docs: update documentation for features from 2026-04-04

- Add 'update' command as Beta to feature-stages.md (PR Azure#7489)
- Update azd-update.md design doc status to Beta, remove alpha toggle section
- Add new layer-hooks.md documenting per-provisioning-layer hooks (PR Azure#7382)

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: github-actions[bot]

cli/azd/docs/design/azd-update.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Design: `azd update`, Auto-Update & Channel Management
 
 **Epic**: [#6721](https://github.com/Azure/azure-dev/issues/6721)
-**Status**: Draft
+**Status**: Beta
 
 ---
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Today, when a new version of `azd` is available, users see a warning message wit
 2. **Auto-update** — opt-in background updates applied at next startup
 3. **Channel management** — ability to switch between `stable` and `daily` builds
 
-The feature ships as a hidden command behind an alpha feature toggle (`alpha.update`) for safe rollout. When the toggle is off, there are zero changes to existing behavior — `azd version`, update notifications, everything stays exactly as it is today.
+The feature previously shipped as an alpha command behind the `alpha.update` feature toggle. As of `1.24.0`, `azd update` is promoted to **Beta** and is available by default — no feature toggle required.
 
 ---
 
@@ -361,14 +361,11 @@ Uses the existing azd telemetry infrastructure (OpenTelemetry). New telemetry fi
 
 These codes are integrated into azd's `MapError` pipeline, so update failures show up properly in telemetry dashboards alongside other command errors.
 
-### 8. Feature Toggle (Alpha Gate)
+### 8. Feature Stage (Beta)
 
-The entire update feature ships behind `alpha.update` (default: off). This means:
+`azd update` is promoted to **Beta** as of `1.24.0` and is available by default without any feature flag. Users will see a one-time Beta notice on first use, and a default update channel (`stable`) is persisted to config so the notice is only shown once.
 
-- **Toggle off** (default): Zero behavior changes. `azd version` output is the same. Update notification shows the existing platform-specific install instructions. `azd update` returns an error telling the user to enable the feature.
-- **Toggle on** (`azd config set alpha.update on`): All update features are active — `azd update` works, auto-update stages/applies, `azd version` shows the channel suffix, notifications say "run `azd update`."
-
-This lets us roll out to internal users first, gather feedback, and fix issues before broader availability. Once stable, the toggle can be removed and the feature enabled by default.
+Previously, the feature shipped behind the `alpha.update` flag. All references to that flag have been removed.
 
 ### 9. Update Banner Suppression
 

cli/azd/docs/feature-stages.md

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ As of `1.21.1`, each Azure Developer CLI feature has been evaluated and assigned
 | Command      | package                  | Beta      |
 | Command      | add                      | Beta      |
 | Command      | infra generate           | Beta      |
+| Command      | update                   | Beta      |
 | Language     | Python                   | Stable    |
 | Language     | JavaScript/TypeScript    | Stable    |
 | Language     | Java                     | Stable    |

cli/azd/docs/layer-hooks.md

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# Hooks for Provisioning Layers
+
+The Azure Developer CLI supports running lifecycle hooks at the individual provisioning layer level when using [Layered Provisioning](../docs/feature-stages.md).
+
+## Overview
+
+In addition to project-level and service-level hooks, you can define `preprovision` and `postprovision` hooks directly on each entry in `infra.layers[]` inside `azure.yaml`. These layer hooks run in the context of the layer's own directory, making it easy to run layer-specific scripts without sharing infrastructure.
+
+## Configuring Layer Hooks
+
+Add a `hooks` block to any layer under `infra.layers` in your `azure.yaml`:
+
+```yaml
+infra:
+  layers:
+    - name: shared
+      path: infra/shared
+      hooks:
+        preprovision:
+          shell: sh
+          run: ./scripts/prepare-shared.sh
+        postprovision:
+          shell: sh
+          run: ./scripts/notify-shared-done.sh
+
+    - name: app
+      path: infra/app
+      hooks:
+        preprovision:
+          shell: sh
+          run: ./scripts/prepare-app.sh
+```
+
+### Supported hook events
+
+| Hook name       | When it runs                           |
+| --------------- | -------------------------------------- |
+| `preprovision`  | Before the layer's resources are deployed |
+| `postprovision` | After the layer's resources are deployed  |
+
+### Hook paths
+
+All paths specified in layer hooks are resolved **relative to the layer's `path`** directory (not the project root).
+
+## Running Layer Hooks Manually
+
+Use `azd hooks run` with the new `--layer` flag to run hooks for a specific provisioning layer:
+
+```bash
+# Run the 'preprovision' hook for the 'shared' layer only
+azd hooks run preprovision --layer shared
+
+# Run the 'postprovision' hook for the 'app' layer only
+azd hooks run postprovision --layer app
+```
+
+> **Note**: `--layer` and `--service` are mutually exclusive. You cannot specify both in the same command.
+
+## Multi-hook format
+
+Each hook event accepts either a single hook object or an array of hook objects:
+
+```yaml
+infra:
+  layers:
+    - name: shared
+      path: infra/shared
+      hooks:
+        preprovision:
+          - shell: sh
+            run: ./scripts/step1.sh
+          - shell: sh
+            run: ./scripts/step2.sh
+```
+
+## Related
+
+- [Layered Provisioning](../docs/feature-stages.md)
+- [Hooks (project and service level)](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/developer/azure-developer-cli/azd-schema#hooks)