diff --git a/docs/cli_reference.md b/docs/cli_reference.md
index d46cf722a..9a84eb3b9 100644
--- a/docs/cli_reference.md
+++ b/docs/cli_reference.md
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@ llama stack list-distributions
 ```
 
 <pre style="font-family: monospace;">
-i+--------------------------------+---------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
-| Distribution ID                | Providers                             | Description                                                          |
+i+-------------------------------+---------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Distribution Type              | Providers                             | Description                                                          |
 +--------------------------------+---------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | local                          | {                                     | Use code from `llama_toolchain` itself to serve all llama stack APIs |
 |                                |   "inference": "meta-reference",      |                                                                      |
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/agentic_system/providers.py b/llama_toolchain/agentic_system/providers.py
index a722d9400..164df1a30 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/agentic_system/providers.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/agentic_system/providers.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def available_agentic_system_providers() -> List[ProviderSpec]:
     return [
         InlineProviderSpec(
             api=Api.agentic_system,
-            provider_id="meta-reference",
+            provider_type="meta-reference",
             pip_packages=[
                 "codeshield",
                 "matplotlib",
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/build.py b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/build.py
index c81a6d350..22bd4071f 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/build.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/build.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class StackBuild(Subcommand):
             BuildType,
         )
 
-        allowed_ids = [d.distribution_id for d in available_distribution_specs()]
+        allowed_ids = [d.distribution_type for d in available_distribution_specs()]
         self.parser.add_argument(
             "distribution",
             type=str,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class StackBuild(Subcommand):
                 api_inputs.append(
                     ApiInput(
                         api=api,
-                        provider=provider_spec.provider_id,
+                        provider=provider_spec.provider_type,
                     )
                 )
             docker_image = None
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ class StackBuild(Subcommand):
                 self.parser.error(f"Could not find distribution {args.distribution}")
                 return
 
-            for api, provider_id in dist.providers.items():
+            for api, provider_type in dist.providers.items():
                 api_inputs.append(
                     ApiInput(
                         api=api,
-                        provider=provider_id,
+                        provider=provider_type,
                     )
                 )
             docker_image = dist.docker_image
@@ -128,6 +128,6 @@ class StackBuild(Subcommand):
             api_inputs,
             build_type=BuildType(args.type),
             name=args.name,
-            distribution_id=args.distribution,
+            distribution_type=args.distribution,
             docker_image=docker_image,
         )
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/configure.py b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/configure.py
index 70ff4a7f0..658380f4d 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/configure.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/configure.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class StackConfigure(Subcommand):
         )
         from llama_toolchain.core.package import BuildType
 
-        allowed_ids = [d.distribution_id for d in available_distribution_specs()]
+        allowed_ids = [d.distribution_type for d in available_distribution_specs()]
         self.parser.add_argument(
             "distribution",
             type=str,
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def configure_llama_distribution(config_file: Path) -> None:
 
     if config.providers:
         cprint(
-            f"Configuration already exists for {config.distribution_id}. Will overwrite...",
+            f"Configuration already exists for {config.distribution_type}. Will overwrite...",
             "yellow",
             attrs=["bold"],
         )
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_distributions.py b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_distributions.py
index c4d529157..557b8c33c 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_distributions.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_distributions.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class StackListDistributions(Subcommand):
 
         # eventually, this should query a registry at llama.meta.com/llamastack/distributions
         headers = [
-            "Distribution ID",
+            "Distribution Type",
             "Providers",
             "Description",
         ]
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class StackListDistributions(Subcommand):
             providers = {k.value: v for k, v in spec.providers.items()}
             rows.append(
                 [
-                    spec.distribution_id,
+                    spec.distribution_type,
                     json.dumps(providers, indent=2),
                     spec.description,
                 ]
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_providers.py b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_providers.py
index 29602d889..fdf4ab054 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_providers.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/list_providers.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class StackListProviders(Subcommand):
 
         # eventually, this should query a registry at llama.meta.com/llamastack/distributions
         headers = [
-            "Provider ID",
+            "Provider Type",
             "PIP Package Dependencies",
         ]
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class StackListProviders(Subcommand):
         for spec in providers_for_api.values():
             rows.append(
                 [
-                    spec.provider_id,
+                    spec.provider_type,
                     ",".join(spec.pip_packages),
                 ]
             )
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/run.py b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/run.py
index 68853db35..1568ed820 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/run.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/cli/stack/run.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class StackRun(Subcommand):
         with open(config_file, "r") as f:
             config = PackageConfig(**yaml.safe_load(f))
 
-        if not config.distribution_id:
+        if not config.distribution_type:
             raise ValueError("Build config appears to be corrupt.")
 
         if config.docker_image:
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/build_conda_env.sh b/llama_toolchain/core/build_conda_env.sh
index 1e8c002f2..e5b1ca539 100755
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/build_conda_env.sh
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/build_conda_env.sh
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ fi
 set -euo pipefail
 
 if [ "$#" -ne 3 ]; then
-  echo "Usage: $0 <distribution_id> <build_name> <pip_dependencies>" >&2
-  echo "Example: $0 <distribution_id> mybuild 'numpy pandas scipy'" >&2
+  echo "Usage: $0 <distribution_type> <build_name> <pip_dependencies>" >&2
+  echo "Example: $0 <distribution_type> mybuild 'numpy pandas scipy'" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
-distribution_id="$1"
+distribution_type="$1"
 build_name="$2"
 env_name="llamastack-$build_name"
 pip_dependencies="$3"
@@ -117,4 +117,4 @@ ensure_conda_env_python310 "$env_name" "$pip_dependencies"
 
 printf "${GREEN}Successfully setup conda environment. Configuring build...${NC}\n"
 
-$CONDA_PREFIX/bin/python3 -m llama_toolchain.cli.llama stack configure $distribution_id --name "$build_name" --type conda_env
+$CONDA_PREFIX/bin/python3 -m llama_toolchain.cli.llama stack configure $distribution_type --name "$build_name" --type conda_env
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/build_container.sh b/llama_toolchain/core/build_container.sh
index ec2ca8a0c..e5349cd08 100755
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/build_container.sh
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/build_container.sh
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ LLAMA_TOOLCHAIN_DIR=${LLAMA_TOOLCHAIN_DIR:-}
 TEST_PYPI_VERSION=${TEST_PYPI_VERSION:-}
 
 if [ "$#" -ne 4 ]; then
-  echo "Usage: $0 <distribution_id> <build_name> <docker_base> <pip_dependencies>
-  echo "Example: $0 distribution_id my-fastapi-app python:3.9-slim 'fastapi uvicorn'
+  echo "Usage: $0 <distribution_type> <build_name> <docker_base> <pip_dependencies>
+  echo "Example: $0 distribution_type my-fastapi-app python:3.9-slim 'fastapi uvicorn'
   exit 1
 fi
 
-distribution_id=$1
+distribution_type=$1
 build_name="$2"
 image_name="llamastack-$build_name"
 docker_base=$3
@@ -110,4 +110,4 @@ set +x
 printf "${GREEN}Succesfully setup Podman image. Configuring build...${NC}"
 echo "You can run it with: podman run -p 8000:8000 $image_name"
 
-$CONDA_PREFIX/bin/python3 -m llama_toolchain.cli.llama stack configure $distribution_id --name "$build_name" --type container
+$CONDA_PREFIX/bin/python3 -m llama_toolchain.cli.llama stack configure $distribution_type --name "$build_name" --type container
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/configure.py b/llama_toolchain/core/configure.py
index 7f9aa0140..252358a52 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/configure.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/configure.py
@@ -21,14 +21,14 @@ def configure_api_providers(existing_configs: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     for api_str, stub_config in existing_configs.items():
         api = Api(api_str)
         providers = all_providers[api]
-        provider_id = stub_config["provider_id"]
-        if provider_id not in providers:
+        provider_type = stub_config["provider_type"]
+        if provider_type not in providers:
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unknown provider `{provider_id}` is not available for API `{api_str}`"
+                f"Unknown provider `{provider_type}` is not available for API `{api_str}`"
             )
 
-        provider_spec = providers[provider_id]
-        cprint(f"Configuring API: {api_str} ({provider_id})", "white", attrs=["bold"])
+        provider_spec = providers[provider_type]
+        cprint(f"Configuring API: {api_str} ({provider_type})", "white", attrs=["bold"])
         config_type = instantiate_class_type(provider_spec.config_class)
 
         try:
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def configure_api_providers(existing_configs: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
         print("")
 
         provider_configs[api_str] = {
-            "provider_id": provider_id,
+            "provider_type": provider_type,
             **provider_config.dict(),
         }
 
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/datatypes.py b/llama_toolchain/core/datatypes.py
index cbdda51d4..138d20941 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/datatypes.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/datatypes.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class ApiEndpoint(BaseModel):
 @json_schema_type
 class ProviderSpec(BaseModel):
     api: Api
-    provider_id: str
+    provider_type: str
     config_class: str = Field(
         ...,
         description="Fully-qualified classname of the config for this provider",
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class RemoteProviderConfig(BaseModel):
         return url.rstrip("/")
 
 
-def remote_provider_id(adapter_id: str) -> str:
+def remote_provider_type(adapter_id: str) -> str:
     return f"remote::{adapter_id}"
 
 
@@ -141,22 +141,22 @@ def remote_provider_spec(
         if adapter and adapter.config_class
         else "llama_toolchain.core.datatypes.RemoteProviderConfig"
     )
-    provider_id = remote_provider_id(adapter.adapter_id) if adapter else "remote"
+    provider_type = remote_provider_type(adapter.adapter_id) if adapter else "remote"
 
     return RemoteProviderSpec(
-        api=api, provider_id=provider_id, config_class=config_class, adapter=adapter
+        api=api, provider_type=provider_type, config_class=config_class, adapter=adapter
     )
 
 
 @json_schema_type
 class DistributionSpec(BaseModel):
-    distribution_id: str
+    distribution_type: str
     description: str
 
     docker_image: Optional[str] = None
     providers: Dict[Api, str] = Field(
         default_factory=dict,
-        description="Provider IDs for each of the APIs provided by this distribution",
+        description="Provider Types for each of the APIs provided by this distribution",
     )
 
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ Reference to the distribution this package refers to. For unregistered (adhoc) p
 this could be just a hash
 """,
     )
-    distribution_id: Optional[str] = None
+    distribution_type: Optional[str] = None
 
     docker_image: Optional[str] = Field(
         default=None,
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/distribution.py b/llama_toolchain/core/distribution.py
index 4c50189c0..89e1d7793 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/distribution.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/distribution.py
@@ -83,18 +83,18 @@ def api_endpoints() -> Dict[Api, List[ApiEndpoint]]:
 
 def api_providers() -> Dict[Api, Dict[str, ProviderSpec]]:
     inference_providers_by_id = {
-        a.provider_id: a for a in available_inference_providers()
+        a.provider_type: a for a in available_inference_providers()
     }
-    safety_providers_by_id = {a.provider_id: a for a in available_safety_providers()}
+    safety_providers_by_id = {a.provider_type: a for a in available_safety_providers()}
     agentic_system_providers_by_id = {
-        a.provider_id: a for a in available_agentic_system_providers()
+        a.provider_type: a for a in available_agentic_system_providers()
     }
 
     ret = {
         Api.inference: inference_providers_by_id,
         Api.safety: safety_providers_by_id,
         Api.agentic_system: agentic_system_providers_by_id,
-        Api.memory: {a.provider_id: a for a in available_memory_providers()},
+        Api.memory: {a.provider_type: a for a in available_memory_providers()},
     }
     for k, v in ret.items():
         v["remote"] = remote_provider_spec(k)
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/distribution_registry.py b/llama_toolchain/core/distribution_registry.py
index e134fdab6..2b15af72b 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/distribution_registry.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/distribution_registry.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from .datatypes import *  # noqa: F403
 def available_distribution_specs() -> List[DistributionSpec]:
     return [
         DistributionSpec(
-            distribution_id="local",
+            distribution_type="local",
             description="Use code from `llama_toolchain` itself to serve all llama stack APIs",
             providers={
                 Api.inference: "meta-reference",
@@ -24,35 +24,35 @@ def available_distribution_specs() -> List[DistributionSpec]:
             },
         ),
         DistributionSpec(
-            distribution_id="remote",
+            distribution_type="remote",
             description="Point to remote services for all llama stack APIs",
             providers={x: "remote" for x in Api},
         ),
         DistributionSpec(
-            distribution_id="local-ollama",
+            distribution_type="local-ollama",
             description="Like local, but use ollama for running LLM inference",
             providers={
-                Api.inference: remote_provider_id("ollama"),
+                Api.inference: remote_provider_type("ollama"),
                 Api.safety: "meta-reference",
                 Api.agentic_system: "meta-reference",
                 Api.memory: "meta-reference-faiss",
             },
         ),
         DistributionSpec(
-            distribution_id="local-plus-fireworks-inference",
+            distribution_type="local-plus-fireworks-inference",
             description="Use Fireworks.ai for running LLM inference",
             providers={
-                Api.inference: remote_provider_id("fireworks"),
+                Api.inference: remote_provider_type("fireworks"),
                 Api.safety: "meta-reference",
                 Api.agentic_system: "meta-reference",
                 Api.memory: "meta-reference-faiss",
             },
         ),
         DistributionSpec(
-            distribution_id="local-plus-together-inference",
+            distribution_type="local-plus-together-inference",
             description="Use Together.ai for running LLM inference",
             providers={
-                Api.inference: remote_provider_id("together"),
+                Api.inference: remote_provider_type("together"),
                 Api.safety: "meta-reference",
                 Api.agentic_system: "meta-reference",
                 Api.memory: "meta-reference-faiss",
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ def available_distribution_specs() -> List[DistributionSpec]:
 
 
 @lru_cache()
-def resolve_distribution_spec(distribution_id: str) -> Optional[DistributionSpec]:
+def resolve_distribution_spec(distribution_type: str) -> Optional[DistributionSpec]:
     for spec in available_distribution_specs():
-        if spec.distribution_id == distribution_id:
+        if spec.distribution_type == distribution_type:
             return spec
     return None
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/package.py b/llama_toolchain/core/package.py
index 72bd93152..ab4346a71 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/package.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/package.py
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ def build_package(
     api_inputs: List[ApiInput],
     build_type: BuildType,
     name: str,
-    distribution_id: Optional[str] = None,
+    distribution_type: Optional[str] = None,
     docker_image: Optional[str] = None,
 ):
-    if not distribution_id:
-        distribution_id = "adhoc"
+    if not distribution_type:
+        distribution_type = "adhoc"
 
-    build_dir = BUILDS_BASE_DIR / distribution_id / build_type.descriptor()
+    build_dir = BUILDS_BASE_DIR / distribution_type / build_type.descriptor()
     os.makedirs(build_dir, exist_ok=True)
 
     package_name = name.replace("::", "-")
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def build_package(
         if provider.docker_image:
             raise ValueError("A stack's dependencies cannot have a docker image")
 
-        stub_config[api.value] = {"provider_id": api_input.provider}
+        stub_config[api.value] = {"provider_type": api_input.provider}
 
     if package_file.exists():
         cprint(
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def build_package(
                 c.providers[api_str] = new_config
             else:
                 existing_config = c.providers[api_str]
-                if existing_config["provider_id"] != new_config["provider_id"]:
+                if existing_config["provider_type"] != new_config["provider_type"]:
                     cprint(
                         f"Provider `{api_str}` has changed from `{existing_config}` to `{new_config}`",
                         color="yellow",
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def build_package(
             providers=stub_config,
         )
 
-    c.distribution_id = distribution_id
+    c.distribution_type = distribution_type
     c.docker_image = package_name if build_type == BuildType.container else None
     c.conda_env = package_name if build_type == BuildType.conda_env else None
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def build_package(
         )
         args = [
             script,
-            distribution_id,
+            distribution_type,
             package_name,
             package_deps.docker_image,
             " ".join(package_deps.pip_packages),
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def build_package(
         )
         args = [
             script,
-            distribution_id,
+            distribution_type,
             package_name,
             " ".join(package_deps.pip_packages),
         ]
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/core/server.py b/llama_toolchain/core/server.py
index 4de84b726..8c7ab10a7 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/core/server.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/core/server.py
@@ -284,13 +284,13 @@ def main(yaml_config: str, port: int = 5000, disable_ipv6: bool = False):
     for api_str, provider_config in config["providers"].items():
         api = Api(api_str)
         providers = all_providers[api]
-        provider_id = provider_config["provider_id"]
-        if provider_id not in providers:
+        provider_type = provider_config["provider_type"]
+        if provider_type not in providers:
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unknown provider `{provider_id}` is not available for API `{api}`"
+                f"Unknown provider `{provider_type}` is not available for API `{api}`"
             )
 
-        provider_specs[api] = providers[provider_id]
+        provider_specs[api] = providers[provider_type]
 
     impls = resolve_impls(provider_specs, config)
 
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/inference/providers.py b/llama_toolchain/inference/providers.py
index b469cb29b..5219585c3 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/inference/providers.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/inference/providers.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def available_inference_providers() -> List[ProviderSpec]:
     return [
         InlineProviderSpec(
             api=Api.inference,
-            provider_id="meta-reference",
+            provider_type="meta-reference",
             pip_packages=[
                 "accelerate",
                 "blobfile",
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/memory/providers.py b/llama_toolchain/memory/providers.py
index 4d086d861..cc113d132 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/memory/providers.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/memory/providers.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def available_memory_providers() -> List[ProviderSpec]:
     return [
         InlineProviderSpec(
             api=Api.memory,
-            provider_id="meta-reference-faiss",
+            provider_type="meta-reference-faiss",
             pip_packages=EMBEDDING_DEPS + ["faiss-cpu"],
             module="llama_toolchain.memory.meta_reference.faiss",
             config_class="llama_toolchain.memory.meta_reference.faiss.FaissImplConfig",
diff --git a/llama_toolchain/safety/providers.py b/llama_toolchain/safety/providers.py
index dfacf3f67..8471ab139 100644
--- a/llama_toolchain/safety/providers.py
+++ b/llama_toolchain/safety/providers.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def available_safety_providers() -> List[ProviderSpec]:
     return [
         InlineProviderSpec(
             api=Api.safety,
-            provider_id="meta-reference",
+            provider_type="meta-reference",
             pip_packages=[
                 "accelerate",
                 "codeshield",