iterative · shcheklein · Mar 14, 2021 · Feb 3, 2021 · Mar 1, 2021 · Mar 14, 2021
diff --git a/content/docs/command-reference/add.md b/content/docs/command-reference/add.md
@@ -146,10 +146,12 @@ not.
   Shell style wildcards supported: `*`, `?`, `[seq]`, `[!seq]`, and `**`
 
 - `--external` - allow `targets` that are outside of the DVC repository. See
-  [Managing External Data](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data).
+  [External Outputs](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs).
 
-  > Note that external outputs typically require an external cache setup. See
-  > link above for more details.
+  > ⚠️ Note that this is an advanced feature for very specific situations and
+  > not recommended except if there's absolutely no other alternative.
+  > Additionally, this typically requires an external cache setup (see link
+  > above).
 
 - `--to-remote` - import an external target, but don't move it into the
   workspace, nor cache it. [Transfer it](#example-transfer-to-remote-storage) it

diff --git a/content/docs/command-reference/config.md b/content/docs/command-reference/config.md
@@ -185,30 +185,30 @@ This section contains the following options, which affect the project's
   directories, which is useful when you are using a a
   [shared development server](/doc/use-cases/shared-development-server).
 
-- `cache.local` - name of a _local remote_ to use as a
-  [custom cache](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data#examples) directory.
+- `cache.local` - name of a _local remote_ to
+  [use as external cache](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs#examples) directory.
   (Refer to `dvc remote` for more information on "local remotes".) This will
   overwrite the value provided to `dvc config cache.dir` or `dvc cache dir`.
 
 - `cache.s3` - name of an Amazon S3 remote to use as
-  [external cache](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data#examples).
+  [use as external cache](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs#examples).
 
 - `cache.gs` - name of a Google Cloud Storage remote to use as
-  [external cache](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data#examples).
+  [use as external cache](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs#examples).
 
 - `cache.ssh` - name of an SSH remote to use as
-  [external cache](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data#examples).
+  [use as external cache](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs#examples).
 
 - `cache.hdfs` - name of an HDFS remote to use as
-  [external cache](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data#examples).
+  [use as external cache](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs#examples).
 
 - `cache.webhdfs` - name of an HDFS remote with WebHDFS enabled to use as
-  [external cache](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data#examples).
+  [use as external cache](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs#examples).
 
-> Avoid using the same [DVC remote](/doc/command-reference/remote) (used for
-> `dvc push`, `dvc pull`, etc.) as external cache, because it may cause file
+> ⚠️ Avoid using the same [remote storage](/doc/command-reference/remote) used
+> for `dvc push` and `dvc pull` as external cache, because it may cause file
 > hash overlaps: the hash of an external <abbr>output</abbr> could collide with
-> a hash generated locally for another file with different content.
+> that of a local file with different content.
 
 ### state
 

diff --git a/content/docs/command-reference/run.md b/content/docs/command-reference/run.md
@@ -101,8 +101,9 @@ Relevant notes:
   for more info.)
 
 - [external dependencies](/doc/user-guide/external-dependencies) and
-  [external outputs](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data) (outside of the
-  <abbr>workspace</abbr>) are also supported (except metrics and plots).
+  [external outputs](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs) (outside of the
+  <abbr>workspace</abbr>) are also supported (except metrics and plots),
+  although not usually recommended.
 
 - Outputs are deleted from the workspace before executing the command (including
   at `dvc repro`) if their paths are found as existing files/directories (unless
@@ -259,7 +260,8 @@ $ dvc run -n second_stage './another_script.sh $MYENVVAR'
   > considered "always changed", so this option has no effect in those cases.
 
 - `--external` - allow writing outputs outside of the DVC repository. See
-  [Managing External Data](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data).
+  [External Outputs](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs) — not usually
+  recommended.
 
 - `--desc <text>` - user description of the stage (optional). This doesn't  
   affect any DVC operations.

diff --git a/content/docs/command-reference/version.md b/content/docs/command-reference/version.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ usage: dvc version [-h] [-q | -v]
 | `Supports`                                  | Types of [remote storage](/doc/command-reference/remote/add#supported-storage-types) supported by the current DVC setup (their required dependencies are installed)  |
 | `Cache types`                               | [Types of links](/doc/user-guide/large-dataset-optimization#file-link-types-for-the-dvc-cache) supported (between <abbr>workspace</abbr> and <abbr>cache</abbr>)     |
 | `Cache directory`                           | Filesystem type (e.g. ext4, FAT, etc.) and drive on which the <abbr>cache</abbr> directory is mounted                                                                |
-| `Caches`                                    | Cache [location types](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data) configured in the repo (e.g. local, SSH, S3, etc.)                                                    |
+| `Caches`                                    | Cache [location types](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs) configured in the repo (e.g. local, SSH, S3, etc.)                                                          |
 | `Remotes`                                   | Remote [location types](/doc/command-reference/remote/add#supported-storage-types) configured in the repo (e.g. SSH, S3, Google Drive, etc.)                         |
 | `Workspace directory`                       | Filesystem type (e.g. ext4, FAT, etc.) and drive on which the <abbr>workspace</abbr> is mounted                                                                      |
 | `Repo`                                      | Shows whether we are in a DVC repo and/or Git repo                                                                                                                   |

diff --git a/content/docs/sidebar.json b/content/docs/sidebar.json
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@
       "large-dataset-optimization",
       "external-dependencies",
       {
-        "label": "Managing External Data",
-        "slug": "managing-external-data"
+        "label": "External Outputs",
+        "slug": "external-outputs"
       },
       {
         "label": "Contributing",

diff --git a/content/docs/start/data-versioning.md b/content/docs/start/data-versioning.md
@@ -257,10 +257,10 @@ volume?
 While these cases are not covered in the Get Started, we recommend reading the
 following sections next to learn more about advanced workflows:
 
-- A shared [external cache](/doc/use-cases/shared-development-server) can be set
+- A [shared external cache](/doc/use-cases/shared-development-server) can be set
   up to store, version and access a lot of data on a large shared volume
   efficiently.
 - A quite advanced scenario is to track and version data directly on the remote
   storage (e.g. S3). Check out
-  [Managing External Data](https://dvc.org/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data)
-  to learn more.
+  [External Outputs](https://dvc.org/doc/user-guide/external-outputs) to learn
+  more.
diff --git a/content/docs/user-guide/external-dependencies.md b/content/docs/user-guide/external-dependencies.md
@@ -1,25 +1,24 @@
 # External Dependencies
 
 There are cases when data is so large, or its processing is organized in such a
-way, that its preferable to avoid moving it from its original location. For
-example data on a network attached storage (NAS), processing data on HDFS,
+way, that its preferable to avoid moving it from its current external location.
+For example data on a network attached storage (NAS), processing data on HDFS,
 running [Dask](https://dask.org/) via SSH, or for a script that streams data
 from S3 to process it.
 
-External dependencies and
-[external outputs](/doc/user-guide/managing-external-data) provide ways to track
-and version data outside of the <abbr>project</abbr>.
+External dependencies (and [external outputs](/doc/user-guide/external-outputs))
+provide ways to track (and version) data outside of the <abbr>project</abbr>.
 
 ## How external dependencies work
 
-External <abbr>dependencies</abbr> are considered part of the (extended) DVC
-project: DVC will track them, detecting when they change (triggering stage
-executions on `dvc repro`, for example).
+External <abbr>dependencies</abbr> will be tracked by DVC, detecting when they
+change (triggering stage executions on `dvc repro`, for example).
 
 To define files or directories in an external location as
-[stage](/doc/command-reference/run) dependencies, put their remote URLs or
+[stage](/doc/command-reference/run) dependencies, specify their remote URLs or
 external paths in `dvc.yaml` (`deps` field). Use the same format as the `url` of
-certain `dvc remote` types. Currently, the following protocols are supported:
+certain `dvc remote` types. Currently, the following supported `dvc remote`
+types/protocols:
 
 - Amazon S3
 - Microsoft Azure Blob Storage

diff --git a/...docs/user-guide/managing-external-data.md → content/docs/user-guide/external-outputs.md b/...docs/user-guide/managing-external-data.md → content/docs/user-guide/external-outputs.md
@@ -1,51 +1,48 @@
-# Managing External Data
+# External Outputs
 
-> ⚠️ This is an advanced feature that we don't recommend using unless you really
-> know what you are doing. Artifacts added with --external are not affected by
-> `dvc push/pull/status -c`. You are likely looking for
-> [straight-to-remote/cache](https://github.com/iterative/dvc/issues/4520)
-> functionality or `dvc import-url`
+> ⚠️ This is an advanced feature for very specific situations and not
+> recommended except if there's absolutely no other alternative. In most cases
+> alternatives like the `--to-cache` or `--to-remote` options of `dvc add` and
+> `dvc import-url` are more convenient. **Note** that external outputs are not
+> pushed or pulled from/to [remote storage](/doc/command-reference/remote).
 
 There are cases when data is so large, or its processing is organized in such a
-way, that its preferable to avoid moving it from its original location. For
-example data on a network attached storage (NAS), processing data on HDFS,
-running [Dask](https://dask.org/) via SSH, or for a script that streams data
-from S3 to process it.
+way, that its impossible to handle it in the local machine disk. For example
+versioning existing data on a network attached storage (NAS), processing data on
+HDFS, running [Dask](https://dask.org/) via SSH, or any code that generates
+massive files directly to the cloud.
 
-External outputs and
-[external dependencies](/doc/user-guide/external-dependencies) provide ways to
+External outputs (and
+[external dependencies](/doc/user-guide/external-dependencies)) provide ways to
 track and version data outside of the <abbr>project</abbr>.
 
 ## How external outputs work
 
-External <abbr>outputs</abbr> are considered part of the (extended) DVC project:
-DVC will track them for
+External <abbr>outputs</abbr> are considered part of the (extended)
+<abbr>workspace</abbr>: DVC will track them for
 [versioning](/doc/use-cases/versioning-data-and-model-files), detecting when
 they change (reported by `dvc status`, for example).
 
-To use existing files or directories in an external location as
-[stage](/doc/command-reference/run) outputs, give their remote URLs or external
-paths to `dvc add`, or put them in `dvc.yaml` (`deps` field). Use the same
-format as the `url` of certain `dvc remote` types. Currently, the following
-protocols are supported:
+To use existing files or directories in an external location as outputs, give
+their remote URLs or external paths to `dvc add`, or put them in `dvc.yaml`
+(`deps` field). Use the same format as the `url` of the following supported
+`dvc remote` types/protocols:
 
 - Amazon S3
 - SSH
 - HDFS
-- Local files and directories outside the <abbr>workspace</abbr>
+- Local files and directories outside the workspace
 
-External outputs require an
+⚠️ External outputs require an
 [external cache](/doc/use-cases/shared-development-server#configure-the-external-shared-cache)
 in the same external/remote file.
 
-> Note that [remote storage](/doc/command-reference/remote) is a different
-> feature, and that external outputs are not pushed or pulled from/to DVC
-> remotes.
+> Avoid using the same DVC remote used for `dvc push`, `dvc pull`, etc. as
+> external cache, because it may cause data collisions: the hash of an external
+> output could collide with that of a local file with different content.
 
-> ⚠️ Avoid using the same DVC remote used for `dvc push`, `dvc pull`, etc. for
-> external outputs, because it may cause data collisions: the hash of an
-> external output could collide with that of a local file with different
-> content.
+> Note that [remote storage](/doc/command-reference/remote) is a different
+> feature.
 
 ## Examples