fix(frontend): update env vars for dev

[NathanFlurry]

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[NathanFlurry]

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This pull request is not mergeable via GitHub because a downstack PR is open. Once all requirements are satisfied, merge this PR as a stack on Graphite.
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• feat(site): add templates #3567
• feat(examples): add user-generated-actors example #3560
• feat(frontend): create api key #3556
• fix(frontend): do not show tokens button if not on namespace page #3558
• fix(frontend): update env vars for dev #3557 👈 (View in Graphite)
• docs: clean up last few missing pieces of content #3538
• main

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[claude]

PR Review: fix(frontend): update env vars for dev

Summary

This PR simplifies frontend environment variable configuration by:

1. Removing the __AUTO__ API endpoint resolution logic
2. Removing the unused VITE_APP_CLOUD_ENGINE_URL variable
3. Adding VITE_APP_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY to local dev environment
4. Reordering .env file for better organization

✅ Positive Changes

1. Simplified Configuration Logic - Removing the __AUTO__ endpoint resolution is a good change. The logic for automatically determining API endpoints based on hostname (hub. → api.) with a fallback to staging was complex and error-prone.

2. Clear Comments - Added helpful inline comments explaining the purpose of each API endpoint (Engine API endpoint vs Cloud API endpoint).

3. Cleanup - Removed unused VITE_APP_CLOUD_ENGINE_URL variable that was defined in the schema but not present in .env.

4. Better Dev Experience - Now local development uses explicit localhost URLs which is more predictable.

🔍 Issues & Concerns

1. Code Duplication Between Files (Medium Priority)

There are two nearly identical config.ts files:

• frontend/packages/components/src/lib/config.ts (lines 27-33)
• frontend/src/components/lib/config.ts (lines 26-32)

Issue: The only difference is the SSR check (typeof window !== "undefined"). This duplication makes maintenance harder.

Recommendation: Consider consolidating these files or adding a comment explaining why both exist.

2. Missing SSR Safety in One File (Low Priority)

frontend/packages/components/src/lib/config.ts:30 uses location.origin directly without checking if window exists (unlike the other file at line 29).

Current code:

if (apiEndpoint === "__SAME__") {
    return location.origin;  // Could fail in SSR
}

Recommendation: For consistency and SSR safety, use:

if (typeof window !== "undefined" && apiEndpoint === "__SAME__") {
    return window.location.origin;
}

3. Environment Variable Validation (Low Priority)

In frontend/src/lib/env.ts:28, VITE_APP_CLOUD_API_URL is validated as z.string().url(), but it's also used in the .env with localhost (http://localhost:43708/api).

Question: Is the getApiEndpoint() transformation intentionally bypassed for cloud API? The comment says "direct URL without transformation" which suggests this is intentional, but worth confirming this matches expected behavior.

4. Removed Environment Variable Reference (Low Priority)

The removed line from env.ts:

VITE_APP_CLOUD_ENGINE_URL: z.string().url(),

Question: Are there any other parts of the codebase that might still reference this variable? The grep showed no results, so this appears safe.

🧪 Testing Recommendations

1. Local Development: Verify both engine and cloud frontends work with localhost APIs
2. Docker Builds: Confirm __SAME__ still works correctly in Docker deployments
3. SSR Scenarios: Test that the component package doesn't fail during server-side rendering
4. Production Builds: Ensure staging/production deployments still work with direct URLs

📊 Code Quality Metrics

• Lines changed: +27/-23 (net +4)
• Files modified: 5
• Risk level: Low to Medium
• Breaking changes: Potentially yes - removal of __AUTO__ logic and VITE_APP_CLOUD_ENGINE_URL

✏️ Minor Suggestions

1. Consider adding a comment in .env explaining that VITE_APP_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY is a test key safe for dev
2. The pnpm lock update shows a dependency version change - ensure this was intentional

🎯 Verdict

Overall: This is a solid cleanup PR that simplifies the configuration. The main concerns are:

• SSR safety inconsistency between the two config files
• Code duplication that should be addressed

Recommendation: Approve with minor changes - fix the SSR safety issue in frontend/packages/components/src/lib/config.ts before merging.

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Automated review by Claude Code