build: route blog through local app origin

README.md

@@ -32,13 +32,15 @@ cd DoenetTools
 npm install
 ```
 
-**3. Create the `.env` file**
+**3. Create the API `.env` file**
 
 ```bash
 npm run setup
 ```
 
-This copies `apps/api/.env.example` to `apps/api/.env`. The defaults work for local development, but edit as needed (e.g. change `DATABASE_HOST`, `DATABASE_PORT`, or `DATABASE_PASSWORD` if your MySQL setup differs — and update `DATABASE_URL` to match).
+This copies `apps/api/.env.example` to `apps/api/.env`.
+
+The API defaults work for local development, but edit as needed (e.g. change `DATABASE_HOST`, `DATABASE_PORT`, or `DATABASE_PASSWORD` if your MySQL setup differs — and update `DATABASE_URL` to match). The web defaults are already committed in `apps/web/.env`; use `apps/web/.env.local` for machine-specific overrides.
 
 **4. Start the database**
 
@@ -68,12 +70,17 @@ This starts:
 
 - Shared package watcher
 - Express API → http://localhost:3000
-- React SPA → http://localhost:8000 (proxies `/api/*` to the API)
+- React SPA → http://localhost:8000 (proxies `/api/*` to the API and `/blog/*` to Astro)
 - Astro site → http://localhost:4321
 
 This command first builds `shared` once, then starts its watch process alongside
 the app, API, and web dev servers.
 
+For local development, use the app origin for both frontends:
+
+- app pages → `http://localhost:8000/...`
+- blog pages → `http://localhost:8000/blog/...`
+
 Alternatively, run each in a separate terminal if needed:
 
 ```bash

apps/app/vite.config.mts

@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ export default defineConfig({
   server: {
     port: 8000,
     proxy: {
+      // Route blog pages and Astro-generated assets through the same frontend
+      // entry point used by the app in production.
+      "/blog": "http://localhost:4321",
+      "/_astro": "http://localhost:4321",
+      "/_image": "http://localhost:4321",
       "/cyapi": "http://apache",
       //"/media": "http://apache",
       "/api": "http://localhost:3000",

apps/web/.env

@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 # Default local build environment variables for the Doenet blog.
 # This file is intentionally committed — all PUBLIC_ vars are public.
-PUBLIC_DOENET_MAIN_URL=http://localhost:8000
+
+# Environment-specific build values live in .env.dev3 and .env.prod.
+# Use .env.local for machine-specific overrides.
+# Use `npm run build -- --mode dev3` or `npm run build -- --mode prod` to
+# select a non-default env file.
+
+# Main Doenet application URL
+PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:8000
+
+# Canonical site URL used at build time for metadata and sitemap generation
 PUBLIC_SITE_URL=http://localhost:4321

apps/web/.env.dev3

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # Development environment variables for the Doenet blog.
 # This file is intentionally committed — all PUBLIC_ vars are public.
-PUBLIC_DOENET_MAIN_URL=https://dev3.doenet.org
+PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://dev3.doenet.org
 PUBLIC_SITE_URL=https://dev3.doenet.org

apps/web/.env.prod

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # Production environment variables for the Doenet blog.
 # This file is intentionally committed — all PUBLIC_ vars are public.
-PUBLIC_DOENET_MAIN_URL=https://beta.doenet.org
+PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://beta.doenet.org
 PUBLIC_SITE_URL=https://beta.doenet.org

apps/web/README.md

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Build commands:
 
 Public env vars:
 
-- `PUBLIC_DOENET_MAIN_URL`: URL for the main Doenet site. If not specified, the header shows a plain image.
+- `PUBLIC_APP_URL`: URL for the main Doenet app. If not specified, the header shows a plain image.
 - `PUBLIC_SITE_URL`: canonical site URL used for build-time metadata and sitemap generation.
 
 ## 👀 Want to learn more?

apps/web/astro.config.mjs

@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ const env = loadEnv(mode, process.cwd(), "");
 
 // https://astro.build/config
 export default defineConfig({
+  devToolbar: {
+    enabled: false,
+  },
   site: env.PUBLIC_SITE_URL,
   integrations: [mdx(), sitemap(), react()],
   markdown: {

apps/web/src/components/Header.astro

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 import { getImage } from "astro:assets";
-import { BLOG_BASE_URL, DOENET_MAIN_URL } from "../consts";
+import { APP_URL, BLOG_BASE_URL } from "../consts";
 import HeaderLink from "./HeaderLink.astro";
 import doenetLogo from "../../public/Doenet_Logo_Frontpage_color_text.png";
 
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ const optimizedLogo = await getImage({ src: doenetLogo });
   <nav>
     <div class="nav-left">
       {
-        DOENET_MAIN_URL ? (
-          <a class="logo-link" href={DOENET_MAIN_URL}>
+        APP_URL ? (
+          <a class="logo-link" href={APP_URL}>
             <img src={optimizedLogo.src} alt="Doenet" width="140" height="32" />
           </a>
         ) : (

apps/web/src/consts.ts

@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ export const SITE_DESCRIPTION =
   "A place where the Doenet community shares thoughts and ideas about math education";
 
 export const BLOG_BASE_URL = "/blog";
-export const DOENET_MAIN_URL = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_DOENET_MAIN_URL;
+export const APP_URL = import.meta.env.PUBLIC_APP_URL;

apps/web/src/content/learn-doenet-saint-louis-university.mdx

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ pubDate: "Feb 13 2026"
 heroImage: "/blog/images/learn-doenet-saint-louis-university/mean-value-theorem-zoomed-in.png"
 ---
 
-import { DOENET_MAIN_URL } from "../consts";
+import { APP_URL } from "../consts";
 
 During our November 7-8 Doenet workshop, participants built classroom-ready activities featuring instant answer checking, interactive graphs, and randomized problems - all designed to give students immediate feedback as they work in a classroom setting.
 
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ If you want to play around, the whole activity can be found [here](https://beta.
 Participants left the workshop not just with technical skills, but with concrete materials ready to
 enhance student learning in their courses.
 
-Interested in creating your own interactive activities? Join our free monthly virtual training sessions to get started with Doenet <a href={`${DOENET_MAIN_URL}/events#workshops`}>here</a>.
+Interested in creating your own interactive activities? Join our free monthly virtual training sessions to get started with Doenet <a href={`${APP_URL}/events#workshops`}>here</a>.
 Visit beta.doenet.org for upcoming events, registration, and more!