
+  reinstall, and direct tagged-asset commands aligned and CI-gated. Bash PATH
+  persistence follows the login files Bash actually reads, while reinstall
+  keeps host configuration and broker state unless reset is explicit.
+- GitHub workflows use maintained Node 24 action runtimes with explicit cache
+  behavior, and the agent/reliability contract now examines interacting
+  conditions, degraded operation, recovery, and residual risk without adding
+  unnecessary operational coupling.
+- The app's timestamp wording and Automatic shutdown guidance now distinguish
+  snapshot age from refresh time and explain intentional warm Simulator reuse.
+- Completion fixtures and durable task evidence remain public-safe even when a
+  checkout lives beneath a private machine path.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- `simbroker setup --help` follows the normal help path instead of entering
+  setup dispatch, and installed daemon health is checked against the current
+  runtime across upgrades before commands are exposed.
+- The Simulators pane remains usable at the minimum supported window size.
+- Dashboard refresh failures now fail closed: stale service authority cannot
+  enable mutations, queued or cancelled setup/refresh work cannot publish
+  after lifecycle loss, and verified recovery restores authority only after a
+  current exact-status success.
 
 ## [0.1.0-alpha.3] - 2026-08-29
 
diff --git a/Casks/simulator-broker.rb b/Casks/simulator-broker.rb
index 45cfcaa..70a4709 100644
--- a/Casks/simulator-broker.rb
+++ b/Casks/simulator-broker.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cask "simulator-broker" do
-  version "0.1.0-alpha.3"
-  sha256 "42d5d441a40d551201afa23df303738475b559d9b7d1c98f0403aa1ff1822c8b"
+  version "0.1.0-alpha.4"
+  sha256 "d44c4ba8318338c5e009ed2e71aa6fea03e6167698a4a60df7ce5b865f5e3963"
 
   url "https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v#{version}/Simulator-Broker-#{version}.zip"
   name "Simulator Broker"
diff --git a/Formula/simbroker.rb b/Formula/simbroker.rb
index b13831e..d721813 100644
--- a/Formula/simbroker.rb
+++ b/Formula/simbroker.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 class Simbroker < Formula
   desc "Local iOS Simulator control plane CLI"
   homepage "https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker"
-  url "https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.3/simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.3-cli.tar.gz"
-  sha256 "2607b6756b2785d433c00f14ccbf9d56a24d8a607668994cc2bdd611c85c2e86"
+  url "https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.4/simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli.tar.gz"
+  sha256 "1e04e4e9f7c0b372722b80e057b63dda87e12d7d5cbf7043d084826f0ea57503"
   license "MIT"
 
   depends_on macos: :sonoma
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0fc4e82..1288c0a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ simbroker idle enable --grace-seconds <60-86400> --actor-type human --actor-id <
 Other CLI install options:
 
 ```bash
-npm install -g https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.3/simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.3.tgz
+npm install -g https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.4/simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.4.tgz
 simbroker --help
 ```
 
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ are also attached to those releases. The archive contains a versioned top-level
 directory:
 
 ```bash
-tar -xzf simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.3-cli.tar.gz
-./simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.3-cli/bin/simbroker --help
+tar -xzf simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli.tar.gz
+./simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli/bin/simbroker --help
 ```
 
 `simbroker` help and `simbroker doctor` print human-readable text by default.
diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
index 0f4fc0c..19c43f6 100644
--- a/SECURITY.md
+++ b/SECURITY.md
@@ -3,11 +3,16 @@
 ## Supported Versions
 
 Security fixes are considered for the current `main` branch and for the latest
-tagged Alpha (`0.1.0-alpha.3`). Older Alpha tags are not supported. The
-published CLI artifacts are the GitHub Release tarball, the Homebrew
-formula that installs that tarball, and the packable `simbroker` npm
-package, and the signed, notarized operator app zip
-`Simulator-Broker-0.1.0-alpha.3.zip`.
+tagged Alpha (`0.1.0-alpha.4`). Older Alpha tags are not supported. The
+published Alpha has exactly four custom GitHub Release assets:
+
+1. `simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli.tar.gz`
+2. `simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli.tar.gz.sha256`
+3. `simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.4.tgz`
+4. `Simulator-Broker-0.1.0-alpha.4.zip`
+
+The Homebrew formula and cask install the matching CLI and signed, notarized
+app archives. GitHub's generated source archives appear separately.
 
 ## Reporting A Vulnerability
 
diff --git a/docs/getting-started.md b/docs/getting-started.md
index 1adcb81..7c44ecf 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ does not require XcodeGen. The app still needs the CLI installed separately.
 ## Install the CLI with npm
 
 ```bash
-npm install -g https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.3/simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.3.tgz
+npm install -g https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.4/simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.4.tgz
 command -v simbroker
 simbroker --help
 ```
@@ -76,13 +76,23 @@ To install from a tagged Alpha without cloning, download
 then run:
 
 ```bash
-tar -xzf simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.3-cli.tar.gz
-./simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.3-cli/bin/simbroker --help
+tar -xzf simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli.tar.gz
+./simulator-broker-0.1.0-alpha.4-cli/bin/simbroker --help
 ```
 
 The archive is the Node CLI only and contains that versioned top-level
 directory.
 
+A complete tagged Alpha has exactly four custom GitHub Release assets:
+
+1. `simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz`
+2. `simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz.sha256`
+3. `simbroker-<version>.tgz`
+4. `Simulator-Broker-<version>.zip`
+
+GitHub's generated source archives appear separately and are not part of that
+four-asset install contract.
+
 - If Homebrew is present and `$(brew --prefix)/bin` is writable, the wrapper
   is installed there so a new login shell already has it on `PATH`.
 - Otherwise the wrapper is installed to `~/.local/bin` and the installer
diff --git a/docs/status.md b/docs/status.md
index 8bb1c90..5bef1cb 100644
--- a/docs/status.md
+++ b/docs/status.md
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ This Alpha already includes:
   `simulators repair --alias <alias>`
 - CLI-only install through `bash scripts/install_local.sh --cli-only`, plus
   the contributor app+CLI path `npm run install:local`
-- tagged Alpha CLI tarball through `npm run package:cli` and GitHub Releases
+- tagged Alpha GitHub Releases with exactly four custom assets: the CLI
+  tarball, its `.sha256` checksum, the packable npm tarball, and the signed,
+  notarized app zip. GitHub's generated source archives appear separately
 - public Node test CI: GitHub-hosted Ubuntu for broker-core and
   harness-adoption plus the public docs contract, GitHub-hosted macOS for
   client tests. Tagged releases run the public docs contract before packaging.
diff --git a/docs/test/front-door.test.mjs b/docs/test/front-door.test.mjs
index df3c4a8..d1fe75f 100644
--- a/docs/test/front-door.test.mjs
+++ b/docs/test/front-door.test.mjs
@@ -15,6 +15,58 @@ function readRepoFile(relativePath) {
 const packageJson = JSON.parse(readRepoFile("package.json"));
 const version = packageJson.version;
 const cliArchiveDirectory = `simulator-broker-${version}-cli`;
+const customReleaseAssetTemplates = [
+  "simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz",
+  "simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz.sha256",
+  "simbroker-<version>.tgz",
+  "Simulator-Broker-<version>.zip",
+];
+
+function assertExactCustomReleaseAssetInventory(markdown) {
+  const marker = "A complete tagged Alpha has exactly four custom GitHub Release assets:";
+  const markerIndex = markdown.indexOf(marker);
+  assert.notEqual(markerIndex, -1, "release asset inventory marker must be present");
+
+  const lines = markdown.slice(markerIndex + marker.length).trimStart().split(/\r?\n/);
+  const assets = [];
+  for (const line of lines) {
+    const match = line.match(/^\d+\. `([^`]+)`$/);
+    if (match) {
+      assets.push(match[1]);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (assets.length > 0) {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  assert.deepEqual(assets, customReleaseAssetTemplates);
+}
+
+function assertExactWorkflowAssetArguments(workflow) {
+  const lines = workflow.split(/\r?\n/);
+  const createIndex = lines.findIndex((line) => line.includes('gh release create "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}"'));
+  assert.notEqual(createIndex, -1, "gh release create command must be present");
+
+  const commandLines = [];
+  for (let index = createIndex; index < lines.length; index += 1) {
+    const line = lines[index].trim();
+    commandLines.push(line);
+    if (!line.endsWith("\\")) {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  const normalizedLines = commandLines.map((line) => line.replace(/\s+\\$/, ""));
+  assert.equal(normalizedLines.length, 7, "release command must keep its exact flag and asset shape");
+  assert.equal(normalizedLines[0], 'gh release create "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}"');
+  assert.equal(normalizedLines[1], '--title "Simulator Broker ${GITHUB_REF_NAME}"');
+  assert.match(normalizedLines[2], /^--notes ".*"$/);
+  assert.equal(normalizedLines[3], '"${prerelease_args[@]}"');
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    normalizedLines.slice(4),
+    ['"$asset"', '"$checksum"', '"$npm_asset"'],
+    "the tag workflow must attach exactly the three operator-replaceable CLI/npm assets",
+  );
+}
 
 function firstScreen(markdown) {
   const lines = markdown.split(/\r?\n/);
@@ -434,9 +486,14 @@ test("release workflow packages the CLI tarball on version tags", () => {
   assertWorkflowJobRunsExactCommand(release, "release", "npm run test:docs");
   assert.ok(release.includes("npm run package:cli"));
   assert.ok(release.includes("npm run package:npm"));
+  assert.ok(release.includes('asset="artifacts/cli/simulator-broker-${version}-cli.tar.gz"'));
+  assert.ok(release.includes('checksum="${asset}.sha256"'));
   assert.ok(release.includes("artifacts/npm/simbroker-${version}.tgz"));
   assert.ok(release.includes("gh release create"));
   assert.ok(release.includes("--prerelease"));
+  assertExactWorkflowAssetArguments(release);
+  assert.match(release, /CLI tarball, its SHA-256 checksum, and the npm package/);
+  assert.match(release, /complete exactly four custom assets/);
   assert.equal(release.includes("test:app"), false);
   assert.equal(
     release.replace(/\s+/g, " ").includes("This release is not a Homebrew formula, notarized app, or npm package."),
@@ -449,6 +506,53 @@ test("release workflow packages the CLI tarball on version tags", () => {
     "tag release notes must not claim the notarized app zip is absent",
   );
   assert.ok(release.includes("brew install --cask fiveonecode/simulator-broker/simulator-broker"));
+
+  const withUnexpectedAsset = release.replace(
+    '            "$npm_asset"',
+    '            "$npm_asset" \\\n            "unexpected.zip"',
+  );
+  assert.notEqual(withUnexpectedAsset, release, "negative fixture must add a fourth attachment");
+  assert.throws(
+    () => assertExactWorkflowAssetArguments(withUnexpectedAsset),
+    "a fourth workflow attachment must fail the exact asset assertion",
+  );
+  const withInterspersedAsset = release.replace(
+    '            "${prerelease_args[@]}"',
+    '            "unexpected.zip" \\\n            "${prerelease_args[@]}"',
+  );
+  assert.notEqual(withInterspersedAsset, release, "negative fixture must intersperse an attachment");
+  assert.throws(
+    () => assertExactWorkflowAssetArguments(withInterspersedAsset),
+    "a positional attachment interspersed with flags must fail the exact asset assertion",
+  );
+});
+
+test("public release contract inventories exactly four custom assets", () => {
+  const spec = readRepoFile("spec/build-and-test.md");
+  const gettingStarted = readRepoFile("docs/getting-started.md");
+  const status = readRepoFile("docs/status.md");
+  const security = readRepoFile("SECURITY.md");
+
+  assertExactCustomReleaseAssetInventory(spec);
+  assertExactCustomReleaseAssetInventory(gettingStarted);
+  assert.match(status, /exactly four custom assets/);
+  for (const template of customReleaseAssetTemplates) {
+    assert.ok(
+      security.includes(template.replace("<version>", version)),
+      `SECURITY must name ${template}`,
+    );
+  }
+  assert.match(spec, /GitHub's generated source archives[\s\S]*not part of this custom-asset count/);
+
+  const withoutChecksum = spec.replace(
+    "2. `simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz.sha256`\n",
+    "",
+  );
+  assert.notEqual(withoutChecksum, spec, "negative fixture must remove the checksum asset");
+  assert.throws(
+    () => assertExactCustomReleaseAssetInventory(withoutChecksum),
+    "omitting the CLI checksum must fail the release-contract assertion",
+  );
 });
 
 test("on-demand OCR review uses the maintained hosted action runtime contract", () => {
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 31c34b5..f96907a 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "simulator-broker-app",
-  "version": "0.1.0-alpha.3",
+  "version": "0.1.0-alpha.4",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "simulator-broker-app",
-      "version": "0.1.0-alpha.3",
+      "version": "0.1.0-alpha.4",
       "license": "MIT",
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=20"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 62cdcd5..277044c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "test:package-smoke": "bash ./scripts/package_smoke.sh",
     "verify:public-surface": "node client/public-surface.mjs"
   },
-  "version": "0.1.0-alpha.3",
+  "version": "0.1.0-alpha.4",
   "description": "Local simulator broker and macOS operator app for coordinated iOS Simulator workflows",
   "license": "MIT",
   "repository": {
diff --git a/packages/simbroker/README.md b/packages/simbroker/README.md
index 6710e38..cf80699 100644
--- a/packages/simbroker/README.md
+++ b/packages/simbroker/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Alpha CLI for Simulator Broker. Node.js 20 or newer is required. Creating and
 running iOS Simulators still requires macOS and Xcode.
 
 ```bash
-npm install -g https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.3/simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.3.tgz
+npm install -g https://github.com/fiveonecode/simulator-broker/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.4/simbroker-0.1.0-alpha.4.tgz
 simbroker --help
 ```
 
diff --git a/packages/simbroker/package.json b/packages/simbroker/package.json
index a4f2c05..3424330 100644
--- a/packages/simbroker/package.json
+++ b/packages/simbroker/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "simbroker",
-  "version": "0.1.0-alpha.3",
+  "version": "0.1.0-alpha.4",
   "private": false,
   "description": "CLI for the local iOS Simulator control plane",
   "license": "MIT",
diff --git a/spec/README.md b/spec/README.md
index 0bba125..1144605 100644
--- a/spec/README.md
+++ b/spec/README.md
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ This repo exists to develop a reusable local simulator broker:
 - local install, local-debug portable packaging, Release distribution packaging, and onboarding flows now exist through `install_local.sh`, `install_local.sh --cli-only`, `package_local.sh`, `package_distribution.sh`, `test:install-smoke`, `test:package-smoke`, `host init --bootstrap-config`, and `project init`
 - the published onboarding docs now distinguish CLI-only install, repo-local contributor app+CLI install, local-debug portable bundling, and signed distribution packaging; a new login shell should resolve `simbroker` after install without sourcing `env.sh`
 - `CONTRIBUTING.md` publishes a public-patch track (Node.js 20 and the Node test suites, no harness session) and a labeled maintainer/agent harness track; `agent:complete` enforcement is unchanged
-- tagged Alpha `0.1.0-alpha.3` publishes a CLI tarball from `scripts/package_cli.sh`, the packable npm CLI, and a notarized operator app zip that include guided `simbroker setup`, and runs broker-core plus harness-adoption on GitHub-hosted Ubuntu and client tests on GitHub-hosted macOS; the macOS app suite and home-path public-surface scan are not on those jobs. Reproduce the cask zip with `scripts/package_cask_zip.sh` after Developer ID signing and notarization.
+- tagged Alpha `0.1.0-alpha.4` publishes exactly four custom GitHub Release assets: a CLI tarball from `scripts/package_cli.sh`, its SHA-256 checksum, the packable npm CLI, and a notarized operator app zip. The tag workflow runs the public docs, public-surface, broker-core, client, and harness-adoption checks on GitHub-hosted Ubuntu before attaching the first three assets; the operator attaches the app zip after Developer ID signing and notarization. GitHub's generated source archives are not custom assets. Public pull-request CI remains split between Ubuntu and macOS, while the macOS app suite and home-path public-surface scan stay local.
 - public pull-request CI and the tagged-release workflow run `npm run test:docs`
   so archive paths, install guidance, and workflow gates cannot drift without a
   failing check
diff --git a/spec/build-and-test.md b/spec/build-and-test.md
index 790102f..f68b5df 100644
--- a/spec/build-and-test.md
+++ b/spec/build-and-test.md
@@ -126,12 +126,14 @@ A first extracted implementation slice now exists:
   fixtures inject `processController.currentPid` so hardcoded fixture
   PIDs cannot match the GitHub Actions test-runner pid. Containment still
   skips the live `process.pid` when `currentPid` is omitted.
-- tagged versions such as `v0.1.0-alpha.3` attach the CLI tarball, the
-  packable `simbroker-<version>.tgz`, and the notarized
-  `Simulator-Broker-<version>.zip` to a GitHub Release. The Homebrew
-  formula and cask pin the operator-packed checksums of those tagged
-  assets. `.github/workflows/release.yml` may rebuild the CLI and npm
-  tarballs on the tag. Its Ubuntu `test:client` run must finish within the
+- tagged versions such as `v0.1.0-alpha.4` attach exactly four custom assets
+  to a GitHub Release: the CLI tarball, its `.sha256` checksum, the packable
+  `simbroker-<version>.tgz`, and the notarized
+  `Simulator-Broker-<version>.zip`. GitHub-generated source archives are not
+  custom assets. The Homebrew formula and cask pin the operator-packed
+  checksums of the CLI tarball and app zip. `.github/workflows/release.yml`
+  may rebuild the CLI, checksum, and npm tarball on the tag. Its Ubuntu
+  `test:client` run must finish within the
   30-minute job budget; issue `#9`'s nested full-repo scan was removed, so a
   timeout is a regression rather than an expected release condition. After
   the workflow succeeds, attach or `--clobber` operator-packed assets as in
@@ -147,6 +149,19 @@ A first extracted implementation slice now exists:
 
 The current deterministic verification contract includes implementation tests plus spec integrity.
 
+### Release asset contract
+
+A complete tagged Alpha has exactly four custom GitHub Release assets:
+
+1. `simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz`
+2. `simulator-broker-<version>-cli.tar.gz.sha256`
+3. `simbroker-<version>.tgz`
+4. `Simulator-Broker-<version>.zip`
+
+The tag workflow attaches the first three. The operator attaches the signed,
+notarized, stapled app zip as the fourth. GitHub's generated source archives
+appear separately and are not part of this custom-asset count.
+
 ## Tagged Alpha ship
 
 This is the operator sequence for a tagged Alpha whose Homebrew formula
@@ -174,10 +189,12 @@ not reinstall a live machine.
    tree.
 8. Open a pull request. After merge, create tag `v<version>` and wait
    for `.github/workflows/release.yml` to finish or fail. If that job
-   did not create the GitHub Release, create it with the operator-packed
-   CLI tarball, npm tgz, and app zip. If the job created the release,
-   `gh release upload` the app zip and `--clobber` CLI/npm assets whose
-   hashes differ from the formula pins. Operator-packed checksums remain
+   did not create the GitHub Release, create it with exactly the four
+   operator-packed paths: the CLI tarball, CLI `.sha256`, npm tgz, and app
+   zip listed in Release asset contract. If the job created the release,
+   `gh release upload` the app zip and `--clobber` all three workflow-built
+   assets (CLI tarball, CLI checksum, and npm tgz) whose bytes differ from
+   the operator-packed copies. The operator-packed CLI and app hashes remain
    the Homebrew source of truth.
 9. Run `scripts/sync_homebrew_tap.sh` against a
    `fiveonecode/homebrew-simulator-broker` checkout.