refactor(cli): separate install from setup, redesign CLI configuration flow

Decouple install.sh from environment configuration — install.sh now only
installs the CLI binary (and optionally Docker via --with-server), while
all environment configuration moves to `multica setup` subcommands.

Key changes:
- install.sh: remove config writes, rename --local to --with-server
- multica setup: add cloud/self-host subcommands with --server-url,
  --app-url, --port, --frontend-port flags and --profile support
- Add config overwrite protection with interactive prompt
- Remove redundant commands: `config local`, `auth login` alias
- Replace silent multica.ai fallbacks with explicit errors
- Onboarding wizard: dynamically show correct setup command for
  Cloud vs Self-host environments
- Update all docs, landing page, and install scripts for consistency

CLI_AND_DAEMON.md

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ This auto-detects your installation method (Homebrew or manual) and upgrades acc
 multica setup
 
 # For self-hosted (local) deployments:
-multica setup --local
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
 Or step by step:
@@ -184,23 +184,23 @@ Agent-specific overrides:
 When connecting to a self-hosted Multica instance, the easiest approach is:
 
 ```bash
-# One command — auto-detects local server, configures, authenticates, starts daemon
-multica setup --local
+# One command — configures for localhost, authenticates, starts daemon
+multica setup self-host
+
+# Or for on-premise with custom domains:
+multica setup self-host --server-url https://api.example.com --app-url https://app.example.com
 ```
 
 Or configure manually:
 
 ```bash
-# Configure for local Docker Compose (default ports)
-multica config local
-
-# Or set URLs individually:
-# multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000
-# multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080
+# Set URLs individually
+multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080
+multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000
 
 # For production with TLS:
-# multica config set app_url https://app.example.com
 # multica config set server_url https://api.example.com
+# multica config set app_url https://app.example.com
 
 multica login
 multica daemon start
@@ -211,9 +211,11 @@ multica daemon start
 Profiles let you run multiple daemons on the same machine — for example, one for production and one for a staging server.
 
 ```bash
-# Start a daemon for the staging server
-multica --profile staging login
-multica --profile staging daemon start
+# Set up a staging profile
+multica setup self-host --profile staging --server-url https://api-staging.example.com --app-url https://staging.example.com
+
+# Start its daemon
+multica daemon start --profile staging
 
 # Default profile runs separately
 multica daemon start
@@ -336,17 +338,20 @@ The `runs` command shows all past and current executions for an issue, including
 ## Setup
 
 ```bash
-# One-command setup: configure, authenticate, and start the daemon
+# One-command setup for Multica Cloud: configure, authenticate, and start the daemon
 multica setup
 
-# For local self-hosted deployments (auto-detects or forces local mode)
-multica setup --local
+# For local self-hosted deployments
+multica setup self-host
 
 # Custom ports
-multica setup --local --port 9090 --frontend-port 4000
+multica setup self-host --port 9090 --frontend-port 4000
+
+# On-premise with custom domains
+multica setup self-host --server-url https://api.example.com --app-url https://app.example.com
 ```
 
-`multica setup` detects whether a local Multica server is running, configures the CLI, opens your browser for authentication, and starts the daemon — all in one step.
+`multica setup` configures the CLI, opens your browser for authentication, and starts the daemon — all in one step. Use `multica setup self-host` to connect to a self-hosted server instead of Multica Cloud.
 
 ## Configuration
 
@@ -358,15 +363,6 @@ multica config show
 
 Shows config file path, server URL, app URL, and default workspace.
 
-### Configure for Local Self-Hosted
-
-```bash
-multica config local                                      # Uses default ports (8080/3000)
-multica config local --port 9090 --frontend-port 4000     # Custom ports
-```
-
-Sets `server_url` and `app_url` for a local Docker Compose deployment in one command.
-
 ### Set Values
 
 ```bash

Makefile

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ selfhost:
 		echo ""; \
 		echo "Next — install the CLI and connect your machine:"; \
 		echo "  brew install multica-ai/tap/multica"; \
-		echo "  multica setup --local"; \
+		echo "  multica setup self-host"; \
 	else \
 		echo ""; \
 		echo "Services are still starting. Check logs:"; \

README.md

@@ -62,18 +62,17 @@ Installs the Multica CLI on macOS and Linux. Works with Homebrew or downloads th
 irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex
 ```
 
-After installation:
+Then configure, authenticate, and start the daemon in one command:
 
 ```bash
-multica login          # Authenticate (opens browser)
-multica daemon start   # Start the local agent runtime
-multica daemon stop    # Stop the daemon when done
+multica setup          # Connect to Multica Cloud, log in, start daemon
 ```
 
-> **Self-hosting?** Add `--local` to deploy a full Multica server on your machine:
+> **Self-hosting?** Add `--with-server` to deploy a full Multica server on your machine:
 >
 > ```bash
-> curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local
+> curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server
+> multica setup self-host
 > ```
 >
 > Requires Docker. See the [Self-Hosting Guide](SELF_HOSTING.md) for details.
@@ -82,11 +81,10 @@ multica daemon stop    # Stop the daemon when done
 
 ## Getting Started
 
-### 1. Log in and start the daemon
+### 1. Set up and start the daemon
 
 ```bash
-multica login           # Authenticate with your Multica account
-multica daemon start    # Start the local agent runtime
+multica setup           # Configure, authenticate, and start the daemon
 ```
 
 The daemon runs in the background and auto-detects agent CLIs (`claude`, `codex`, `openclaw`, `opencode`) on your PATH.
@@ -116,9 +114,8 @@ The `multica` CLI connects your local machine to Multica — authenticate, manag
 | `multica login` | Authenticate (opens browser) |
 | `multica daemon start` | Start the local agent runtime |
 | `multica daemon status` | Check daemon status |
-| `multica setup` | One-command setup (configure + login + start daemon) |
-| `multica setup --local` | Same, but for self-hosted deployments |
-| `multica config local` | Configure CLI for a local self-hosted server |
+| `multica setup` | One-command setup for Multica Cloud (configure + login + start daemon) |
+| `multica setup self-host` | Same, but for self-hosted deployments |
 | `multica issue list` | List issues in your workspace |
 | `multica issue create` | Create a new issue |
 | `multica update` | Update to the latest version |

README.zh-CN.md

@@ -62,18 +62,17 @@ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/ins
 irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex
 ```
 
-安装完成后：
+安装完成后，一条命令完成配置、认证和启动：
 
 ```bash
-multica login          # 认证（打开浏览器）
-multica daemon start   # 启动本地 Agent 运行时
-multica daemon stop    # 停止 daemon
+multica setup          # 连接 Multica Cloud，登录，启动 daemon
 ```
 
-> **自部署？** 加上 `--local` 在本地部署完整的 Multica 服务：
+> **自部署？** 加上 `--with-server` 在本地部署完整的 Multica 服务：
 >
 > ```bash
-> curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local
+> curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server
+> multica setup self-host
 > ```
 >
 > 需要 Docker。详见 [自部署指南](SELF_HOSTING.md)。
@@ -84,11 +83,10 @@ multica daemon stop    # 停止 daemon
 
 安装好 CLI（或注册 [Multica 云服务](https://multica.ai)）后，按以下步骤将第一个任务分配给 Agent：
 
-### 1. 登录并启动 daemon
+### 1. 配置并启动 daemon
 
 ```bash
-multica login           # 使用你的 Multica 账号认证
-multica daemon start    # 启动本地 Agent 运行时
+multica setup           # 配置、认证、启动 daemon（一条命令搞定）
 ```
 
 daemon 在后台运行，保持你的机器与 Multica 的连接。它会自动检测 PATH 中可用的 Agent CLI（`claude`、`codex`、`openclaw`、`opencode`）。

SELF_HOSTING.md

@@ -14,20 +14,19 @@ Each user who runs AI agents locally also installs the **`multica` CLI** and run
 
 ## Quick Install (Recommended)
 
-One command to set up everything — server, CLI, and configuration:
+Two commands to set up everything — server, CLI, and configuration:
 
 ```bash
-curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local
+# 1. Install CLI + provision the self-host server
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server
+
+# 2. Configure CLI, authenticate, and start the daemon
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
-This automatically clones the repository, starts all services via Docker Compose, and installs the `multica` CLI.
+This clones the repository, starts all services via Docker Compose, installs the `multica` CLI, then configures it for localhost.
 
-Once complete, open http://localhost:3000, log in with any email + verification code **`888888`**, then:
-
-```bash
-multica login          # Authenticate (opens browser)
-multica daemon start   # Start the agent daemon
-```
+Open http://localhost:3000, log in with any email + verification code **`888888`**.
 
 > **Prerequisites:** Docker and Docker Compose must be installed. The script checks for this and provides install links if missing.
 
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ You also need at least one AI agent CLI installed:
 ### b) One-command setup
 
 ```bash
-multica setup --local
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
 This automatically:
@@ -94,6 +93,12 @@ This automatically:
 3. Discovers your workspaces
 4. Starts the daemon in the background
 
+For on-premise deployments with custom domains:
+
+```bash
+multica setup self-host --server-url https://api.example.com --app-url https://app.example.com
+```
+
 To verify the daemon is running:
 
 ```bash
@@ -132,16 +137,10 @@ multica daemon stop
 If you've been self-hosting and want to switch your CLI to [Multica Cloud](https://multica.ai):
 
 ```bash
-multica config set server_url https://api.multica.ai
-multica config set app_url https://multica.ai
-multica login
+multica setup
 ```
 
-Or re-run the install script without `--local` — it will reconfigure the CLI automatically:
-
-```bash
-curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
-```
+This reconfigures the CLI for multica.ai, re-authenticates, and restarts the daemon. You will be prompted before overwriting the existing configuration.
 
 > Your local Docker services are unaffected. Stop them separately if you no longer need them.
 
@@ -184,11 +183,8 @@ If you prefer configuring the CLI step by step instead of `multica setup`:
 
 ```bash
 # Point CLI to your local server
-multica config local
-
-# Or set URLs manually:
-# multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000
-# multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080
+multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080
+multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000
 
 # Login (opens browser)
 multica login

SELF_HOSTING_AI.md

@@ -8,15 +8,17 @@ This document is designed for AI agents to execute. Follow these steps exactly t
 - Homebrew installed (for CLI)
 - At least one AI agent CLI on PATH: `claude` or `codex`
 
-## One-Command Install
+## Install
 
 ```bash
-curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local
+# Install CLI + provision self-host server
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server
+
+# Configure CLI for localhost, authenticate, and start daemon
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
-This installs everything: clones the repo, starts Docker services, and installs the CLI.
-
-Wait for the output `✓ Multica is installed and running!` before proceeding.
+Wait for the server output `✓ Multica server is running and CLI is ready!` before running `multica setup self-host`.
 
 **Expected result:**
 - Frontend at http://localhost:3000
@@ -30,10 +32,10 @@ git clone https://github.com/multica-ai/multica.git
 cd multica
 make selfhost
 brew install multica-ai/tap/multica
-multica setup --local
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
-The `multica setup --local` command will:
+The `multica setup self-host` command will:
 1. Configure CLI to connect to localhost:8080 / localhost:3000
 2. Open a browser for login — use verification code `888888` with any email
 3. Discover workspaces automatically
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ If the default ports (8080/3000) are in use:
 
 1. Edit `.env` and change `PORT` and `FRONTEND_PORT`
 2. Run `make selfhost`
-3. Run `multica setup --local --port <PORT> --frontend-port <FRONTEND_PORT>`
+3. Run `multica setup self-host --port <PORT> --frontend-port <FRONTEND_PORT>`
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 

apps/docs/content/docs/cli/installation.mdx

@@ -57,16 +57,13 @@ This auto-detects your installation method (Homebrew or manual) and upgrades acc
 ## Quick Start
 
 ```bash
-# 1. Authenticate (opens browser for login)
-multica login
-
-# 2. Start the agent daemon
-multica daemon start
-
-# 3. Done — agents in your watched workspaces can now execute tasks on your machine
+# One command: configure, authenticate, and start the daemon
+multica setup
 ```
 
-`multica login` automatically discovers all workspaces you belong to and adds them to the daemon watch list.
+This configures the CLI for Multica Cloud, opens your browser for login, discovers your workspaces, and starts the agent daemon.
+
+For self-hosted servers, use `multica setup self-host` instead. See [Self-Hosting](/docs/getting-started/self-hosting) for details.
 
 ## Verify
 

apps/docs/content/docs/cli/reference.mdx

@@ -156,9 +156,11 @@ multica config set server_url wss://api.example.com/ws
 Profiles let you run multiple daemons on the same machine — for example, one for production and one for a staging server.
 
 ```bash
-# Start a daemon for the staging server
-multica --profile staging login
-multica --profile staging daemon start
+# Set up a staging profile
+multica setup self-host --profile staging --server-url https://api-staging.example.com --app-url https://staging.example.com
+
+# Start its daemon
+multica daemon start --profile staging
 
 # Default profile runs separately
 multica daemon start

apps/docs/content/docs/getting-started/cloud-quickstart.mdx

@@ -20,13 +20,11 @@ Fetch https://github.com/multica-ai/multica/blob/main/CLI_INSTALL.md and follow
 Or install manually:
 
 ```bash
-# Install
-brew tap multica-ai/tap
-brew install multica
+# Install the CLI
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
 
-# Authenticate and start
-multica login
-multica daemon start
+# Configure, authenticate, and start the daemon
+multica setup
 ```
 
 The daemon auto-detects available agent CLIs (`claude`, `codex`, `openclaw`, `opencode`) on your PATH. When an agent is assigned a task, the daemon creates an isolated environment, runs the agent, and reports results back.

apps/docs/content/docs/getting-started/self-hosting.mdx

@@ -21,16 +21,17 @@ Each user who wants to run AI agents locally also installs the **`multica` CLI**
 
 ## Quick Install
 
-One command to set up everything:
+Two commands to set up everything:
 
 ```bash
-curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local
+# Install CLI + provision self-host server
+curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server
+
+# Configure CLI, authenticate, and start the daemon
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
-This clones the repo, starts all services, installs the CLI, and configures everything. Then:
-
-1. Open http://localhost:3000 — log in with any email + code **`888888`**
-2. Run `multica login` and `multica daemon start`
+This clones the repo, starts all services, installs the CLI, and configures it for localhost. Then open http://localhost:3000 — log in with any email + code **`888888`**.
 
 <Callout>
 For a step-by-step setup, see below.
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ You also need at least one AI agent CLI:
 ### b) One-command setup
 
 ```bash
-multica setup --local
+multica setup self-host
 ```
 
 This automatically:
@@ -95,6 +96,12 @@ This automatically:
 3. Discovers your workspaces
 4. Starts the daemon in the background
 
+For on-premise deployments with custom domains:
+
+```bash
+multica setup self-host --server-url https://api.example.com --app-url https://app.example.com
+```
+
 Verify the daemon is running:
 
 ```bash
@@ -102,7 +109,7 @@ multica daemon status
 ```
 
 <Callout>
-Alternatively, configure manually: `multica config local && multica login && multica daemon start`
+Alternatively, configure step by step: `multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080 && multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000 && multica login && multica daemon start`
 </Callout>
 
 ### Step 4 — Verify & Start Using
@@ -127,16 +134,10 @@ multica daemon stop
 If you've been self-hosting and want to switch your CLI to [Multica Cloud](https://multica.ai):
 
 ```bash
-multica config set server_url https://api.multica.ai
-multica config set app_url https://multica.ai
-multica login
+multica setup
 ```
 
-Or re-run the install script without `--local` — it will reconfigure the CLI automatically:
-
-```bash
-curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
-```
+This reconfigures the CLI for multica.ai, re-authenticates, and restarts the daemon. You will be prompted before overwriting the existing configuration.
 
 <Callout>
 Your local Docker services are unaffected. Stop them separately if you no longer need them.

apps/docs/content/docs/guides/quickstart.mdx

@@ -5,14 +5,13 @@ description: Assign your first task to an agent in under 5 minutes.
 
 Once you have the CLI installed (or signed up for [Multica Cloud](https://multica.ai)), follow these steps to assign your first task to an agent.
 
-## 1. Log in and start the daemon
+## 1. Set up and start the daemon
 
 ```bash
-multica login           # Authenticate with your Multica account
-multica daemon start    # Start the local agent runtime
+multica setup           # Configure, authenticate, and start the daemon
 ```
 
-The daemon runs in the background and keeps your machine connected to Multica. It auto-detects agent CLIs (`claude`, `codex`, `openclaw`, `opencode`) available on your PATH.
+This configures the CLI, opens your browser for login, discovers your workspaces, and starts the agent daemon in the background. It auto-detects agent CLIs (`claude`, `codex`, `openclaw`, `opencode`) available on your PATH.
 
 ## 2. Verify your runtime
 

apps/web/features/landing/i18n/en.ts

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export const en: LandingDict = {
       {
         title: "Install the CLI & connect your machine",
         description:
-          "Run multica login to authenticate, then multica daemon start. The daemon auto-detects Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw, and OpenCode on your machine \u2014 plug in and go.",
+          "Run multica setup to configure, authenticate, and start the daemon. It auto-detects Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw, and OpenCode on your machine \u2014 plug in and go.",
       },
       {
         title: "Create your first agent",
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ export const en: LandingDict = {
         title: "One-Click Setup, Self-Hosting & Stability",
         changes: [],
         features: [
-          "One-click install & setup — `curl | bash` installs CLI, `--local` bootstraps full self-hosting, `multica setup` auto-detects local server",
+          "One-click install & setup — `curl | bash` installs CLI, `--with-server` bootstraps full self-hosting, `multica setup` configures your environment",
           "Self-hosted storage — local file fallback when S3 is unavailable, plus custom S3 endpoint support (MinIO)",
           "Inline property editing (priority, status, lead) on project list page",
         ],

apps/web/features/landing/i18n/zh.ts

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ export const zh: LandingDict = {
       {
         title: "\u5b89\u88c5 CLI \u5e76\u8fde\u63a5\u4f60\u7684\u673a\u5668",
         description:
-          "\u8fd0\u884c multica login \u8fdb\u884c\u8ba4\u8bc1\uff0c\u7136\u540e multica daemon start\u3002\u5b88\u62a4\u8fdb\u7a0b\u81ea\u52a8\u68c0\u6d4b\u4f60\u673a\u5668\u4e0a\u7684 Claude Code\u3001Codex\u3001OpenClaw \u548c OpenCode\u2014\u2014\u63d2\u4e0a\u5c31\u7528\u3002",
+          "运行 multica setup 一键完成配置、认证和启动。守护进程自动检测你机器上的 Claude Code、Codex、OpenClaw 和 OpenCode——插上就用。",
       },
       {
         title: "\u521b\u5efa\u4f60\u7684\u7b2c\u4e00\u4e2a Agent",
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ export const zh: LandingDict = {
         title: "一键安装、自部署与稳定性",
         changes: [],
         features: [
-          "一键安装与配置——`curl | bash` 安装 CLI，`--local` 完整自部署，`multica setup` 自动检测本地服务器",
+          "一键安装与配置——`curl | bash` 安装 CLI，`--with-server` 完整自部署，`multica setup` 配置连接环境",
           "自部署存储——无 S3 时本地文件存储回退，支持自定义 S3 端点（MinIO）",
           "项目列表页支持行内编辑属性（优先级、状态、负责人）",
         ],

packages/core/api/client.ts

@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ export class ApiClient {
     this.logger = options?.logger ?? noopLogger;
   }
 
+  getBaseUrl(): string {
+    return this.baseUrl;
+  }
+
   setToken(token: string | null) {
     this.token = token;
   }

packages/views/onboarding/step-runtime.tsx

@@ -1,27 +1,49 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useState, useCallback } from "react";
+import { useState, useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { Check, Copy, Terminal, Loader2 } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@multica/ui/components/ui/button";
 import { Card, CardContent } from "@multica/ui/components/ui/card";
 import { useWSEvent } from "@multica/core/realtime";
+import { api } from "@multica/core/api";
 import { ProviderLogo } from "../runtimes/components/provider-logo";
 import {
   runtimeListOptions,
   runtimeKeys,
 } from "@multica/core/runtimes/queries";
 
-const SETUP_STEPS = [
-  {
-    label: "Install the Multica CLI",
-    cmd: "curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash",
-  },
-  {
-    label: "Set up and start the daemon",
-    cmd: "multica setup",
-  },
-];
+const CLOUD_HOST = "multica.ai";
+
+const INSTALL_STEP = {
+  label: "Install the Multica CLI",
+  cmd: "curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash",
+};
+
+function isCloudEnvironment(): boolean {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return true;
+  return window.location.hostname.endsWith(CLOUD_HOST);
+}
+
+function buildSetupCommand(): string {
+  if (isCloudEnvironment()) return "multica setup";
+
+  const appUrl = typeof window !== "undefined" ? window.location.origin : "";
+  const apiBaseUrl = api.getBaseUrl?.() ?? "";
+  const serverUrl = apiBaseUrl || appUrl;
+
+  if (!serverUrl || serverUrl === "http://localhost:8080") {
+    // Default self-host — no flags needed
+    return "multica setup self-host";
+  }
+
+  const parts = ["multica setup self-host"];
+  parts.push(`--server-url ${serverUrl}`);
+  if (appUrl && appUrl !== serverUrl) {
+    parts.push(`--app-url ${appUrl}`);
+  }
+  return parts.join(" ");
+}
 
 function CopyButton({ text }: { text: string }) {
   const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false);
@@ -56,6 +78,14 @@ export function StepRuntime({
 }) {
   const qc = useQueryClient();
 
+  const setupSteps = useMemo(
+    () => [
+      INSTALL_STEP,
+      { label: "Set up and start the daemon", cmd: buildSetupCommand() },
+    ],
+    [],
+  );
+
   const { data: runtimes = [] } = useQuery(runtimeListOptions(wsId));
 
   const handleDaemonEvent = useCallback(() => {
@@ -73,19 +103,16 @@ export function StepRuntime({
           Connect a Runtime
         </h1>
         <p className="mt-2 text-muted-foreground">
-          Install the CLI and run{" "}
-          <code className="rounded bg-muted px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-sm">
-            multica setup
-          </code>{" "}
-          to connect your machine. The daemon auto-detects agent CLIs (Claude
-          Code, Codex, etc.) on your PATH.
+          Install the CLI and run the setup command below to connect your
+          machine. The daemon auto-detects agent CLIs (Claude Code, Codex,
+          etc.) on your PATH.
         </p>
       </div>
 
       {/* Commands */}
       <Card className="w-full">
         <CardContent className="space-y-3 pt-4">
-          {SETUP_STEPS.map((step, i) => (
+          {setupSteps.map((step, i) => (
             <div key={i}>
               <p className="mb-1.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                 {i + 1}. {step.label}
@@ -100,11 +127,8 @@ export function StepRuntime({
             </div>
           ))}
           <p className="pt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-            <code className="rounded bg-background px-1 py-0.5 font-mono">
-              multica setup
-            </code>{" "}
-            handles authentication, configuration, and daemon startup. It
-            auto-detects local servers on your network.
+            The setup command handles authentication, configuration, and daemon
+            startup — all in one step.
           </p>
         </CardContent>
       </Card>

scripts/install.ps1

@@ -273,26 +273,6 @@ function Install-Server {
     Pop-Location
 }
 
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Configure CLI
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-function Set-ConfigLocal {
-    Write-Info "Configuring CLI for local server..."
-    try {
-        multica config local 2>$null
-    } catch {
-        multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000 2>$null
-        multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080 2>$null
-    }
-    Write-Ok "CLI configured for localhost (backend :8080, frontend :3000)"
-}
-
-function Set-ConfigCloud {
-    Write-Info "Configuring CLI for Multica Cloud..."
-    multica config set server_url https://api.multica.ai 2>$null
-    multica config set app_url https://multica.ai 2>$null
-    Write-Ok "CLI configured for multica.ai"
-}
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Main: Default mode (cloud)
@@ -300,28 +280,22 @@ function Set-ConfigCloud {
 function Start-DefaultInstall {
     Write-Host ""
     Write-Host "  Multica - Installer" -ForegroundColor White
-    Write-Host "  Installing the CLI to connect to multica.ai" -ForegroundColor Cyan
     Write-Host ""
 
     Install-Cli
-    Set-ConfigCloud
 
     Write-Host ""
     Write-Host "  ============================================" -ForegroundColor Green
-    Write-Host "  [OK] Multica CLI is installed!" -ForegroundColor Green
+    Write-Host "  [OK] Multica CLI is ready!" -ForegroundColor Green
     Write-Host "  ============================================" -ForegroundColor Green
     Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "  Next steps:"
+    Write-Host "  Next: configure your environment"
     Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "     multica login          " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Authenticate with multica.ai" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
-    Write-Host "     multica daemon start   " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Start the agent daemon" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
+    Write-Host "     multica setup               " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Connect to Multica Cloud (multica.ai)" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
+    Write-Host "     multica setup self-host      " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Connect to a self-hosted server" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
     Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "  Or do it all in one command:"
-    Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "     multica setup" -ForegroundColor Cyan
-    Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "  Self-hosting? Re-run with:"
-    Write-Host '     $env:MULTICA_MODE="local"; irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex'
+    Write-Host "  Self-hosting? Install the server first:"
+    Write-Host '     $env:MULTICA_MODE="with-server"; irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex'
     Write-Host ""
 }
 
@@ -331,30 +305,27 @@ function Start-DefaultInstall {
 function Start-LocalInstall {
     Write-Host ""
     Write-Host "  Multica - Self-Host Installer" -ForegroundColor White
-    Write-Host "  Setting up a local Multica server + CLI"
+    Write-Host "  Provisioning server infrastructure + installing CLI"
     Write-Host ""
 
     Test-Docker
     Install-Server
     Install-Cli
-    Set-ConfigLocal
 
     Write-Host ""
     Write-Host "  ============================================" -ForegroundColor Green
-    Write-Host "  [OK] Multica is installed and running!" -ForegroundColor Green
+    Write-Host "  [OK] Multica server is running and CLI is ready!" -ForegroundColor Green
     Write-Host "  ============================================" -ForegroundColor Green
     Write-Host ""
     Write-Host "  Frontend:  http://localhost:3000"
     Write-Host "  Backend:   http://localhost:8080"
     Write-Host "  Server at: $InstallDir"
     Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "  Next steps:"
-    Write-Host "  1. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser"
-    Write-Host "  2. Log in with any email + verification code: 888888"
-    Write-Host "  3. Then run:"
+    Write-Host "  Next: configure your CLI to connect"
     Write-Host ""
-    Write-Host "     multica login          " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Authenticate (opens browser)" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
-    Write-Host "     multica daemon start   " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Start the agent daemon" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
+    Write-Host "     multica setup self-host  " -NoNewline; Write-Host "# Configure + authenticate + start daemon" -ForegroundColor DarkGray
+    Write-Host ""
+    Write-Host "  Default verification code: 888888"
     Write-Host ""
     Write-Host "  To stop all services:"
     Write-Host '     $env:MULTICA_MODE="stop"; irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex'
@@ -397,7 +368,8 @@ function Start-Stop {
 $mode = if ($env:MULTICA_MODE) { $env:MULTICA_MODE.ToLower() } else { "default" }
 
 switch ($mode) {
-    "local" { Start-LocalInstall }
-    "stop"  { Start-Stop }
-    default { Start-DefaultInstall }
+    "with-server" { Start-LocalInstall }
+    "local"       { Start-LocalInstall }  # backwards compat alias
+    "stop"        { Start-Stop }
+    default       { Start-DefaultInstall }
 }

scripts/install.sh

@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Multica installer — one command to get started.
+# Multica installer — installs the CLI and optionally provisions a self-host server.
 #
-# Install CLI (default): connects to multica.ai
+# Install / upgrade CLI only:
 #   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
 #
-# Self-host: starts a local Multica server + installs CLI + configures
-#   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local
+# Install CLI + provision self-host server:
+#   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server
+#
+# After installation, run `multica setup` to configure your environment.
 #
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ Install Docker:
   macOS:  https://docs.docker.com/desktop/install/mac-install/
   Linux:  https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/
 
-After installing Docker, re-run this script with --local."
+After installing Docker, re-run this script with --with-server."
   fi
 
   if ! docker info >/dev/null 2>&1; then
@@ -214,7 +216,7 @@ After installing Docker, re-run this script with --local."
 }
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Server setup (self-host / --local)
+# Server setup (self-host / --with-server)
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 setup_server() {
   info "Setting up Multica server..."
@@ -281,100 +283,65 @@ setup_server() {
   fi
 }
 
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Configure CLI for local server
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-configure_local() {
-  info "Configuring CLI for local server..."
-  multica config local 2>/dev/null || {
-    # Fallback if config local doesn't exist in installed version
-    multica config set app_url http://localhost:3000 2>/dev/null || true
-    multica config set server_url http://localhost:8080 2>/dev/null || true
-  }
-  ok "CLI configured for localhost (backend :8080, frontend :3000)"
-}
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Configure CLI for Multica Cloud
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-configure_cloud() {
-  info "Configuring CLI for Multica Cloud..."
-  multica config set server_url https://api.multica.ai 2>/dev/null || true
-  multica config set app_url https://multica.ai 2>/dev/null || true
-  ok "CLI configured for multica.ai"
-}
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Main: Default mode (cloud — install CLI to connect to multica.ai)
+# Main: Default mode (install / upgrade CLI only)
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 run_default() {
   printf "\n"
   printf "${BOLD}  Multica — Installer${RESET}\n"
-  printf "  Installing the CLI to connect to ${CYAN}multica.ai${RESET}\n"
   printf "\n"
 
   detect_os
   install_cli
-  configure_cloud
 
   printf "\n"
   printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━${RESET}\n"
-  printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}  ✓ Multica CLI is installed!${RESET}\n"
+  printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}  ✓ Multica CLI is ready!${RESET}\n"
   printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━${RESET}\n"
   printf "\n"
-  printf "  ${BOLD}Next steps:${RESET}\n"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}Next: configure your environment${RESET}\n"
   printf "\n"
-  printf "     ${CYAN}multica login${RESET}          # Authenticate with multica.ai\n"
-  printf "     ${CYAN}multica daemon start${RESET}   # Start the agent daemon\n"
+  printf "     ${CYAN}multica setup${RESET}                # Connect to Multica Cloud (multica.ai)\n"
+  printf "     ${CYAN}multica setup self-host${RESET}       # Connect to a self-hosted server\n"
   printf "\n"
-  printf "  Or do it all in one command:\n"
-  printf "\n"
-  printf "     ${CYAN}multica setup${RESET}\n"
-  printf "\n"
-  printf "  ${BOLD}Self-hosting?${RESET} Re-run with --local:\n"
-  printf "     curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --local\n"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}Self-hosting?${RESET} Install the server first:\n"
+  printf "     curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --with-server\n"
   printf "\n"
 }
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Main: Local mode (self-host — full server + CLI)
+# Main: With-server mode (provision self-host infrastructure + install CLI)
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-run_local() {
+run_with_server() {
   printf "\n"
   printf "${BOLD}  Multica — Self-Host Installer${RESET}\n"
-  printf "  Setting up a local Multica server + CLI\n"
+  printf "  Provisioning server infrastructure + installing CLI\n"
   printf "\n"
 
   detect_os
   check_docker
   setup_server
   install_cli
-  configure_local
 
   printf "\n"
   printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━${RESET}\n"
-  printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}  ✓ Multica is installed and running!${RESET}\n"
+  printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}  ✓ Multica server is running and CLI is ready!${RESET}\n"
   printf "${BOLD}${GREEN}━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━${RESET}\n"
   printf "\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}Frontend:${RESET}  http://localhost:3000\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}Backend:${RESET}   http://localhost:8080\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}Server at:${RESET} %s\n" "$INSTALL_DIR"
   printf "\n"
-  printf "  ${BOLD}Next steps:${RESET}\n"
-  printf "  1. Open ${CYAN}http://localhost:3000${RESET} in your browser\n"
-  printf "  2. Log in with any email + verification code: ${BOLD}888888${RESET}\n"
-  printf "  3. Then run:\n"
+  printf "  ${BOLD}Next: configure your CLI to connect${RESET}\n"
   printf "\n"
-  printf "     ${CYAN}multica login${RESET}          # Authenticate (opens browser)\n"
-  printf "     ${CYAN}multica daemon start${RESET}   # Start the agent daemon\n"
+  printf "     ${CYAN}multica setup self-host${RESET}   # Configure + authenticate + start daemon\n"
+  printf "\n"
+  printf "  Default verification code: ${BOLD}888888${RESET}\n"
   printf "\n"
   printf "  ${BOLD}To stop all services:${RESET}\n"
   printf "     curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/multica-ai/multica/main/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --stop\n"
   printf "\n"
-  printf "  Or manually:\n"
-  printf "     cd %s && docker compose -f docker-compose.selfhost.yml down\n" "$INSTALL_DIR"
-  printf "     multica daemon stop\n"
-  printf "\n"
 }
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -411,14 +378,17 @@ main() {
 
   while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
     case "$1" in
-      --local)    mode="local" ;;
-      --stop)     mode="stop" ;;
+      --with-server) mode="with-server" ;;
+      --local)       mode="with-server" ;;  # backwards compat alias
+      --stop)        mode="stop" ;;
       --help|-h)
-        echo "Usage: install.sh [--local | --stop]"
+        echo "Usage: install.sh [--with-server | --stop]"
         echo ""
-        echo "  (default)  Install the Multica CLI to connect to multica.ai"
-        echo "  --local    Self-host: set up a local Multica server + CLI"
-        echo "  --stop     Stop a self-hosted installation"
+        echo "  (default)       Install / upgrade the Multica CLI"
+        echo "  --with-server   Install CLI + provision a self-host server (Docker)"
+        echo "  --stop          Stop a self-hosted installation"
+        echo ""
+        echo "After installation, run 'multica setup' to configure your environment."
         exit 0
         ;;
       *) warn "Unknown option: $1" ;;
@@ -427,9 +397,9 @@ main() {
   done
 
   case "$mode" in
-    default) run_default ;;
-    local)   run_local ;;
-    stop)    run_stop ;;
+    default)     run_default ;;
+    with-server) run_with_server ;;
+    stop)        run_stop ;;
   esac
 }
 

server/cmd/multica/cmd_agent.go

@@ -179,13 +179,12 @@ func resolveServerURL(cmd *cobra.Command) string {
 	}
 	profile := resolveProfile(cmd)
 	cfg, err := cli.LoadCLIConfigForProfile(profile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "https://api.multica.ai"
-	}
-	if cfg.ServerURL != "" {
+	if err == nil && cfg.ServerURL != "" {
 		return normalizeAPIBaseURL(cfg.ServerURL)
 	}
-	return "https://api.multica.ai"
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "No server configured. Run 'multica setup' first.")
+	os.Exit(1)
+	return "" // unreachable
 }
 
 func normalizeAPIBaseURL(raw string) string {

server/cmd/multica/cmd_auth.go

@@ -25,14 +25,6 @@ var authCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short: "Authenticate multica with Multica",
 }
 
-var authLoginCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:    "login",
-	Short:  "Authenticate with Multica",
-	Long:   "Authenticate with Multica without auto-configuring workspaces. Use 'multica login' for the guided setup flow.",
-	Hidden: true,
-	RunE:   runAuthLogin,
-}
-
 var authStatusCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "status",
 	Short: "Show current authentication status",
@@ -46,8 +38,6 @@ var authLogoutCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func init() {
-	authLoginCmd.Flags().Bool("token", false, "Authenticate by pasting a personal access token")
-	authCmd.AddCommand(authLoginCmd)
 	authCmd.AddCommand(authStatusCmd)
 	authCmd.AddCommand(authLogoutCmd)
 }
@@ -72,7 +62,9 @@ func resolveAppURL(cmd *cobra.Command) string {
 	if err == nil && cfg.AppURL != "" {
 		return strings.TrimRight(cfg.AppURL, "/")
 	}
-	return "https://multica.ai"
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "No app URL configured. Run 'multica setup' first.")
+	os.Exit(1)
+	return "" // unreachable
 }
 
 func openBrowser(url string) error {

server/cmd/multica/cmd_auth_test.go

@@ -34,16 +34,6 @@ func TestResolveAppURL(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("resolveAppURL() = %q, want %q", got, "http://localhost:13026")
 		}
 	})
-
-	t.Run("defaults to production", func(t *testing.T) {
-		t.Setenv("MULTICA_APP_URL", "")
-		t.Setenv("FRONTEND_ORIGIN", "")
-		t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir()) // avoid reading real config
-
-		if got := resolveAppURL(cmd); got != "https://multica.ai" {
-			t.Fatalf("resolveAppURL() = %q, want %q", got, "https://multica.ai")
-		}
-	})
 }
 
 func TestNormalizeAPIBaseURL(t *testing.T) {

server/cmd/multica/cmd_compat_test.go

@@ -7,12 +7,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestLegacyCompatibilityCommandsRemainAvailable(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Run("auth login remains available", func(t *testing.T) {
-		if _, _, err := authCmd.Find([]string{"login"}); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("expected auth login command to exist: %v", err)
-		}
-	})
-
 	t.Run("workspace get remains available", func(t *testing.T) {
 		if _, _, err := workspaceCmd.Find([]string{"get"}); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("expected workspace get command to exist: %v", err)

server/cmd/multica/cmd_config.go

@@ -29,20 +29,9 @@ var configSetCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	RunE:  runConfigSet,
 }
 
-var configLocalCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "local",
-	Short: "Configure CLI for a local Docker Compose deployment",
-	Long:  "Sets server_url and app_url to localhost defaults for a local self-hosted deployment.",
-	RunE:  runConfigLocal,
-}
-
 func init() {
-	configLocalCmd.Flags().Int("port", 8080, "Backend server port")
-	configLocalCmd.Flags().Int("frontend-port", 3000, "Frontend port")
-
 	configCmd.AddCommand(configShowCmd)
 	configCmd.AddCommand(configSetCmd)
-	configCmd.AddCommand(configLocalCmd)
 }
 
 func runConfigShow(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
@@ -91,29 +80,6 @@ func runConfigSet(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func runConfigLocal(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-	port, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt("port")
-	frontendPort, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt("frontend-port")
-
-	profile := resolveProfile(cmd)
-	cfg, err := cli.LoadCLIConfigForProfile(profile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	cfg.AppURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", frontendPort)
-	cfg.ServerURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", port)
-
-	if err := cli.SaveCLIConfigForProfile(cfg, profile); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Configured for local deployment:\n")
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  app_url:    %s\n", cfg.AppURL)
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  server_url: %s\n", cfg.ServerURL)
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "\nNext: run 'multica login' to authenticate.\n")
-	return nil
-}
 
 func valueOrDefault(v, fallback string) string {
 	if v == "" {

server/cmd/multica/cmd_setup.go

@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -14,54 +16,177 @@ import (
 
 var setupCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "setup",
-	Short: "One-command setup: configure, authenticate, and start the daemon",
-	Long: `Detects a local Multica server, configures the CLI, authenticates via browser,
-and starts the agent daemon — all in one step.
+	Short: "Configure the CLI, authenticate, and start the daemon",
+	Long: `Configures the CLI to connect to Multica Cloud (multica.ai), then
+authenticates via browser and starts the agent daemon.
 
-Use --local to skip auto-detection and force local mode.`,
-	RunE: runSetup,
+If a configuration already exists, you will be prompted before overwriting.
+
+Use 'multica setup self-host' to connect to a self-hosted server instead.
+
+Use --profile to create an isolated configuration for a separate environment:
+  multica setup self-host --profile staging --server-url https://api-staging.co`,
+	RunE: runSetupCloud,
+}
+
+var setupCloudCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "cloud",
+	Short: "Configure the CLI for Multica Cloud (multica.ai)",
+	Long: `Explicitly configures the CLI to connect to Multica Cloud (multica.ai).
+
+This is equivalent to running 'multica setup' without a subcommand.`,
+	RunE: runSetupCloud,
+}
+
+var setupSelfHostCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "self-host",
+	Short: "Configure the CLI for a self-hosted Multica server",
+	Long: `Configures the CLI to connect to a self-hosted Multica server.
+
+By default, connects to http://localhost:8080 (backend) and http://localhost:3000 (frontend).
+Use --server-url and --app-url to specify a custom server (e.g. an on-premise deployment).
+
+Examples:
+  multica setup self-host
+  multica setup self-host --server-url https://api.internal.co --app-url https://app.internal.co
+  multica setup self-host --port 9090 --frontend-port 4000`,
+	RunE: runSetupSelfHost,
 }
 
 func init() {
-	setupCmd.Flags().Bool("local", false, "Force local mode (skip server auto-detection)")
-	setupCmd.Flags().Int("port", 8080, "Backend server port (for local mode)")
-	setupCmd.Flags().Int("frontend-port", 3000, "Frontend port (for local mode)")
+	setupSelfHostCmd.Flags().String("server-url", "", "Backend server URL (e.g. https://api.internal.co)")
+	setupSelfHostCmd.Flags().String("app-url", "", "Frontend app URL (e.g. https://app.internal.co)")
+	setupSelfHostCmd.Flags().Int("port", 8080, "Backend server port (used when --server-url is not set)")
+	setupSelfHostCmd.Flags().Int("frontend-port", 3000, "Frontend port (used when --app-url is not set)")
+
+	setupCmd.AddCommand(setupCloudCmd)
+	setupCmd.AddCommand(setupSelfHostCmd)
 }
 
-func runSetup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	forceLocal, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("local")
+// printConfigLocation prints the config file path and profile name.
+func printConfigLocation(profile string) {
+	path, err := cli.CLIConfigPathForProfile(profile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if profile != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  profile:    %s\n", profile)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  config:     %s\n", path)
+}
+
+// confirmOverwrite checks for an existing config and prompts the user.
+// Returns true if we should proceed, false if the user declined.
+func confirmOverwrite(profile string) (bool, error) {
+	cfg, err := cli.LoadCLIConfigForProfile(profile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return true, nil // can't load → treat as no config
+	}
+	if cfg.ServerURL == "" {
+		return true, nil // no server configured → fresh config
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Current configuration:")
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  server_url: %s\n", cfg.ServerURL)
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  app_url:    %s\n", cfg.AppURL)
+	if cfg.WorkspaceID != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  workspace:  %s\n", cfg.WorkspaceID)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "")
+	fmt.Fprint(os.Stderr, "This will reset your configuration. Continue? [y/N] ")
+
+	reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
+	answer, _ := reader.ReadString('\n')
+	answer = strings.TrimSpace(strings.ToLower(answer))
+	if answer != "y" && answer != "yes" {
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Aborted.")
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+func runSetupCloud(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	profile := resolveProfile(cmd)
+
+	ok, err := confirmOverwrite(profile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	cfg := cli.CLIConfig{
+		ServerURL: "https://api.multica.ai",
+		AppURL:    "https://multica.ai",
+	}
+	if err := cli.SaveCLIConfigForProfile(cfg, profile); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("save config: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Configured for Multica Cloud (https://multica.ai).")
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  server_url: %s\n", cfg.ServerURL)
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  app_url:    %s\n", cfg.AppURL)
+	printConfigLocation(profile)
+
+	// Authenticate.
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "")
+	if err := runLogin(cmd, args); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Start daemon in background.
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "\nStarting daemon...")
+	if err := runDaemonBackground(cmd); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("start daemon: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "\n✓ Setup complete! Your machine is now connected to Multica.")
+	return nil
+}
+
+func runSetupSelfHost(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	profile := resolveProfile(cmd)
+
+	ok, err := confirmOverwrite(profile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	serverURL, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("server-url")
+	appURL, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("app-url")
 	port, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt("port")
 	frontendPort, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt("frontend-port")
 
-	profile := resolveProfile(cmd)
-
-	isLocal := forceLocal
-	if !forceLocal {
-		// Auto-detect a local server on the default port.
-		isLocal = probeLocalServer(port)
+	// If custom URLs provided, use them; otherwise default to localhost with ports.
+	if serverURL == "" {
+		serverURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", port)
+	}
+	if appURL == "" {
+		appURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", frontendPort)
 	}
 
-	if isLocal {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Detected local Multica server.")
+	cfg := cli.CLIConfig{
+		ServerURL: serverURL,
+		AppURL:    appURL,
+	}
+	if err := cli.SaveCLIConfigForProfile(cfg, profile); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("save config: %w", err)
+	}
 
-		cfg, _ := cli.LoadCLIConfigForProfile(profile)
-		cfg.AppURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", frontendPort)
-		cfg.ServerURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d", port)
-		if err := cli.SaveCLIConfigForProfile(cfg, profile); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("save config: %w", err)
-		}
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Configured for self-hosted server.")
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  server_url: %s\n", cfg.ServerURL)
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  app_url:    %s\n", cfg.AppURL)
+	printConfigLocation(profile)
 
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  app_url:    %s\n", cfg.AppURL)
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  server_url: %s\n", cfg.ServerURL)
-	} else if !forceLocal {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "No local server detected — using Multica Cloud (https://multica.ai).")
-
-		cfg, _ := cli.LoadCLIConfigForProfile(profile)
-		cfg.AppURL = "https://multica.ai"
-		cfg.ServerURL = "https://api.multica.ai"
-		if err := cli.SaveCLIConfigForProfile(cfg, profile); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("save config: %w", err)
-		}
+	// Check if the server is reachable.
+	if !probeServer(serverURL) {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "\n⚠ Server at %s is not reachable.\n", serverURL)
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "  Make sure the server is running, then run 'multica login'.")
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// Authenticate.
@@ -80,9 +205,9 @@ func runSetup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// probeLocalServer checks whether a Multica backend is running on localhost.
-func probeLocalServer(port int) bool {
-	url := fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d/health", port)
+// probeServer checks whether a Multica backend is reachable at the given URL.
+func probeServer(baseURL string) bool {
+	url := strings.TrimRight(baseURL, "/") + "/health"
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()