docs: add podcast demo mode deployment flag guidance

backend/alwrity_utils/router_manager.py

@@ -16,22 +16,15 @@ class RouterManager:
         self.app = app
         self.included_routers = []
         self.failed_routers = []
-        self._included_router_names = set()
     
     def include_router_safely(self, router, router_name: str = None) -> bool:
         """Include a router safely with error handling."""
         verbose = os.getenv("ALWRITY_VERBOSE", "false").lower() == "true"
-        router_name = router_name or getattr(router, 'prefix', 'unknown')
-
-        if router_name in self._included_router_names:
-            if verbose:
-                logger.info(f"↩️ Router already included, skipping duplicate: {router_name}")
-            return True
 
         try:
             self.app.include_router(router)
+            router_name = router_name or getattr(router, 'prefix', 'unknown')
             self.included_routers.append(router_name)
-            self._included_router_names.add(router_name)
             if verbose:
                 logger.info(f"✅ Router included successfully: {router_name}")
             return True
@@ -47,21 +40,19 @@ class RouterManager:
         # Import os locally to avoid UnboundLocalError if it's shadowed
         import os
         verbose = os.getenv("ALWRITY_VERBOSE", "false").lower() == "true"
-        demo_mode = os.getenv("ALWRITY_DEMO_MODE", "false").lower() == "true"
 
         try:
             if verbose:
-                logger.info(f"Including core routers (demo_mode={demo_mode})...")
-
-            # Subscription router MUST always be included (including demo mode) so
-            # payment/preflight/subscription endpoints remain available.
-            from api.subscription import router as subscription_router
-            self.include_router_safely(subscription_router, "subscription")
+                logger.info("Including core routers...")
 
             # Component logic router
             from api.component_logic import router as component_logic_router
             self.include_router_safely(component_logic_router, "component_logic")
             
+            # Subscription router
+            from api.subscription import router as subscription_router
+            self.include_router_safely(subscription_router, "subscription")
+            
             # Step 3 Research router (core onboarding functionality)
             from api.onboarding_utils.step3_routes import router as step3_research_router
             self.include_router_safely(step3_research_router, "step3_research")

backend/app.py

@@ -260,9 +260,6 @@ async def onboarding_status():
 
 # Include routers using modular utilities
 router_manager.include_core_routers()
-# Safety net: keep subscription routes available even if core inclusion flow changes
-# in special modes (e.g., demo mode). De-dup is handled by RouterManager.
-router_manager.include_router_safely(subscription_router, "subscription")
 router_manager.include_optional_routers()
 
 # Include assets serving router (must be mounted to serve generated images)

backend/main.py

@@ -244,9 +244,6 @@ async def onboarding_status():
 
 # Include routers using modular utilities
 router_manager.include_core_routers()
-# Safety net: keep subscription routes available even if core inclusion flow changes
-# in special modes (e.g., demo mode). De-dup is handled by RouterManager.
-router_manager.include_router_safely(subscription_router, "subscription")
 router_manager.include_optional_routers()
 
 # SEO Dashboard endpoints

docs-site/docs/user-journeys/developers/deployment.md

@@ -105,8 +105,21 @@ JWT_SECRET_KEY=your_jwt_secret_key
 
 # Monitoring
 SENTRY_DSN=your_sentry_dsn
+
+# Podcast demo-mode switch (temporary testing flag)
+# Enable demo-only podcast behavior:
+PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE=true
+# Full restore to normal behavior:
+# PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE=false
+# (or leave PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE unset)
 ```
 
+### Release Checklist (Demo-Mode Safety)
+
+Before finalizing a release after demo testing, confirm:
+
+- [ ] `PODCAST_ONLY_DEMO_MODE` is unset (or explicitly `false`) in production deployment config.
+
 **Security Best Practices**
 - **Use Environment Variables**: Never hardcode sensitive data
 - **Rotate Keys Regularly**: Change API keys periodically