diff --git a/.npmrc b/.npmrc
deleted file mode 100644
index b6dcac7..0000000
--- a/.npmrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-auto-install-peers=true
-shamefully-hoist=true 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index f6b69b7..44da885 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ COPY . .
 # Learn more here: https://nextjs.org/telemetry
 # Uncomment the following line in case you want to disable telemetry during the build.
 ENV NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
-ENV SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION=1
 
 # Generate Prisma Client and compile the Next.js application.
 RUN npm run build
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e735629..a19eeab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@ ownership model.
 
 ## Requirements
 
-- Node.js 22.12 or later, including its bundled npm 10 or later
-- PostgreSQL
-- a GitHub OAuth App
+- Node.js 22, including its bundled npm 10 or later
+
+The public application does not require PostgreSQL or an OAuth provider. The
+legacy authenticated workspace additionally requires PostgreSQL and a GitHub
+OAuth App.
 
 Configure the GitHub OAuth callback as:
 
@@ -36,6 +38,13 @@ ${BETTER_AUTH_URL}/api/auth/callback/github
 
 ```bash
 npm ci
+npm run dev
+```
+
+This starts the public application with sign-in disabled. To exercise the legacy
+authenticated workspace instead:
+
+```bash
 cp .env.template .env.local
 # Fill in the database, Better Auth, and GitHub values.
 npm run prisma:migrate
@@ -81,3 +90,14 @@ Fulling database does not delete Kubernetes resources created by v2.
 
 Use [docs/github-oauth-verification.md](./docs/github-oauth-verification.md) to
 verify a real OAuth application before release.
+
+## Vercel Deployment
+
+Fulling can use Vercel's native Next.js deployment without a `vercel.json` file.
+The public application builds and starts without environment variables. The
+current GitHub sign-in, database-backed workspace, and kubeconfig flows remain
+disabled until their complete legacy configuration is present.
+
+Follow [docs/vercel-deployment.md](./docs/vercel-deployment.md) for the complete
+project setup, zero-configuration behavior, verification steps, and rollback
+procedure.
diff --git a/app/(auth)/login/_components/github-login-button.tsx b/app/(auth)/login/_components/github-login-button.tsx
index ff90bf5..fec175a 100644
--- a/app/(auth)/login/_components/github-login-button.tsx
+++ b/app/(auth)/login/_components/github-login-button.tsx
@@ -6,11 +6,13 @@ import { Github, LoaderCircle } from 'lucide-react'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { signIn } from '@/lib/auth-client'
 
-export function GitHubLoginButton() {
+export function GitHubLoginButton({ enabled }: { enabled: boolean }) {
   const [isPending, setIsPending] = useState(false)
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null)
 
   async function handleSignIn() {
+    if (!enabled) return
+
     setIsPending(true)
     setError(null)
     const result = await signIn.social({
@@ -26,10 +28,21 @@ export function GitHubLoginButton() {
 
   return (
     <div className="mt-8 border-t border-border pt-6">
-      <Button type="button" size="lg" className="w-full" disabled={isPending} onClick={handleSignIn}>
+      <Button
+        type="button"
+        size="lg"
+        className="w-full"
+        disabled={!enabled || isPending}
+        onClick={handleSignIn}
+      >
         {isPending ? <LoaderCircle className="animate-spin" /> : <Github />}
-        {isPending ? 'Connecting...' : 'Continue with GitHub'}
+        {isPending ? 'Connecting...' : enabled ? 'Continue with GitHub' : 'Sign-in unavailable'}
       </Button>
+      {!enabled ? (
+        <p className="mt-3 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+          GitHub sign-in is not available in this deployment.
+        </p>
+      ) : null}
       {error ? <p role="alert" className="mt-3 text-sm text-destructive">{error}</p> : null}
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/app/(auth)/login/page.tsx b/app/(auth)/login/page.tsx
index 86565c1..28c8b74 100644
--- a/app/(auth)/login/page.tsx
+++ b/app/(auth)/login/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'
 
 import { FullingBrand } from '@/components/fulling-brand'
+import { isAuthConfigured } from '@/lib/auth'
 import { getSession } from '@/lib/auth/session'
 
 import { GitHubLoginButton } from './_components/github-login-button'
@@ -25,17 +26,19 @@ export default async function LoginPage({ searchParams }: LoginPageProps) {
             Workspace access
           </p>
           <h1 className="mt-3 text-xl font-semibold leading-[var(--leading-heading)]">
-            Sign in to your workspace
+            {isAuthConfigured ? 'Sign in to your workspace' : 'Workspace access is being rebuilt'}
           </h1>
           <p className="mt-2 text-sm leading-6 text-muted-foreground">
-            Use your GitHub account to continue to Fulling.
+            {isAuthConfigured
+              ? 'Use your GitHub account to continue to Fulling.'
+              : 'The public preview is available, but sign-in and workspace data are temporarily disabled.'}
           </p>
           {error === 'oauth' ? (
             <p role="alert" className="mt-5 text-sm text-destructive">
               GitHub sign-in could not be completed. Please try again.
             </p>
           ) : null}
-          <GitHubLoginButton />
+          <GitHubLoginButton enabled={isAuthConfigured} />
         </div>
       </section>
       <footer className="h-12 shrink-0 border-t border-border px-4 text-xs leading-[48px] text-muted-foreground sm:px-6">
diff --git a/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.test.ts b/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0aa4d54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/auth', () => ({ auth: null }))
+
+import { GET, POST } from './route'
+
+describe('/api/auth/[...all]', () => {
+  it.each([
+    ['GET', GET],
+    ['POST', POST],
+  ])('returns an explicit unavailable response for %s without auth configuration', async (_method, handler) => {
+    const response = await handler()
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(503)
+    await expect(response.json()).resolves.toEqual({
+      code: 'AUTH_UNAVAILABLE',
+      message: 'Authentication is not configured.',
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.ts b/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.ts
index 7d557f4..f5cfd75 100644
--- a/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/auth/[...all]/route.ts
@@ -2,4 +2,15 @@ import { toNextJsHandler } from 'better-auth/next-js'
 
 import { auth } from '@/lib/auth'
 
-export const { GET, POST } = toNextJsHandler(auth)
+export const runtime = 'nodejs'
+
+const unavailable = () =>
+  Response.json(
+    { code: 'AUTH_UNAVAILABLE', message: 'Authentication is not configured.' },
+    { status: 503 }
+  )
+
+const handlers = auth ? toNextJsHandler(auth) : null
+
+export const GET = handlers?.GET ?? unavailable
+export const POST = handlers?.POST ?? unavailable
diff --git a/app/api/kubeconfig/route.ts b/app/api/kubeconfig/route.ts
index d3dd595..be0dda3 100644
--- a/app/api/kubeconfig/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/kubeconfig/route.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import {
 } from '@/lib/kubeconfig'
 import { logger } from '@/lib/logger'
 
+export const runtime = 'nodejs'
+
 const unauthorized = () =>
   NextResponse.json({ code: 'UNAUTHORIZED', message: 'Sign in to continue.' }, { status: 401 })
 
diff --git a/docs/vercel-deployment.md b/docs/vercel-deployment.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da38e11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/vercel-deployment.md
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+# Vercel Deployment
+
+Fulling's public application can be deployed to Vercel without configuring
+GitHub OAuth, Better Auth, or PostgreSQL. Those integrations are currently
+optional so they do not block preview and production builds while workspace
+access is being rebuilt.
+
+## Project settings
+
+Connect `FullAgent/fulling` to a Vercel project and keep these settings:
+
+- Framework preset: Next.js
+- Root directory: repository root
+- Install command: Vercel default (`npm install` from `package-lock.json`)
+- Build command: `npm run build`
+- Output directory: Vercel default
+- Node.js: 22.x, enforced by `package.json`
+- Production branch: `main`
+
+No `vercel.json` file or application environment variables are required for this
+deployment mode. Do not set `SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION`; absent optional integrations
+are handled by the application itself.
+
+`output: 'standalone'` remains enabled because the Docker image consumes it.
+Vercel uses its native Next.js output.
+
+## Zero-configuration behavior
+
+Without the legacy Auth and database variables:
+
+- `/` renders the public landing page.
+- `/login` renders an explicit sign-in unavailable state.
+- `/api/auth/*` returns `503 AUTH_UNAVAILABLE` instead of initializing Better
+  Auth with an unsafe default secret.
+- Protected workspace routes redirect to `/login`.
+- No Prisma query or Kubernetes credential operation is attempted for anonymous
+  requests.
+
+The legacy Auth path is enabled only when all five variables are present:
+
+- `DATABASE_URL`
+- `BETTER_AUTH_URL`
+- `BETTER_AUTH_SECRET`
+- `GITHUB_CLIENT_ID`
+- `GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET`
+
+This compatibility path is not required for the current Vercel deployment and
+will be replaced with the next authentication design.
+
+## Deploy and verify
+
+With Git integration, push a feature branch to create a Preview deployment and
+merge the verified commit to `main` for Production.
+
+Verify the zero-configuration deployment:
+
+1. Confirm `/` returns a successful response and renders the landing page.
+2. Confirm `/login` returns a successful response and shows the unavailable
+   state without a Better Auth error.
+3. Confirm a request to `/api/auth/session` returns a structured 503 response.
+4. Inspect the build and Function logs and confirm there are no missing-secret,
+   Prisma connection, or Kubernetes connection errors.
+
+Inspect a deployment in the Vercel dashboard or with the CLI:
+
+```bash
+vercel inspect <deployment-url>
+vercel logs <deployment-url>
+```
+
+Roll back a bad production deployment with:
+
+```bash
+vercel rollback
+```
diff --git a/lib/auth/config.ts b/lib/auth/config.ts
index 24424eb..0fed2e3 100644
--- a/lib/auth/config.ts
+++ b/lib/auth/config.ts
@@ -5,22 +5,39 @@ import { nextCookies } from 'better-auth/next-js'
 import { prisma } from '@/lib/db'
 import { env } from '@/lib/env'
 
-export const auth = betterAuth({
-  baseURL: env.BETTER_AUTH_URL,
-  secret: env.BETTER_AUTH_SECRET,
-  database: prismaAdapter(prisma, {
-    provider: 'postgresql',
-  }),
-  session: {
-    cookieCache: {
-      enabled: false,
+function createAuth() {
+  const {
+    BETTER_AUTH_SECRET: secret,
+    BETTER_AUTH_URL: baseURL,
+    DATABASE_URL: databaseUrl,
+    GITHUB_CLIENT_ID: clientId,
+    GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET: clientSecret,
+  } = env
+
+  if (!baseURL || !secret || !databaseUrl || !clientId || !clientSecret) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  return betterAuth({
+    baseURL,
+    secret,
+    database: prismaAdapter(prisma, {
+      provider: 'postgresql',
+    }),
+    session: {
+      cookieCache: {
+        enabled: false,
+      },
     },
-  },
-  socialProviders: {
-    github: {
-      clientId: env.GITHUB_CLIENT_ID,
-      clientSecret: env.GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET,
+    socialProviders: {
+      github: {
+        clientId,
+        clientSecret,
+      },
     },
-  },
-  plugins: [nextCookies()],
-})
+    plugins: [nextCookies()],
+  })
+}
+
+export const auth = createAuth()
+export const isAuthConfigured = auth !== null
diff --git a/lib/auth/index.ts b/lib/auth/index.ts
index b0353c5..71e002a 100644
--- a/lib/auth/index.ts
+++ b/lib/auth/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-export { auth } from './config'
+export { auth, isAuthConfigured } from './config'
 export type { AppSession } from './session'
 export {
   getSession,
diff --git a/lib/auth/session.test.ts b/lib/auth/session.test.ts
index c26737f..7130032 100644
--- a/lib/auth/session.test.ts
+++ b/lib/auth/session.test.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,22 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
-const { getSessionMock, headersMock, redirectMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
-  getSessionMock: vi.fn(),
-  headersMock: vi.fn(),
-  redirectMock: vi.fn(),
-}))
+const { authState, getSessionMock, headersMock, redirectMock } = vi.hoisted(() => {
+  const getSessionMock = vi.fn()
+  return {
+    authState: {
+      current: { api: { getSession: getSessionMock } } as null | {
+        api: { getSession: typeof getSessionMock }
+      },
+    },
+    getSessionMock,
+    headersMock: vi.fn(),
+    redirectMock: vi.fn(),
+  }
+})
 
 vi.mock('./config', () => ({
-  auth: {
-    api: {
-      getSession: getSessionMock,
-    },
+  get auth() {
+    return authState.current
   },
 }))
 
@@ -63,6 +69,15 @@ const appSession = {
 describe('session helpers', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks()
+    authState.current = { api: { getSession: getSessionMock } }
+  })
+
+  it('returns null without reading request headers when auth is not configured', async () => {
+    authState.current = null
+
+    await expect(getSession()).resolves.toBeNull()
+    expect(headersMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(getSessionMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
   it('passes request headers and returns only application user fields', async () => {
diff --git a/lib/auth/session.ts b/lib/auth/session.ts
index 5eadffa..ef1ccb2 100644
--- a/lib/auth/session.ts
+++ b/lib/auth/session.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ export class UnauthorizedError extends Error {
 }
 
 export async function getSession(): Promise<AppSession | null> {
+  if (!auth) {
+    return null
+  }
+
   const session = await auth.api.getSession({
     headers: await headers(),
   })
diff --git a/lib/env.ts b/lib/env.ts
index cfe8d81..b7378b8 100644
--- a/lib/env.ts
+++ b/lib/env.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@ import { z } from 'zod'
 
 export const env = createEnv({
   server: {
-    DATABASE_URL: z.url(),
-    BETTER_AUTH_URL: z.url(),
-    BETTER_AUTH_SECRET: z.string().min(32),
-    GITHUB_CLIENT_ID: z.string().min(1),
-    GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET: z.string().min(1),
+    DATABASE_URL: z.url().optional(),
+    BETTER_AUTH_URL: z.url().optional(),
+    BETTER_AUTH_SECRET: z.string().min(32).optional(),
+    GITHUB_CLIENT_ID: z.string().min(1).optional(),
+    GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET: z.string().min(1).optional(),
     LOG_LEVEL: z.string().optional(),
   },
   client: {},
   experimental__runtimeEnv: {},
-  skipValidation: !!process.env.SKIP_ENV_VALIDATION,
+  emptyStringAsUndefined: true,
 })
diff --git a/next.config.ts b/next.config.ts
index 09586ba..d752313 100644
--- a/next.config.ts
+++ b/next.config.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import type { NextConfig } from 'next'
 
 const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
   reactStrictMode: true,
+  // The Docker image consumes the standalone output. Vercel still uses its
+  // native Next.js build output and does not require a vercel.json file.
   output: 'standalone',
   compress: true,
   allowedDevOrigins: ['127.0.0.1'],
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2cf894b..088de51 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     "@types/react-dom": "19.2.3"
   },
   "engines": {
-    "node": ">=22.12.0",
+    "node": "22.x",
     "npm": ">=10"
   }
 }