diff --git a/.changeset/adr-0085-consumer-switch.md b/.changeset/adr-0085-consumer-switch.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b6f5d74d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/adr-0085-consumer-switch.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+'@object-ui/plugin-form': minor
+'@object-ui/plugin-detail': minor
+'@object-ui/plugin-grid': minor
+'@object-ui/app-shell': minor
+---
+
+Consume the ADR-0085 object semantic roles from `@objectstack/spec@11.7.0`, retiring the per-surface hint dialects:
+
+- **Single-source fieldGroups derivation**: `plugin-form`'s `deriveFieldGroupSections` and `plugin-detail`'s `deriveFieldGroupDetailSections` are now thin adapters over the spec's `deriveFieldGroupLayout` (ADR-0085 §5) — forms, modals and detail pages render the SAME grouping from one implementation. The canonical `collapse: 'none' | 'expanded' | 'collapsed'` enum is honoured everywhere (deprecated `collapsible`/`collapsed` and `defaultExpanded` spellings still read for pre-11.7 metadata).
+- **`stageField` semantic role**: the detail stepper reads the top-level `stageField`; `stageField: false` now actually suppresses stage detection (previously the `false` handling was wired to the removed `detail.stageField` key, so spec-authored `false` fell through to the name heuristic).
+- **`highlightFields` rename**: default grid columns, card compact views, the detail highlight strip, child-record preview fields and interface-page default columns read the object's `highlightFields` (deprecated `compactLayout` spelling read as fallback for pre-11.7 metadata).
+- **Removed dead reads**: the never-spec-writable `objectDef.views.*` UI hints and the ADR-0085-removed `detail.*` block (`sections`, `sectionGroups`, `highlightFields`, `stageField`, `useFieldGroups`, `showReferenceRail`, `hideReferenceRail`, `hideRelatedTab`, `relatedLayout`) are no longer consulted. Per-page customization goes through an assigned Page schema (`record:reference_rail` remains available there as a renderer capability). `detail.renderViaSchema` survives only as the legacy-renderer kill-switch and is removed together with that path.
diff --git a/apps/console/package.json b/apps/console/package.json
index 5a80634e0..1ec654dd6 100644
--- a/apps/console/package.json
+++ b/apps/console/package.json
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
     "@objectstack/client": "^11.5.0",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "@tailwindcss/postcss": "^4.3.1",
     "@tailwindcss/typography": "^0.5.20",
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^6.9.1",
diff --git a/apps/site/package.json b/apps/site/package.json
index 8fd7fff31..bc81785e8 100644
--- a/apps/site/package.json
+++ b/apps/site/package.json
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     "@object-ui/plugin-view": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "fumadocs-core": "16.10.6",
     "fumadocs-mdx": "15.0.13",
     "fumadocs-ui": "16.10.6",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 92c5db5bf..bedbdb890 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@changesets/cli": "^2.31.0",
     "@eslint/js": "^10.0.1",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "@playwright/test": "^1.61.1",
     "@testing-library/dom": "^10.4.1",
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^6.9.1",
diff --git a/packages/app-shell/package.json b/packages/app-shell/package.json
index 12a9a014f..ede116e62 100644
--- a/packages/app-shell/package.json
+++ b/packages/app-shell/package.json
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
     "@object-ui/providers": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "@sentry/react": "^10.62.0",
     "jsonc-parser": "^3.3.1",
     "lucide-react": "^1.22.0",
diff --git a/packages/app-shell/src/views/InterfaceListPage.tsx b/packages/app-shell/src/views/InterfaceListPage.tsx
index 22b5d4825..4e5b70ef9 100644
--- a/packages/app-shell/src/views/InterfaceListPage.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-shell/src/views/InterfaceListPage.tsx
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ function resolveSourceView(objectDef: any, sourceView?: string): any | undefined
 /**
  * Default column set when the resolved view carries none — mirrors
  * ObjectView's data-mode fallback so an interface page never renders a
- * column-less grid. Priority: curated `compactLayout`, else the first
+ * column-less grid. Priority: the `highlightFields` semantic role
+ * (ADR-0085; deprecated `compactLayout` read as fallback), else the first
  * business fields (system/audit columns excluded).
  */
 const SYSTEM_FIELDS = new Set([
@@ -78,8 +79,11 @@ const SYSTEM_FIELDS = new Set([
   'updated_by', 'updatedBy', '_version', '_rev',
 ]);
 function defaultColumnsFromObject(objectDef: any): string[] {
-  if (Array.isArray(objectDef?.compactLayout) && objectDef.compactLayout.length > 0) {
-    return objectDef.compactLayout.filter((n: string) => objectDef.fields?.[n]);
+  const curated = Array.isArray(objectDef?.highlightFields) && objectDef.highlightFields.length > 0
+    ? objectDef.highlightFields
+    : objectDef?.compactLayout;
+  if (Array.isArray(curated) && curated.length > 0) {
+    return curated.filter((n: string) => objectDef.fields?.[n]);
   }
   const fields = objectDef?.fields;
   if (fields && typeof fields === 'object') {
diff --git a/packages/app-shell/src/views/ObjectView.tsx b/packages/app-shell/src/views/ObjectView.tsx
index 628995bc0..e47eecf97 100644
--- a/packages/app-shell/src/views/ObjectView.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-shell/src/views/ObjectView.tsx
@@ -236,8 +236,11 @@ function ObjectViewInner({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, externalRefreshKey }: an
                     'updated_by', 'updatedBy', '_version', '_rev',
                 ]);
                 let defaultColumns: string[] = [];
-                if (Array.isArray(objectDef?.compactLayout) && objectDef.compactLayout.length > 0) {
-                    defaultColumns = objectDef.compactLayout.filter((n: string) => objectDef.fields?.[n]);
+                const curated = Array.isArray(objectDef?.highlightFields) && objectDef.highlightFields.length > 0
+                    ? objectDef.highlightFields
+                    : objectDef?.compactLayout;
+                if (Array.isArray(curated) && curated.length > 0) {
+                    defaultColumns = curated.filter((n: string) => objectDef.fields?.[n]);
                 } else if (objectDef?.fields) {
                     defaultColumns = Object.entries(objectDef.fields)
                         .filter(([name, f]: [string, any]) => f && !f.hidden && !SYSTEM_FIELDS.has(name))
@@ -486,7 +489,8 @@ function ObjectViewInner({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, externalRefreshKey }: an
     // Resolve Views from objectDef.listViews (camelCase per @objectstack/spec)
     const views = useMemo(() => {
         // Default column resolution priority:
-        //   1. `compactLayout` (curated primary business fields).
+        //   1. The `highlightFields` semantic role (ADR-0085; deprecated
+        //      `compactLayout` read as fallback).
         //   2. Business fields only — exclude system-managed identifiers/audit
         //      columns (id, created_at, updated_at, …) and fields explicitly
         //      marked hidden/readonly on the schema. First 5 kept for compactness.
@@ -496,8 +500,11 @@ function ObjectViewInner({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, externalRefreshKey }: an
             'updated_by', 'updatedBy', '_version', '_rev',
         ]);
         const resolveDefaultColumns = (): string[] => {
-            if (Array.isArray(objectDef.compactLayout) && objectDef.compactLayout.length > 0) {
-                return objectDef.compactLayout.filter((n: string) => objectDef.fields?.[n]);
+            const curated = Array.isArray(objectDef.highlightFields) && objectDef.highlightFields.length > 0
+                ? objectDef.highlightFields
+                : objectDef.compactLayout;
+            if (Array.isArray(curated) && curated.length > 0) {
+                return curated.filter((n: string) => objectDef.fields?.[n]);
             }
             if (objectDef.fields) {
                 return Object.entries(objectDef.fields)
diff --git a/packages/app-shell/src/views/RecordDetailView.tsx b/packages/app-shell/src/views/RecordDetailView.tsx
index 9e1991582..f0e7c5f41 100644
--- a/packages/app-shell/src/views/RecordDetailView.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-shell/src/views/RecordDetailView.tsx
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import { ActionResultDialog, type ResultDialogState } from './ActionResultDialog
 import { FlowRunner, type ScreenFlowState } from './FlowRunner';
 import { resolveActionParams } from '../utils/resolveActionParams';
 import { useRecordBreadcrumbTitle } from '../context/NavigationContext';
-import type { DetailViewSchema, FeedItem, HighlightField, SectionGroup } from '@object-ui/types';
+import type { DetailViewSchema, FeedItem, HighlightField } from '@object-ui/types';
 import type { ActionDef, ActionParamDef } from '@object-ui/core';
 import { useRecordApprovals } from '../hooks/useRecordApprovals';
 import { getRecordDisplayName } from '../utils';
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ const AUDIT_FIELD_NAMES = new Set(['created_at', 'created_by', 'updated_at', 'up
 /**
  * System/tenant fields that the framework auto-injects on every record but
  * which carry no business value on a detail page. Hidden from the
- * auto-generated section (when the object has no explicit form sections).
- * Authors who really want to show these can still list them in
- * `objectDef.views.form.sections`.
+ * auto-generated sections. Authors who really want to surface one can
+ * assign it to a `fieldGroups` group explicitly (explicit listing wins).
  */
 const HIDDEN_SYSTEM_FIELD_NAMES = new Set([
   'organization_id', 'tenant_id', 'is_deleted', 'deleted_at',
@@ -1225,49 +1224,12 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
         (key) => key === 'name' || key === 'title'
       );
 
-    // Build sections, in priority order:
-    //   1) explicit sections — the spec-writable `detail.sections` block,
-    //      else legacy `views.form.sections` (the spec's ObjectSchema has no
-    //      `views` key, so that source only exists on non-spec metadata);
-    //   2) sections derived from the designer's `fieldGroups` metadata
-    //      (see the fieldGroups branch in the fallback below);
-    //   3) auto-grouping (primary + collapsible "More details").
-    const formSections = (objectDef as any).detail?.sections ?? objectDef.views?.form?.sections;
-    const sections = formSections && formSections.length > 0
-      ? formSections.map((sec: any) => ({
-          title: sec.name ? sectionLabel(objectDef.name, sec.name, sec.title || sec.name) : sec.title,
-          collapsible: sec.collapsible,
-          defaultCollapsed: sec.defaultCollapsed,
-          fields: (sec.fields || [])
-            .filter((f: any) => {
-              // Honor `hidden: true` on a field def even when the form
-              // section explicitly lists it. Hidden fields are typically
-              // internal artifacts (e.g. database URL, environment id)
-              // that platform actions read but end-users shouldn't see.
-              const fieldName = typeof f === 'string' ? f : f.name;
-              const fieldDef = objectDef.fields?.[fieldName];
-              return !fieldDef?.hidden;
-            })
-            .map((f: any) => {
-            const fieldName = typeof f === 'string' ? f : f.name;
-            const fieldDef = objectDef.fields[fieldName];
-            if (!fieldDef) {
-              console.warn(`[RecordDetailView] Field "${fieldName}" not found in ${objectDef.name} definition`);
-              return { name: fieldName, label: fieldName };
-            }
-            const refTarget = fieldDef.reference_to || fieldDef.reference;
-            return {
-              name: fieldName,
-              label: fieldDef.label || fieldName,
-              type: fieldDef.type || 'text',
-              ...(fieldDef.options && { options: fieldDef.options }),
-              ...(refTarget && { reference_to: refTarget }),
-              ...(fieldDef.reference_field && { reference_field: fieldDef.reference_field }),
-              ...(fieldDef.currency && { currency: fieldDef.currency }),
-            };
-          }),
-        }))
-      : (() => {
+    // Build sections (ADR-0085: grouping is the `fieldGroups` semantic
+    // role — there is no per-surface sections override; per-page
+    // customization goes through an assigned Page schema):
+    //   1) sections derived from the object's `fieldGroups`;
+    //   2) auto-grouping (primary + collapsible "More details").
+    const sections = (() => {
           const toField = (key: string) => {
             const fieldDef = objectDef.fields[key];
             const refTarget = fieldDef.reference_to || fieldDef.reference;
@@ -1319,13 +1281,12 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
             ];
           };
 
-          // 2) fieldGroups-derived sections (object-designer metadata,
-          //    same source the runtime form honours). Declared groups
-          //    render as titled cards in declared order; the helper's
+          // 1) fieldGroups-derived sections (the ADR-0085 semantic role,
+          //    same shared derivation the runtime form honours). Declared
+          //    groups render as titled cards in declared order; the
           //    trailing untitled bucket (ungrouped fields) still goes
           //    through the primary/"More details" split so long-form
-          //    fields stay tucked away. Objects can opt out via
-          //    `detail.useFieldGroups: false`.
+          //    fields stay tucked away.
           const grouped = deriveFieldGroupDetailSections(objectDef as any);
           if (grouped) {
             return grouped.flatMap((sec: any) => {
@@ -1418,19 +1379,16 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
       return base;
     })();
 
-    // Build highlightFields: exclusively from objectDef metadata (no
-    // hardcoded fallback). The spec-writable `detail.highlightFields`
-    // wins; `views.detail.highlightFields` stays as back-compat for
-    // non-spec metadata (the spec's ObjectSchema has no `views` key).
-    // Entries may be bare field names — normalize them to the
-    // HighlightField shape by resolving label/type from the field def.
+    // Build highlightFields from the object's semantic role (ADR-0085):
+    // top-level `highlightFields`, with the deprecated `compactLayout`
+    // spelling as fallback for pre-11.7 metadata that reaches consumers
+    // un-normalized. Bare field names resolve label/type from the field def.
     const rawHighlightFields =
-      (objectDef as any).detail?.highlightFields ?? objectDef.views?.detail?.highlightFields ?? [];
+      (objectDef as any).highlightFields ?? (objectDef as any).compactLayout ?? [];
     const highlightFields: HighlightField[] = (Array.isArray(rawHighlightFields) ? rawHighlightFields : [])
       .map((f: any): HighlightField | null => {
         const name = typeof f === 'string' ? f : f?.name;
         if (!name) return null;
-        if (typeof f === 'object' && f.label) return f as HighlightField;
         const fieldDef = objectDef.fields?.[name];
         return {
           name,
@@ -1440,12 +1398,6 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
       })
       .filter((f): f is HighlightField => !!f);
 
-    // Build sectionGroups from objectDef detail/form config if available
-    const sectionGroups: SectionGroup[] | undefined =
-      (objectDef as any).detail?.sectionGroups
-      ?? objectDef.views?.detail?.sectionGroups
-      ?? objectDef.views?.form?.sectionGroups;
-
     // Build related entries from reverse-reference child objects.
     // `referenceField` is the FK field on the child pointing back to this
     // record — passed so the related-list renderer can hide the redundant
@@ -1538,10 +1490,13 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
         // right-rail can show meaningful labels (`user_agent`, `email`,
         // …) instead of opaque IDs like `kCc8mhJr0bRs0r9Ykd09…`.
         displayField:
+          childObjectDef?.nameField ||
           childObjectDef?.displayNameField ||
-          (Array.isArray(childObjectDef?.compactLayout)
-            ? childObjectDef.compactLayout[0]
-            : undefined),
+          (Array.isArray(childObjectDef?.highlightFields)
+            ? childObjectDef.highlightFields[0]
+            : Array.isArray(childObjectDef?.compactLayout)
+              ? childObjectDef.compactLayout[0]
+              : undefined),
         onNew,
         onViewAll,
         onRowClick,
@@ -1576,7 +1531,6 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
       }),
       ...(related.length > 0 && { related }),
       ...(highlightFields.length > 0 && { highlightFields }),
-      ...(sectionGroups && sectionGroups.length > 0 && { sectionGroups }),
       ...(recordHeaderActions.length > 0 && {
         actions: [{
           type: 'action:bar',
@@ -1793,17 +1747,11 @@ export function RecordDetailView({ dataSource, objects, onEdit, objectNameOverri
           headerActions: synthHeaderActions,
           related: synthRelated,
           history: synthHistory,
-          // Per-object opt-outs read from `objectDef.detail.*`. Lets
-          // catalog/atomic objects (product, task, ...) keep a focused
-          // single-column layout instead of inheriting the rail.
-          showReferenceRail:
-            (objectDef as any)?.detail?.showReferenceRail === true || undefined,
-          hideReferenceRail:
-            (objectDef as any)?.detail?.hideReferenceRail === true || undefined,
-          hideRelatedTab:
-            (objectDef as any)?.detail?.hideRelatedTab === true || undefined,
-          relatedLayout:
-            (objectDef as any)?.detail?.relatedLayout === 'tabs' ? 'tabs' : undefined,
+          // ADR-0085 removed the per-object `detail.*` presentation
+          // toggles (show/hideReferenceRail, hideRelatedTab, relatedLayout)
+          // — the synth defaults apply; per-page layout goes through an
+          // assigned Page schema (`record:reference_rail` stays available
+          // there as a renderer capability).
           ...(assignedSlots ? { slots: assignedSlots } : {}),
         });
     return (
diff --git a/packages/core/package.json b/packages/core/package.json
index e5bf886de..bce88b4d7 100644
--- a/packages/core/package.json
+++ b/packages/core/package.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
     "@objectstack/formula": "^11.5.0",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "lodash": "^4.18.1",
     "zod": "^4.4.3"
   },
diff --git a/packages/plugin-detail/package.json b/packages/plugin-detail/package.json
index 76af7e84f..b62252815 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-detail/package.json
+++ b/packages/plugin-detail/package.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@object-ui/i18n": "workspace:*",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "lucide-react": "^1.22.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-detail/src/index.tsx b/packages/plugin-detail/src/index.tsx
index d61a8384a..306287918 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-detail/src/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/plugin-detail/src/index.tsx
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ ComponentRegistry.register('record:details', RecordDetailsRenderer, {
   // Designer inputs mirror @objectstack/spec RecordDetailsProps (component.zod).
   inputs: [
     { name: 'columns', type: 'enum', label: 'Columns', enum: ['1', '2', '3', '4'], defaultValue: '2', description: 'Number of columns for field layout (1-4)' },
-    { name: 'layout', type: 'enum', label: 'Layout', enum: ['auto', 'custom'], defaultValue: 'auto', description: 'auto uses the object compactLayout; custom uses explicit sections' },
+    { name: 'layout', type: 'enum', label: 'Layout', enum: ['auto', 'custom'], defaultValue: 'auto', description: 'auto uses the object highlightFields; custom uses explicit sections' },
     { name: 'sections', type: 'array', label: 'Sections', description: 'Section IDs to show (required when layout is "custom")' },
-    { name: 'fields', type: 'array', label: 'Fields', description: 'Explicit field list (overrides compactLayout)' },
+    { name: 'fields', type: 'array', label: 'Fields', description: 'Explicit field list (overrides highlightFields)' },
   ],
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/__tests__/buildDefaultPageSchema.test.ts b/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/__tests__/buildDefaultPageSchema.test.ts
index 38e58f2b4..fa8988ff2 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/__tests__/buildDefaultPageSchema.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/__tests__/buildDefaultPageSchema.test.ts
@@ -671,64 +671,56 @@ describe('buildDefaultPageSchema', () => {
   });
 });
 
-// #2148 — spec-writable `detail.*` hints + fieldGroups-derived sections.
-describe('detail.* hints (#2148 / #2065)', () => {
+// ADR-0085 — top-level semantic roles (stageField / highlightFields).
+describe('semantic-role hints (ADR-0085 / #2065)', () => {
   describe('detectStatusField', () => {
-    it('detail.stageField wins over top-level stageField and heuristics', () => {
+    it('an explicit stageField wins over heuristics', () => {
       expect(
         detectStatusField({
-          detail: { stageField: 'pipeline' },
-          stageField: 'legacy_stage',
-          fields: { pipeline: {}, legacy_stage: {}, status: {} },
+          stageField: 'pipeline',
+          fields: { pipeline: {}, status: {} },
         }),
       ).toBe('pipeline');
     });
 
-    it('detail.stageField: false suppresses detection entirely', () => {
+    it('stageField: false suppresses detection entirely', () => {
       expect(
         detectStatusField({
-          detail: { stageField: false },
-          stageField: 'status',
+          stageField: false,
           fields: { status: { type: 'status' } },
         }),
       ).toBeNull();
     });
 
-    it('falls back to top-level stageField, then heuristic, when detail hint absent', () => {
-      expect(
-        detectStatusField({ detail: {}, stageField: 'stage_x', fields: { stage_x: {} } }),
-      ).toBe('stage_x');
-      expect(detectStatusField({ detail: {}, fields: { status: {} } })).toBe('status');
+    it('falls back to the heuristic when no role is declared', () => {
+      expect(detectStatusField({ fields: { status: {} } })).toBe('status');
     });
   });
 
   describe('deriveHighlightFields', () => {
-    it('detail.highlightFields wins over top-level highlightFields', () => {
+    it('highlightFields wins over the deprecated compactLayout spelling', () => {
       expect(
         deriveHighlightFields(
           {
             ...leadDef,
-            detail: { highlightFields: ['phone', 'rating'] },
-            highlightFields: ['email'],
+            highlightFields: ['phone', 'rating'],
+            compactLayout: ['email'],
           },
           'status',
         ),
       ).toEqual(['phone', 'rating']);
     });
 
-    it('accepts { name } object entries and drops malformed ones', () => {
+    it('reads the deprecated compactLayout when highlightFields is absent', () => {
       expect(
-        deriveHighlightFields(
-          { ...leadDef, detail: { highlightFields: [{ name: 'email' }, 'phone', {} as any, ''] } },
-          'status',
-        ),
+        deriveHighlightFields({ ...leadDef, compactLayout: ['email', 'phone'] }, 'status'),
       ).toEqual(['email', 'phone']);
     });
 
-    it('caps the detail list at max', () => {
+    it('drops non-string entries and caps the declared list at max', () => {
       expect(
         deriveHighlightFields(
-          { detail: { highlightFields: ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e'] }, fields: {} },
+          { highlightFields: ['a', '', { name: 'x' } as any, 'b', 'c', 'd'], fields: {} },
           null,
           3,
         ),
@@ -779,6 +771,19 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupDetailSections (#2148)', () => {
     expect(trailing.fields.map((f: any) => f.name)).toEqual(['website']);
   });
 
+  it('honours the canonical collapse enum (ADR-0085)', () => {
+    const sections = deriveFieldGroupDetailSections({
+      fieldGroups: [
+        { key: 'a', label: 'A', collapse: 'collapsed' },
+        { key: 'b', label: 'B', collapse: 'expanded' },
+      ],
+      fields: { x: { group: 'a' }, y: { group: 'b' } },
+    })!;
+    expect(sections[0]).toMatchObject({ name: 'a', collapsible: true, defaultCollapsed: true });
+    expect(sections[1]).toMatchObject({ name: 'b', collapsible: true });
+    expect(sections[1].defaultCollapsed).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it('keeps audit fields an author EXPLICITLY grouped', () => {
     const def: ObjectDefLike = {
       fieldGroups: [{ key: 'meta', label: 'Meta' }],
@@ -816,10 +821,6 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupDetailSections (#2148)', () => {
         fields: { a: {}, b: {} },
       }),
     ).toBeNull();
-    // Explicit opt-out.
-    expect(
-      deriveFieldGroupDetailSections({ ...groupedDef, detail: { useFieldGroups: false } }),
-    ).toBeNull();
     // Undefined def.
     expect(deriveFieldGroupDetailSections(undefined)).toBeNull();
   });
@@ -834,7 +835,7 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupDetailSections (#2148)', () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe('resolveDetailSections priority (#2148)', () => {
+describe('resolveDetailSections priority (ADR-0085)', () => {
   const groupedDef: ObjectDefLike = {
     fieldGroups: [{ key: 'g', label: 'G' }],
     fields: { a: { group: 'g' }, b: {} },
@@ -845,13 +846,6 @@ describe('resolveDetailSections priority (#2148)', () => {
     expect(resolveDetailSections(groupedDef, explicit)).toBe(explicit);
   });
 
-  it('falls back to detail.sections next', () => {
-    const declared = [{ title: 'Declared', fields: ['a'] }];
-    expect(
-      resolveDetailSections({ ...groupedDef, detail: { sections: declared } }),
-    ).toBe(declared);
-  });
-
   it('derives from fieldGroups last, else undefined', () => {
     const derived = resolveDetailSections(groupedDef)!;
     expect(derived[0]).toMatchObject({ name: 'g', title: 'G' });
@@ -882,10 +876,10 @@ describe('buildDefaultPageSchema integration (#2148)', () => {
     expect(details.sections[0]).toMatchObject({ name: 'basic', title: 'Basic' });
   });
 
-  it('detail.stageField: false drops record:path', () => {
+  it('stageField: false drops record:path', () => {
     const def: ObjectDefLike = {
       ...leadDef,
-      detail: { stageField: false },
+      stageField: false,
     };
     const types = buildDefaultPageSchema(def).regions[0].components.map((c: any) => c.type);
     expect(types).not.toContain('record:path');
diff --git a/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/buildDefaultPageSchema.ts b/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/buildDefaultPageSchema.ts
index 1504f3284..4525aeb1a 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/buildDefaultPageSchema.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-detail/src/synth/buildDefaultPageSchema.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
  * the existing DetailView output.
  */
 
+import { deriveFieldGroupLayout } from '@objectstack/spec/data';
+
 /** Minimal shape of an object definition we read here. We deliberately
  *  duck-type so this helper has zero hard dependency on a specific
  *  object-schema shape. */
@@ -30,11 +32,17 @@ export interface ObjectDefLike {
   name?: string;
   label?: string;
   fields?: Record<string, ObjectFieldLike>;
-  /** Optional stage hints — when present we emit a `record:path`. */
-  stageField?: string;
+  /** Semantic role (ADR-0085): the linear-lifecycle field driving the
+   *  `record:path` stepper. `false` = the status-shaped field is NOT a
+   *  linear flow — suppress stage detection entirely (#2065). */
+  stageField?: string | false;
   stages?: Array<{ value: any; label: string }>;
-  /** Optional list of fields to surface in the highlight strip. */
+  /** Semantic role (ADR-0085): the object's most important fields —
+   *  drives the highlight strip (first 4). */
   highlightFields?: string[];
+  /** @deprecated Renamed to `highlightFields` (ADR-0085). Read as a
+   *  fallback for pre-11.7 metadata that reaches consumers un-normalized. */
+  compactLayout?: string[];
   /** Name of the field that holds the record's display title (e.g. `name`,
    *  `subject`). When present we exclude it from the auto-derived highlight
    *  list to avoid duplicating the page H1. */
@@ -49,29 +57,16 @@ export interface ObjectDefLike {
   fieldGroups?: Array<{
     key?: string;
     label?: string;
+    collapse?: 'none' | 'expanded' | 'collapsed';
+    /** @deprecated pre-ADR-0085 pair; honoured by the shared derivation. */
     collapsible?: boolean;
+    /** @deprecated pre-ADR-0085 pair; honoured by the shared derivation. */
     collapsed?: boolean;
   }>;
-  /**
-   * Author-facing detail hints. This block is the ONLY spec-writable home
-   * for detail-page hints: `@objectstack/spec`'s ObjectSchema rejects
-   * unknown top-level keys (`views`, top-level `stageField`, …) but keeps
-   * the `detail` block passthrough. Keys read here:
-   * - `stageField` — explicit status field, or `false` to suppress the
-   *   `record:path` stepper entirely (#2065).
-   * - `highlightFields` — explicit highlight strip (string names or
-   *   `{ name }` objects).
-   * - `sections` — explicit detail sections, same shape as
-   *   `BuildPageOptions['sections']`.
-   * - `useFieldGroups: false` — opt out of fieldGroups-derived sections.
-   */
-  detail?: {
-    stageField?: string | false;
-    highlightFields?: Array<string | { name?: string }>;
-    sections?: Array<{ title?: string; columns?: number; fields?: any[] }>;
-    useFieldGroups?: boolean;
-    [key: string]: any;
-  };
+  // NOTE: the per-surface `detail` hints block was REMOVED from the spec by
+  // ADR-0085 — presentation intent is declared via the top-level semantic
+  // roles above (stageField / highlightFields / fieldGroups). Per-page
+  // customization goes through an assigned Page schema.
 }
 
 export interface ObjectFieldLike {
@@ -224,19 +219,17 @@ function toNodeArray(slot: any | any[] | undefined): any[] {
  * Detect the canonical "status" / "stage" field on an object definition.
  *
  * Heuristic — same as DetailView's `autoSummaryFields`:
- *   1) `objectDef.detail.stageField` — the spec-writable hint. `false`
- *      suppresses stage detection entirely (no `record:path`, #2065).
- *   2) else an explicit top-level `objectDef.stageField` (legacy /
- *      non-spec metadata; the spec strips this key)
- *   3) else first field named status / stage / state / phase
- *   4) else null
+ *   1) the top-level `objectDef.stageField` semantic role (spec-typed since
+ *      ADR-0085). `false` = the status-shaped field is NOT a linear flow —
+ *      suppress stage detection entirely (no `record:path`, #2065).
+ *   2) else first field named status / stage / state / phase
+ *   3) else null
  */
 export function detectStatusField(def?: ObjectDefLike): string | null {
   if (!def) return null;
-  const hint = def.detail?.stageField;
+  const hint = def.stageField;
   if (hint === false) return null;
   if (typeof hint === 'string' && hint) return hint;
-  if (def.stageField) return def.stageField;
   const fields = def.fields || {};
   const candidates = ['status', 'stage', 'state', 'phase'];
   for (const key of candidates) {
@@ -273,17 +266,18 @@ export function deriveHighlightFields(
   max = 4,
 ): string[] {
   if (!def) return [];
-  // Spec-writable hint first: `detail.highlightFields` accepts string
-  // names or `{ name }` objects (the shape RecordDetailView's legacy
-  // schema uses).
-  const declared = (Array.isArray(def.detail?.highlightFields) ? def.detail!.highlightFields! : [])
-    .map((f) => (typeof f === 'string' ? f : f?.name))
-    .filter((n): n is string => typeof n === 'string' && n.length > 0);
-  if (declared.length > 0) {
-    return declared.slice(0, max);
-  }
-  if (Array.isArray(def.highlightFields) && def.highlightFields.length > 0) {
-    return def.highlightFields.slice(0, max);
+  // Semantic role first (ADR-0085): top-level `highlightFields`, with the
+  // deprecated `compactLayout` spelling as a fallback for pre-11.7 metadata
+  // that reaches consumers un-normalized (the spec mirrors the two on parse).
+  const declared = Array.isArray(def.highlightFields) && def.highlightFields.length > 0
+    ? def.highlightFields
+    : Array.isArray(def.compactLayout) && def.compactLayout.length > 0
+      ? def.compactLayout
+      : null;
+  if (declared) {
+    return declared
+      .filter((n): n is string => typeof n === 'string' && n.length > 0)
+      .slice(0, max);
   }
   // System fields and tenancy metadata never make useful highlights —
   // they either have no friendly label (organization_id renders as the
@@ -409,34 +403,16 @@ export function buildDefaultHighlights(
   return out;
 }
 
-/**
- * System / audit fields the app-shell filters out of auto-generated detail
- * sections. Mirrored here so fieldGroups-derived sections (used by the
- * synth-only consumers — Studio page preview, metadata-admin anchors)
- * match the runtime detail page. Fields an author EXPLICITLY assigns to a
- * group are kept — explicit listing wins, same as authored sections.
- */
-const DERIVED_SECTION_SKIP_FIELDS = new Set<string>([
-  'created_at', 'created_by', 'updated_at', 'updated_by',
-  'organization_id', 'tenant_id', 'is_deleted', 'deleted_at',
-]);
-
 /**
  * Derive detail sections from the object's declared `fieldGroups` plus each
- * field's `group` membership — the same metadata the object designer writes
- * and the runtime form (`@object-ui/plugin-form` `deriveFieldGroupSections`)
- * already honours. Semantics mirror the form side:
+ * field's `group` membership. The grouping SEMANTICS (declared order, empty
+ * groups dropped, trailing untitled bucket, audit-field handling, collapse
+ * behaviour incl. legacy alias handling) are single-sourced in
+ * `@objectstack/spec` (`deriveFieldGroupLayout`, ADR-0085 §5); this adapter
+ * only maps the shared result onto DetailSection's shape.
  *
- *   - sections come back in declared-group order;
- *   - declared groups no visible field references are dropped;
- *   - fields without a (declared) group collect into a trailing untitled
- *     section so they render flat rather than as a spurious card;
- *   - `collapsible` / `collapsed` pass through (as DetailSection's
- *     `collapsible` / `defaultCollapsed`).
- *
- * Returns `null` when grouping does not apply — no declared groups, no
- * visible field references one, or the object opted out via
- * `detail.useFieldGroups: false` — so callers fall back to their existing
+ * Returns `null` when grouping does not apply — no declared groups, or no
+ * visible field references one — so callers fall back to their existing
  * layout (flat or auto-split).
  *
  * Section fields are emitted as rich descriptors (`{ name, label, type,
@@ -447,19 +423,9 @@ export function deriveFieldGroupDetailSections(
   def: ObjectDefLike | undefined,
 ): Array<Record<string, any>> | null {
   if (!def) return null;
-  if (def.detail?.useFieldGroups === false) return null;
-  const declared = (Array.isArray(def.fieldGroups) ? def.fieldGroups : [])
-    .filter((g): g is NonNullable<typeof g> => !!g && typeof g === 'object')
-    .map((g) => ({
-      key: typeof g.key === 'string' ? g.key : '',
-      label: typeof g.label === 'string' ? g.label : undefined,
-      collapsible: typeof g.collapsible === 'boolean' ? g.collapsible : undefined,
-      collapsed: typeof g.collapsed === 'boolean' ? g.collapsed : undefined,
-    }))
-    .filter((g) => g.key);
-  if (declared.length === 0) return null;
+  const derived = deriveFieldGroupLayout(def);
+  if (!derived) return null;
 
-  const declaredKeys = new Set(declared.map((g) => g.key));
   const fields = def.fields || {};
   const toField = (name: string) => {
     const f = fields[name] || {};
@@ -476,60 +442,29 @@ export function deriveFieldGroupDetailSections(
     };
   };
 
-  const buckets = new Map<string, string[]>();
-  for (const g of declared) buckets.set(g.key, []);
-  const ungrouped: string[] = [];
-  let anyGrouped = false;
-  for (const [name, f] of Object.entries(fields)) {
-    if (f?.hidden) continue;
-    const g = typeof f?.group === 'string' && declaredKeys.has(f.group) ? f.group : null;
-    if (g) {
-      buckets.get(g)!.push(name);
-      anyGrouped = true;
-    } else if (!DERIVED_SECTION_SKIP_FIELDS.has(name)) {
-      ungrouped.push(name);
-    }
-  }
-  // No visible field references a declared group → keep the flat layout.
-  if (!anyGrouped) return null;
-
-  const sections: Array<Record<string, any>> = [];
-  for (const g of declared) {
-    const names = buckets.get(g.key)!;
-    if (names.length === 0) continue;
-    sections.push({
-      name: g.key,
-      title: g.label ?? g.key,
-      ...(g.collapsible !== undefined ? { collapsible: g.collapsible } : {}),
-      ...(g.collapsed !== undefined ? { defaultCollapsed: g.collapsed } : {}),
-      fields: names.map(toField),
-    });
-  }
-  // Trailing untitled bucket for ungrouped fields. Omitting `name`/`title`
-  // keeps the section flat (record-details defaults showBorder to false
-  // for untitled sections) instead of surfacing an internal key as a
-  // header.
-  if (ungrouped.length > 0) {
-    sections.push({ fields: ungrouped.map(toField) });
-  }
-  return sections.length > 0 ? sections : null;
+  // Untitled trailing bucket: omitting `name`/`title` keeps the section flat
+  // (record-details defaults showBorder to false for untitled sections)
+  // instead of surfacing an internal key as a header.
+  return derived.map((s) => ({
+    ...(s.key !== undefined ? { name: s.key, title: s.label ?? s.key } : {}),
+    ...(s.collapse !== 'none' ? { collapsible: true } : {}),
+    ...(s.collapse === 'collapsed' ? { defaultCollapsed: true } : {}),
+    fields: s.fields.map(toField),
+  }));
 }
 
 /**
  * Resolve the sections for the Details tab body:
- *   1) explicit `options.sections` from the caller (RecordDetailView folds
- *      `detail.sections` / legacy `views.form.sections` in here);
- *   2) else the object's spec-writable `detail.sections`;
- *   3) else sections derived from `fieldGroups` (designer metadata);
- *   4) else `undefined` — record:details falls back to its flat layout.
+ *   1) explicit `options.sections` from the caller (programmatic API —
+ *      Studio preview / metadata-admin anchors);
+ *   2) else sections derived from the object's `fieldGroups` semantic role;
+ *   3) else `undefined` — record:details falls back to its flat layout.
  */
 export function resolveDetailSections(
   def: ObjectDefLike | undefined,
   sections?: BuildPageOptions['sections'],
 ): BuildPageOptions['sections'] | undefined {
   if (Array.isArray(sections) && sections.length > 0) return sections;
-  const declared = def?.detail?.sections;
-  if (Array.isArray(declared) && declared.length > 0) return declared;
   return deriveFieldGroupDetailSections(def) ?? undefined;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/plugin-form/package.json b/packages/plugin-form/package.json
index e41777338..e2e91292d 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-form/package.json
+++ b/packages/plugin-form/package.json
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     "@object-ui/permissions": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "lucide-react": "^1.22.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.test.ts b/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.test.ts
index 1cb75b4a4..11a2e4242 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.test.ts
@@ -1,57 +1,10 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { readObjectFieldGroups, deriveFieldGroupSections } from './fieldGroups';
+import { deriveFieldGroupSections } from './fieldGroups';
 import type { FormField } from '@object-ui/types';
 
 const field = (name: string, group?: string): FormField =>
   ({ name, label: name, ...(group ? { group } : {}) }) as FormField;
 
-describe('readObjectFieldGroups', () => {
-  it('normalizes a well-formed list', () => {
-    expect(
-      readObjectFieldGroups([
-        { key: 'contact', label: 'Contact' },
-        { key: 'billing', label: 'Billing' },
-      ]),
-    ).toEqual([
-      { key: 'contact', label: 'Contact' },
-      { key: 'billing', label: 'Billing' },
-    ]);
-  });
-
-  it('drops entries without a string key and tolerates a missing label', () => {
-    expect(
-      readObjectFieldGroups([
-        { key: 'contact' },
-        { label: 'no key' },
-        { key: 42 },
-        null,
-        'nope',
-      ]),
-    ).toEqual([{ key: 'contact', label: undefined }]);
-  });
-
-  it('returns [] for non-array input', () => {
-    expect(readObjectFieldGroups(undefined)).toEqual([]);
-    expect(readObjectFieldGroups(null)).toEqual([]);
-    expect(readObjectFieldGroups({})).toEqual([]);
-  });
-
-  it('reads collapsible/collapsed flags when present and ignores non-booleans', () => {
-    expect(
-      readObjectFieldGroups([
-        { key: 'a', label: 'A', collapsible: true, collapsed: true },
-        { key: 'b', label: 'B', collapsible: false },
-        { key: 'c', label: 'C', collapsible: 'yes' },
-      ]),
-    ).toEqual([
-      { key: 'a', label: 'A', collapsible: true, collapsed: true },
-      { key: 'b', label: 'B', collapsible: false },
-      // 'yes' is not a boolean → dropped (treated as not set)
-      { key: 'c', label: 'C' },
-    ]);
-  });
-});
-
 describe('deriveFieldGroupSections', () => {
   const groups = [
     { key: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info' },
@@ -69,6 +22,16 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupSections', () => {
     expect(deriveFieldGroupSections([field('a', 'unknown')], groups)).toBeNull();
   });
 
+  it('drops malformed group entries but keeps the valid ones', () => {
+    const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
+      [field('email', 'contact')],
+      [{ key: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info' }, { label: 'no key' }, { key: 42 }, null, 'nope'],
+    );
+    expect(sections).toEqual([
+      { name: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info', fields: ['email'] },
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('groups fields in declared order using field names', () => {
     const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
       [field('email', 'contact'), field('amount', 'billing'), field('phone', 'contact')],
@@ -101,6 +64,19 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupSections', () => {
     expect(sections?.[1]).not.toHaveProperty('label');
   });
 
+  it('keeps rendered audit/system fields by re-appending them to the trailing bucket', () => {
+    // The shared derivation excludes audit fields from DEFAULT buckets, but a
+    // field the form already renders must never be silently dropped.
+    const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
+      [field('email', 'contact'), field('created_at')],
+      groups,
+    );
+    expect(sections).toEqual([
+      { name: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info', fields: ['email'] },
+      { fields: ['created_at'] },
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('falls back to a group key when no label is given', () => {
     const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
       [field('email', 'contact')],
@@ -109,7 +85,23 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupSections', () => {
     expect(sections).toEqual([{ name: 'contact', label: 'contact', fields: ['email'] }]);
   });
 
-  it('passes collapsible/collapsed through to derived sections', () => {
+  it('maps the canonical collapse enum onto the renderer flags (ADR-0085)', () => {
+    const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
+      [field('email', 'contact'), field('amount', 'billing'), field('note', 'plain')],
+      [
+        { key: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info', collapse: 'collapsed' },
+        { key: 'billing', label: 'Billing', collapse: 'expanded' },
+        { key: 'plain', label: 'Plain', collapse: 'none' },
+      ],
+    );
+    expect(sections).toEqual([
+      { name: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info', fields: ['email'], collapsible: true, collapsed: true },
+      { name: 'billing', label: 'Billing', fields: ['amount'], collapsible: true },
+      { name: 'plain', label: 'Plain', fields: ['note'] },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('still honours the deprecated collapsible/collapsed pair (pre-ADR-0085 metadata)', () => {
     const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
       [field('email', 'contact'), field('amount', 'billing')],
       [
@@ -123,6 +115,16 @@ describe('deriveFieldGroupSections', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it('still honours the deprecated defaultExpanded spec flag', () => {
+    const sections = deriveFieldGroupSections(
+      [field('email', 'contact')],
+      [{ key: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info', defaultExpanded: false }],
+    );
+    expect(sections).toEqual([
+      { name: 'contact', label: 'Contact Info', fields: ['email'], collapsible: true, collapsed: true },
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('omits collapse flags entirely when a group does not declare them', () => {
     const [section] = deriveFieldGroupSections([field('email', 'contact')], groups)!;
     expect(section).not.toHaveProperty('collapsible');
diff --git a/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.ts b/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.ts
index cbd5511f7..8ed803d05 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-form/src/fieldGroups.ts
@@ -9,99 +9,70 @@
 /**
  * Field-group helpers for ObjectForm.
  *
- * An object's metadata can declare top-level `fieldGroups` (a.k.a. sections),
- * and individual fields opt into a group via `field.group === group.key`. The
- * object designer already lays out fields this way; these helpers let the
- * runtime form renderer honour the same grouping so authored sections show up
- * on the actual record form — not just in the designer preview.
- *
- * The grouping semantics mirror the designer's `groupEntries`: sections render
- * in declared order, and any field without a (declared) group lands in a
- * trailing untitled bucket.
+ * An object's metadata declares top-level `fieldGroups`, and individual
+ * fields opt into a group via `field.group === group.key`. The grouping
+ * SEMANTICS (declared order, empty groups dropped, trailing untitled bucket,
+ * collapse behaviour incl. legacy alias handling) are single-sourced in
+ * `@objectstack/spec` (`deriveFieldGroupLayout`, ADR-0085 §5) — this module
+ * is only the adapter from that shared derivation onto the form renderer's
+ * `ObjectFormSection` shape and its permission-filtered `FormField` list.
  */
 
+import { deriveFieldGroupLayout } from '@objectstack/spec/data';
 import type { FormField, ObjectFormSection } from '@object-ui/types';
 
-/** A declared field group on the object metadata. */
-export interface DeclaredFieldGroup {
-  key: string;
-  label?: string;
-  /** Render the group's section header with a collapse toggle. */
-  collapsible?: boolean;
-  /** Start the (collapsible) group collapsed. */
-  collapsed?: boolean;
-}
-
-/** Read an object's `fieldGroups` into a normalized, well-typed list. */
-export function readObjectFieldGroups(input: unknown): DeclaredFieldGroup[] {
-  if (!Array.isArray(input)) return [];
-  return input
-    .filter((g): g is Record<string, unknown> => !!g && typeof g === 'object')
-    .map((g) => ({
-      key: typeof g.key === 'string' ? (g.key as string) : '',
-      label: typeof g.label === 'string' ? (g.label as string) : undefined,
-      collapsible: typeof g.collapsible === 'boolean' ? (g.collapsible as boolean) : undefined,
-      collapsed: typeof g.collapsed === 'boolean' ? (g.collapsed as boolean) : undefined,
-    }))
-    .filter((g) => g.key);
-}
-
 /**
  * Derive form sections from an object's declared `fieldGroups` and each
  * rendered field's `group`.
  *
  * Returns `null` when grouping does not apply — no declared groups, or no
  * rendered field opts into a declared group — so callers fall back to a flat
- * form. Sections come back in declared order; fields without a declared group
- * collect into a trailing untitled section (no `name`/`label`) so they render
- * as a plain block rather than a card.
+ * form.
  *
- * Section `fields` are returned as field *names* (strings) so the result plugs
- * straight into ObjectForm's existing section-render path, which resolves names
- * back to generated `FormField`s and applies field-level permissions.
+ * The derivation runs against the RENDERED field list (post permission /
+ * visibility filtering), not the raw object def, so a section never names a
+ * field the form isn't showing. Any rendered field the shared derivation
+ * excludes from its default buckets (audit/system fields) is re-appended to
+ * the trailing bucket: the form was already told to render it, and a layout
+ * helper silently dropping a rendered input is exactly the failure mode
+ * ADR-0085 exists to kill.
+ *
+ * Section `fields` are field *names* (strings) so the result plugs straight
+ * into ObjectForm's existing section-render path.
  */
 export function deriveFieldGroupSections(
   fields: FormField[],
   fieldGroups: unknown,
 ): ObjectFormSection[] | null {
-  const declared = readObjectFieldGroups(fieldGroups);
-  if (declared.length === 0) return null;
-
-  const declaredKeys = new Set(declared.map((g) => g.key));
-  const groupOf = (f: FormField): string | null => {
-    const g = (f as { group?: unknown }).group;
-    return typeof g === 'string' && declaredKeys.has(g) ? g : null;
-  };
+  const derived = deriveFieldGroupLayout({
+    fieldGroups,
+    // Pseudo-def over the rendered fields: membership is the only input the
+    // derivation needs per field.
+    fields: Object.fromEntries(
+      fields.map((f) => [f.name, { group: (f as { group?: unknown }).group }]),
+    ),
+  });
+  if (!derived) return null;
 
-  // No field references a declared group → keep the flat layout.
-  if (!fields.some((f) => groupOf(f) !== null)) return null;
+  const placed = new Set(derived.flatMap((s) => s.fields));
+  const leftover = fields.map((f) => f.name).filter((n) => !placed.has(n));
 
-  const buckets = new Map<string, FormField[]>();
-  for (const g of declared) buckets.set(g.key, []);
-  const ungrouped: FormField[] = [];
-  for (const f of fields) {
-    const g = groupOf(f);
-    if (g) buckets.get(g)!.push(f);
-    else ungrouped.push(f);
-  }
+  const sections: ObjectFormSection[] = derived.map((s) => ({
+    ...(s.key !== undefined ? { name: s.key } : {}),
+    ...(s.key !== undefined ? { label: s.label ?? s.key } : {}),
+    fields: [...s.fields],
+    // Map the shared `collapse` enum onto the renderer's boolean pair.
+    ...(s.collapse !== 'none' ? { collapsible: true } : {}),
+    ...(s.collapse === 'collapsed' ? { collapsed: true } : {}),
+  }));
 
-  const sections: ObjectFormSection[] = [];
-  for (const g of declared) {
-    const items = buckets.get(g.key)!;
-    if (items.length === 0) continue;
-    sections.push({
-      name: g.key,
-      label: g.label ?? g.key,
-      fields: items.map((f) => f.name),
-      ...(g.collapsible !== undefined ? { collapsible: g.collapsible } : {}),
-      ...(g.collapsed !== undefined ? { collapsed: g.collapsed } : {}),
-    });
-  }
-  // Trailing untitled bucket for ungrouped fields. Omitting `name`/`label`
-  // makes the section render flat (no card chrome) instead of surfacing an
-  // internal key as a header.
-  if (ungrouped.length > 0) {
-    sections.push({ fields: ungrouped.map((f) => f.name) });
+  if (leftover.length > 0) {
+    const trailing = sections[sections.length - 1];
+    if (trailing && trailing.name === undefined) {
+      trailing.fields = [...(trailing.fields ?? []), ...leftover];
+    } else {
+      sections.push({ fields: leftover });
+    }
   }
 
   return sections;
diff --git a/packages/plugin-gantt/package.json b/packages/plugin-gantt/package.json
index 2af8da656..6cfedd098 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-gantt/package.json
+++ b/packages/plugin-gantt/package.json
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
     "@object-ui/plugin-detail": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "lucide-react": "^1.22.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-grid/src/ObjectGrid.tsx b/packages/plugin-grid/src/ObjectGrid.tsx
index 612b93624..9f7943888 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-grid/src/ObjectGrid.tsx
+++ b/packages/plugin-grid/src/ObjectGrid.tsx
@@ -1196,7 +1196,8 @@ export const ObjectGrid: React.FC<ObjectGridProps> = ({
 
     const generatedColumns: any[] = [];
     // Default columns priority (when schema doesn't specify columns):
-    //   1. Explicit `compactLayout` from the object schema (curated business fields).
+    //   1. The object's `highlightFields` semantic role (ADR-0085; deprecated
+    //      `compactLayout` spelling read as fallback for pre-11.7 metadata).
     //   2. Otherwise, all schema fields with system-managed fields pushed to the end.
     //
     // Also drop fields that are platform-managed identifiers/audit columns or
@@ -1208,7 +1209,8 @@ export const ObjectGrid: React.FC<ObjectGridProps> = ({
       'deleted_at', 'deletedAt', 'created_by', 'createdBy',
       'updated_by', 'updatedBy', '_version', '_rev',
     ]);
-    const compactLayout: string[] | undefined = (objectSchema as any)?.compactLayout;
+    const compactLayout: string[] | undefined =
+      (objectSchema as any)?.highlightFields ?? (objectSchema as any)?.compactLayout;
     const allFieldNames = Object.keys(objectSchema.fields || {});
     let fieldsToShow: string[];
     if (schemaFields) {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-map/package.json b/packages/plugin-map/package.json
index 484e28754..c3f38f205 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-map/package.json
+++ b/packages/plugin-map/package.json
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
     "@object-ui/core": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "lucide-react": "^1.22.0",
     "maplibre-gl": "^5.24.0",
     "react-map-gl": "^8.1.1",
diff --git a/packages/plugin-timeline/package.json b/packages/plugin-timeline/package.json
index eb0585615..107f9a47d 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-timeline/package.json
+++ b/packages/plugin-timeline/package.json
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "@object-ui/mobile": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "class-variance-authority": "^0.7.1",
     "zod": "^4.4.3"
   },
diff --git a/packages/plugin-tree/package.json b/packages/plugin-tree/package.json
index 2e0db3536..2e4ba899e 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-tree/package.json
+++ b/packages/plugin-tree/package.json
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
     "@object-ui/core": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/react": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "lucide-react": "^1.22.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/react/package.json b/packages/react/package.json
index 3838beb3e..31f3acef3 100644
--- a/packages/react/package.json
+++ b/packages/react/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "@object-ui/data-objectstack": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/i18n": "workspace:*",
     "@object-ui/types": "workspace:*",
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "react-hook-form": "^7.80.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/types/package.json b/packages/types/package.json
index 9929dbb85..2587ecb82 100644
--- a/packages/types/package.json
+++ b/packages/types/package.json
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
     "directory": "packages/types"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.5.0",
+    "@objectstack/spec": "^11.7.0",
     "zod": "^4.4.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index ae97101cc..1e8c73207 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: ^10.0.1
         version: 10.0.1(eslint@10.6.0(jiti@2.7.0))
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       '@playwright/test':
         specifier: ^1.61.1
         version: 1.61.1
@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: ^11.5.0
         version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       '@tailwindcss/postcss':
         specifier: ^4.3.1
         version: 4.3.1
@@ -397,8 +397,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../../packages/types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       fumadocs-core:
         specifier: 16.10.6
         version: 16.10.6(@mdx-js/mdx@3.1.1)(@tanstack/react-router@1.170.8(react-dom@19.2.7(react@19.2.7))(react@19.2.7))(@types/estree-jsx@1.0.5)(@types/hast@3.0.4)(@types/mdast@4.0.4)(@types/react@19.2.17)(lucide-react@1.22.0(react@19.2.7))(next@16.2.9(@babel/core@7.29.7)(@opentelemetry/api@1.9.1)(@playwright/test@1.61.1)(react-dom@19.2.7(react@19.2.7))(react@19.2.7))(react-dom@19.2.7(react@19.2.7))(react-router@7.18.0(react-dom@19.2.7(react@19.2.7))(react@19.2.7))(react@19.2.7)(zod@4.4.3)
@@ -686,8 +686,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       '@sentry/react':
         specifier: ^10.62.0
         version: 10.62.0(react@19.2.7)
@@ -1069,8 +1069,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: ^11.5.0
         version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       lodash:
         specifier: ^4.18.1
         version: 4.18.1
@@ -1715,6 +1715,9 @@ importers:
       '@object-ui/permissions':
         specifier: workspace:^
         version: link:../permissions
+      '@objectstack/spec':
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       lucide-react:
         specifier: ^1.22.0
         version: 1.22.0(react@19.2.7)
@@ -1828,6 +1831,9 @@ importers:
       '@object-ui/types':
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
+      '@objectstack/spec':
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       lucide-react:
         specifier: ^1.22.0
         version: 1.22.0(react@19.2.7)
@@ -1881,8 +1887,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       lucide-react:
         specifier: ^1.22.0
         version: 1.22.0(react@19.2.7)
@@ -2110,8 +2116,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       lucide-react:
         specifier: ^1.22.0
         version: 1.22.0(react@19.2.7)
@@ -2299,8 +2305,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       class-variance-authority:
         specifier: ^0.7.1
         version: 0.7.1
@@ -2351,8 +2357,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       lucide-react:
         specifier: ^1.22.0
         version: 1.22.0(react@19.2.7)
@@ -2474,8 +2480,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../types
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       react:
         specifier: 19.2.7
         version: 19.2.7
@@ -2599,8 +2605,8 @@ importers:
   packages/types:
     dependencies:
       '@objectstack/spec':
-        specifier: ^11.5.0
-        version: 11.5.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
+        specifier: ^11.7.0
+        version: 11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))
       zod:
         specifier: ^4.4.3
         version: 4.4.3
@@ -3857,8 +3863,8 @@ packages:
       react: 19.2.7
       react-dom: 19.2.7
 
-  '@mongodb-js/saslprep@1.4.11':
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-o9rAHc0IpIjuPSxRutWpE1F62x7n+4mVS4rCNHkzhIUMQcc18bb6xEq5wd2NdN0WjepIyXIppRshYI2kQDOZVA==}
+  '@mongodb-js/saslprep@1.4.12':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-QAfAMwNgnYxZ2C6D1HgeP7Gc4i/uvJRim415PCIL9ptRxWMNbWeLBYb2/9R4pGKny/s1FVu2JA2cxCUBUOggrA==}
 
   '@mswjs/interceptors@0.41.9':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-VVPPgHyQ6ShqnrmDWuxjmUIsO9gWyOZFmuOfLd9LfBGQJwZfy0gvv9pbHSJuoFNIYC7ZDX9aoFwowjcdSC4E8w==}
@@ -3965,6 +3971,15 @@ packages:
       ai:
         optional: true
 
+  '@objectstack/spec@11.7.0':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-cNK0Gh+mV2L9SyDBL0daWlJpOUcnADOCHpVlkiqq8Oi6lkixPrakvfLxFtmIoOEBNSbPiHepBdNgmGA9nCthXQ==}
+    engines: {node: '>=18.0.0'}
+    peerDependencies:
+      ai: ^7.0.0
+    peerDependenciesMeta:
+      ai:
+        optional: true
+
   '@open-draft/deferred-promise@2.2.0':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-CecwLWx3rhxVQF6V4bAgPS5t+So2sTbPgAzafKkVizyi7tlwpcFpdFqq+wqF2OwNBmqFuu6tOyouTuxgpMfzmA==}
 
@@ -7258,6 +7273,10 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-eKpRKAovdpZtR1WopLHxlBWvAgPny3c4gX1G5Jhwmmw4XJj0ifSD5qB5TOo8hmA0wlRKDAOAhEE1yVPgs6Fgcg==}
     engines: {node: '>=14.14'}
 
+  fs-extra@11.3.6:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-w8ZNZr2mKIc7qeNaQ9AVPT1+iFaI+Avd4xudVOvdDJ8VytREi1Ft5Ih7hd9jjehod8vAM5GMsfQ/TpPf4EyoEA==}
+    engines: {node: '>=14.14'}
+
   fs-extra@7.0.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-YJDaCJZEnBmcbw13fvdAM9AwNOJwOzrE4pqMqBq5nFiEqXUqHwlK4B+3pUw6JNvfSPtX05xFHtYy/1ni01eGCw==}
     engines: {node: '>=6 <7 || >=8'}
@@ -11963,7 +11982,7 @@ snapshots:
       react: 19.2.7
       react-dom: 19.2.7(react@19.2.7)
 
-  '@mongodb-js/saslprep@1.4.11':
+  '@mongodb-js/saslprep@1.4.12':
     dependencies:
       sparse-bitfield: 3.0.3
     optional: true
@@ -12053,6 +12072,12 @@ snapshots:
     optionalDependencies:
       ai: 7.0.4(zod@4.4.3)
 
+  '@objectstack/spec@11.7.0(ai@7.0.4(zod@4.4.3))':
+    dependencies:
+      zod: 4.4.3
+    optionalDependencies:
+      ai: 7.0.4(zod@4.4.3)
+
   '@open-draft/deferred-promise@2.2.0': {}
 
   '@open-draft/deferred-promise@3.0.0': {}
@@ -12900,7 +12925,7 @@ snapshots:
       ajv: 8.18.0
       ajv-draft-04: 1.0.0(ajv@8.18.0)
       ajv-formats: 3.0.1(ajv@8.18.0)
-      fs-extra: 11.3.5
+      fs-extra: 11.3.6
       import-lazy: 4.0.0
       jju: 1.4.0
       resolve: 1.22.12
@@ -15545,6 +15570,13 @@ snapshots:
       jsonfile: 6.2.1
       universalify: 2.0.1
 
+  fs-extra@11.3.6:
+    dependencies:
+      graceful-fs: 4.2.11
+      jsonfile: 6.2.1
+      universalify: 2.0.1
+    optional: true
+
   fs-extra@7.0.1:
     dependencies:
       graceful-fs: 4.2.11
@@ -17148,7 +17180,7 @@ snapshots:
 
   mongodb@7.2.0:
     dependencies:
-      '@mongodb-js/saslprep': 1.4.11
+      '@mongodb-js/saslprep': 1.4.12
       bson: 7.3.1
       mongodb-connection-string-url: 7.0.1
     optional: true