diff --git a/docs/admin/demo-operations.md b/docs/admin/demo-operations.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0117256
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/admin/demo-operations.md
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# Demo Operations
+
+This document describes how to operate the public demo deployment.
+
+## What the demo is for
+
+The demo is intended for public browsing and for guided exploration of a pre-seeded instance.
+
+- The default landing page is informational.
+- The demo includes seeded communities, proposals, delegations, and moderation history.
+- Administrative setup is not part of the public demo experience.
+
+## Services and ports
+
+- Frontend: `http://<host>:4322`
+- Backend API: `http://<host>:3001`
+- Database: not exposed publicly (bound to localhost in VPS deployments)
+
+## Deploy/update (VPS)
+
+From the VPS, in the repo folder:
+
+- Bring up (or update) the demo:
+
+  - `podman compose --env-file compose/.env.demo -f compose/demo.yml -f compose/demo.vps.override.yml up -d --build`
+
+- Pull latest code before rebuilding:
+
+  - `git pull --ff-only`
+
+## Check health
+
+- Backend health endpoint:
+  - `GET /health`
+
+- Check containers:
+  - `podman ps`
+
+- Check logs:
+  - `podman logs likwid-demo-backend`
+  - `podman logs likwid-demo-frontend`
+  - `podman logs likwid-demo-db`
+
+## Reset the demo
+
+Resetting is destructive and recreates the demo database.
+
+- `podman compose --env-file compose/.env.demo -f compose/demo.yml -f compose/demo.vps.override.yml down -v`
+- `podman compose --env-file compose/.env.demo -f compose/demo.yml -f compose/demo.vps.override.yml up -d --build`
+
+## Security notes
+
+- Keep the database port closed to the public internet.
+- Prefer TLS and a reverse proxy once a domain is available.
+- Treat demo credentials as public; the demo is not a private environment.
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/index.astro b/frontend/src/pages/index.astro
index 8ca539d..12d3005 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -1,39 +1,6 @@
 ---
 export const prerender = false;
 import PublicLayout from '../layouts/PublicLayout.astro';
-import { SERVER_API_BASE as serverApiBase } from '../lib/api';
-
-let setupCompleted = false;
-let platformMode: string | null = null;
-let singleCommunitySlug: string | null = null;
-let backendReachable = false;
-
-const resolvedServerApiBase = serverApiBase || Astro.url.origin;
-
-try {
-  const res = await fetch(`${resolvedServerApiBase}/api/settings/public`);
-  if (res.ok) {
-    const data = await res.json();
-    backendReachable = true;
-    setupCompleted = !!data.setup_completed;
-    platformMode = data.platform_mode || null;
-    singleCommunitySlug = data.single_community_slug || null;
-  }
-} catch (e) {
-  // Backend not available
-}
-
-if (backendReachable) {
-  if (!setupCompleted) {
-    return Astro.redirect('/setup');
-  }
-
-  if (platformMode === 'single_community' && singleCommunitySlug) {
-    return Astro.redirect(`/communities/${singleCommunitySlug}`);
-  }
-
-  return Astro.redirect('/communities');
-}
 ---
 
 <PublicLayout title="Modular Governance Engine">