alpha testing feature flag

backend/middleware/alphaAccess.js

@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ const logger = require("../utils/logger");
  */
 const requireAlphaAccess = async (req, res, next) => {
   try {
+    // Bypass alpha access check if feature is disabled
+    if (process.env.ALPHA_TESTING_ENABLED !== 'true') {
+      return next();
+    }
+
     let hasAccess = false;
 
     // Check 1: Valid alpha access cookie

backend/routes/alpha.js

@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ const router = express.Router();
 
 // Helper function to check if user has alpha access
 async function checkAlphaAccess(req) {
+  // Bypass alpha access check if feature is disabled
+  if (process.env.ALPHA_TESTING_ENABLED !== 'true') {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   // Check 1: Valid alpha access cookie
   if (req.cookies && req.cookies.alphaAccessCode) {
     const { code } = req.cookies.alphaAccessCode;

backend/routes/auth.js

@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ router.post(
 
       // Alpha access validation
       let alphaInvitation = null;
-      if (req.signedCookies && req.signedCookies.alphaAccessCode) {
+      if (process.env.ALPHA_TESTING_ENABLED === 'true') {
-        const { code } = req.signedCookies.alphaAccessCode;
+        if (req.cookies && req.cookies.alphaAccessCode) {
+          const { code } = req.cookies.alphaAccessCode;
           if (code) {
             alphaInvitation = await AlphaInvitation.findOne({
               where: { code },
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ router.post(
             error: "Alpha access required. Please enter your invitation code first.",
           });
         }
+      }
 
       const user = await User.create({
         username,
@@ -356,6 +358,7 @@ router.post(
         });
 
         // Check if there's an alpha invitation for this email
+        if (process.env.ALPHA_TESTING_ENABLED === 'true') {
           const alphaInvitation = await AlphaInvitation.findOne({
             where: { email: email.toLowerCase().trim() },
           });
@@ -369,6 +372,7 @@ router.post(
             });
           }
         }
+      }
 
       // Generate JWT tokens
       const token = jwt.sign(

frontend/src/App.tsx

@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ const AppContent: React.FC = () => {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const checkAlphaAccess = async () => {
+      // Bypass alpha access check if feature is disabled
+      if (process.env.REACT_APP_ALPHA_TESTING_ENABLED !== 'true') {
+        setHasAlphaAccess(true);
+        setCheckingAccess(false);
+        return;
+      }
+
       try {
         const response = await axios.get(`${API_URL}/alpha/verify-session`, {
           withCredentials: true,