diff --git a/skills/base44-cli/SKILL.md b/skills/base44-cli/SKILL.md
index fed6809..4b279b4 100644
--- a/skills/base44-cli/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/base44-cli/SKILL.md
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ This skill activates on ANY mention of "base44" or when a `base44/` folder exist
 2. If **YES** (existing project scenario):
    - Transfer to base44-sdk skill for implementation
    - This skill only handles CLI commands (login, deploy, entities push)
+   - **Except running the app locally** — stays here. Read [Running Local Development](#running-local-development)
+     before starting a dev server: one way of running hits production data.
 3. If **NO**, decide between two initialization paths:
    - **Provisioned app** — the Base44 app already exists because it was just provisioned through a Stripe Projects / projects.dev flow, OR `BASE44_APP_ID` (or `BASE44_PROJECTS_BASE44_APP_ID`) is present in the environment or a `.env`/`.env.local` file:
      - Run `npx base44 scaffold` to set up local files for that **existing** app
@@ -269,12 +271,14 @@ Workspaces (a.k.a. organizations) group apps under shared membership. By default
 | Command | Description | Reference |
 |---------|-------------|-----------|
 | `base44 dev` | Start local development for your Base44 backend, and your frontend too when `site.serveCommand` is configured | [dev.md](references/dev.md) |
+| `base44 dev --remote` | Serve the frontend locally against the **production** backend | [dev.md](references/dev.md) |
 
 ### Deployment
 
 | Command | Description | Reference |
 |---------|-------------|-----------|
-| `base44 deploy` | Deploy all resources (entities, functions, agents, agent skills, connectors, auth config, and site) | [deploy.md](references/deploy.md) |
+| `base44 build` | Build the site with its app id injected — use instead of a bare `npm run build` | — |
+| `base44 deploy` | Deploy all resources (entities, functions, agents, agent skills, connectors, auth config, and site); asks whether to build first, or pass `--build` / `--no-build` | [deploy.md](references/deploy.md) |
 
 ### Entity Management
 
@@ -523,8 +527,7 @@ Run one-off scripts against your app with the Base44 SDK pre-authenticated. Use
 
 5. Build and deploy everything:
    ```bash
-   npm run build
-   npx base44 deploy -y
+   npx base44 deploy --build -y
    ```
 
 Or deploy individual resources:
@@ -559,25 +562,40 @@ npx base44 link --create --name my-app
 ```
 
 ### Running Local Development
-```bash
-# Starts the Base44 backend locally
-npx base44 dev
-```
 
-If you want `base44 dev` to run your frontend too, verify `base44/config.jsonc` has `site.serveCommand` set correctly (for example, `"serveCommand": "npm run dev"`). When that field is present, `base44 dev` runs both the backend and the frontend together.
+Always run through the CLI — two modes:
+
+| Command | Backend + data |
+|---------|----------------|
+| `npx base44 dev` | **local** — throwaway, empty each start, gone on stop |
+| `npx base44 dev --remote` | **production** — the real app's live data |
+
+`base44 dev` starts the local backend (entities, functions, auth) and also serves your frontend when
+`base44/config.jsonc` sets `site.serveCommand`; a backend-only project needs nothing else.
+`--remote` runs *only* the frontend against the real backend, so it needs both a linked project and
+`site.serveCommand`.
+
+Don't run `npm run dev` yourself: without the env vars the CLI injects, the app has no backend to
+reach — the dev server prints which command to use instead.
+
+**Default to `npx base44 dev`.** Under `--remote` every write hits the live app. The vite startup
+line names the backend either way: `[base44] Proxy enabled: /api -> <target>`. Say which you
+started. Options: [dev.md](references/dev.md).
 
 ### Deploying All Changes
 ```bash
 # Generate types (optional, for TypeScript projects)
 npx base44 types generate
 
-# Build your project first
-npm run build
-
-# Deploy everything (entities, functions, and site)
-npx base44 deploy -y
+# Deploy everything (entities, functions, and site), building the site first
+npx base44 deploy --build -y
 ```
 
+Build through the CLI, not with `npm run build`: `npx base44 build` injects `VITE_BASE44_APP_ID`,
+which a bare `npm run build` leaves unset — the bundle then can't resolve its own app and every API
+call on the deployed site fails. `npx base44 deploy` asks whether to build first; `--build` /
+`--no-build` answers up front (non-interactive defaults to upload-only, so CI is unchanged).
+
 ### Generating TypeScript Types
 ```bash
 # Generate types from entities, functions, agents, and connectors
@@ -642,5 +660,6 @@ Most commands require authentication. If you're not logged in, the CLI will auto
 | Duplicate connector type    | Each connector type can only be defined once per project                            |
 | Connector authorization timeout | Re-run `npx base44 connectors push` and complete the OAuth flow in your browser  |
 | No site configuration found | Check that `site.outputDirectory` is configured in project config                   |
-| Site deployment fails       | Ensure you ran `npm run build` first and the build succeeded                        |
+| Site deployment fails       | Ensure the site was built first (`npx base44 build`, or `npx base44 deploy --build`) and the build succeeded |
+| Deployed site's API calls all fail | The bundle was built without its app id — rebuild with `npx base44 build`, not a bare `npm run build`, and redeploy |
 | Update available message    | If prompted to update, run `npm install -g base44@latest` (or use npx for local installs) |
diff --git a/skills/base44-cli/references/dev.md b/skills/base44-cli/references/dev.md
index 6549d5a..1a09c9f 100644
--- a/skills/base44-cli/references/dev.md
+++ b/skills/base44-cli/references/dev.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ npx base44 dev [options]
 | Option | Description | Required | Default |
 |--------|-------------|----------|---------|
 | `-p, --port <number>` | Port for the local Base44 backend | No | 4400 |
+| `--remote` | Serve only the frontend, against your app's production backend | No | — |
 
 ## Authentication
 
@@ -54,6 +55,12 @@ Before using `base44 dev` for full-stack local development, verify your config:
 
 If `site.serveCommand` is missing, `base44 dev` still works, but it only starts the Base44 backend.
 
+## Remote Mode (`--remote`)
+
+`npx base44 dev --remote` starts no local backend: it runs only your frontend (`site.serveCommand`),
+wired to your app's **production** backend — every read and write hits live data. Use it to develop
+the UI against real content; default to plain `base44 dev` otherwise.
+
 ## Examples
 
 ```bash
@@ -62,6 +69,9 @@ npx base44 dev
 
 # Start the backend on a specific port
 npx base44 dev --port 4500
+
+# Frontend only, against the production backend (live data)
+npx base44 dev --remote
 ```
 
 ## Notes