Demo Mode

Environment-aware switching

Demo mode activates based on a single environment variable. When enabled, the application replaces all external service calls with local simulations — no Clerk keys, no database connection, no payment provider needed. The entire product is explorable from a cold clone.

Authentication is simulated with a mock user session that mirrors the real Clerk user object. Protected routes, role checks, and session guards all work identically to production. Users see realistic data for subscriptions, credit balances, file uploads, and AI responses without any backend infrastructure.

MSW-powered API mocking

All API calls in demo mode are intercepted by MSW (Mock Service Worker) handlers running in the browser. Handlers cover the full API surface — subscription status, credit operations, file storage, and AI streaming responses. The mocking layer sits at the network level, so components and hooks behave exactly as they would against real endpoints.

This makes demo mode useful beyond sales presentations. During local development, contributors can work on UI features without configuring external services. Onboarding a new team member takes minutes instead of hours.