When `PRIVATE_MODE=true`, every API path except a small allowlist
(`/health`, `/auth/{config,login,logout,register}`) requires a valid
session cookie or bearer token — anonymous reads are rejected with
401. Self-registration is force-disabled in private mode regardless
of `ALLOW_SELF_REGISTER`, so a locked-down instance flips with a
single switch (admins still mint accounts via `POST /admin/users`).
The backend gate is a tower middleware that reuses the existing
`CurrentUser` extractor, so the cookie + bearer paths cannot drift
from per-handler auth. `/auth/config` now exposes the flag plus the
effective `self_register_enabled` value so the frontend can render
the navbar correctly on the first paint.
On the frontend, a new universal root `+layout.ts` fetches the
config and redirects anonymous visitors to `/login?next=<path>`
before page-specific loads fire. The redirect is UX only — the
backend middleware is the source of truth, so crafted requests
still 401.
Defaults stay public (`PRIVATE_MODE=false`); existing deployments
need no env change.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
