diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index e78a8cc..71871cf 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
   - Avoid running the server yourself, ask the user to test
   - `app.py` — the FastAPI app. FastAPI's built-in API docs are disabled
     (`docs_url`/`redoc_url`/`openapi_url=None`) because `/docs` belongs to
-    our content. Our own routes (content pages, `/_api/...`, `/_f/...`,
-    `/_admin`) are registered BEFORE `frontend.route(app, "/")` is
-    called: fastapi-vue inserts its file routes at the position where
+    our content. Our own routes (content pages, `/_api/...`, `/_f/...`) are
+    registered BEFORE `frontend.route(app, "/")` is called: fastapi-vue
+    inserts its file routes at the position where
     `route()` was called (during `load()` in the lifespan), so anything
     defined earlier wins. The one exception is the content catch-all
     `/{path:path}`, registered AFTER `frontend.route()` so that built
@@ -115,17 +115,17 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
   two pens swap the docked
   panel for the other editor; clicking the open editor's own pen closes it. Normally dynamic-imported onto the content page by
   pagerite.js when a 🖊️ edit link is clicked (the link carries
-  `data-editor-src`/`data-editor-css`/`data-editor-mode`); the `/_admin`
-  route (page selected by location hash) is the no-JS-import fallback shell
-  rendered by `views.render_editor` and keeps its own preview pane.
+  `data-editor-src`/`data-editor-css`/`data-editor-mode`).
   In dev, modules load from the Vite dev server (`PAGERITE_VITE_URL`),
   in prod from the hashed build assets resolved via
-  `frontend-build/.vite/manifest.json`. `vite.config.js` builds with
-  `manifest: true`, `assetsDir: '_/assets'` (so the build mirrors the URL
-  space; `frontend/public/favicon.ico` lands at the build root and is
-  served at `/favicon.ico`) and JS inputs (`src/main.js` and
-  `src/pagerite.js`) so no `index.html` ends up in the build (it would shadow
-  `/`). All outputs are ES modules. vite-plugin-fastapi.js has an
+  `frontend-build/.vite/manifest.json`. `vite.config.js` sets
+  `appType: 'mpa'` (no SPA fallback) and builds with `manifest: true`,
+  `assetsDir: '_/assets'` (so the build mirrors the URL space;
+  `frontend/public/favicon.ico` lands at the build root and is served at
+  `/favicon.ico`). JS inputs are `src/main.js` and `src/pagerite.js`; there
+  is no `index.html` source (it would shadow `/` and turn missing dev paths
+  into an empty Vue shell). All outputs are ES modules.
+  vite-plugin-fastapi.js has an
   auto-upgrade marker — edit `vite.config.js`, not the plugin.
 - `docs/` — design documentation.
 
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
 
 - Keep dependencies minimal; add via `uv add` and mention it.
 - The public URL space belongs to content (pretty slugs at root). Reserve
-  only `/_` for the machinery (`/_api/`, `/_f/`, `/_assets/`, `/_admin`), plus
+  only `/_` for the machinery (`/_api/`, `/_f/`, `/_assets/`), plus
   `/favicon.ico` from the build. Slugs are lowercase ASCII letters, digits,
   hyphens and underscores `[a-z0-9_-]` (the site editor filters input live
   via `slugify.js`, built on the `transliteration` npm package — unicode
diff --git a/docs/design-principles.md b/docs/design-principles.md
index a485f05..09d6613 100644
--- a/docs/design-principles.md
+++ b/docs/design-principles.md
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ evolves.
   Python with **html5tagger**. There is no client-side templating or SPA for
   the public site.
 - **Vue only where interactivity demands it.** Small interactive islands
-  (editing tools mainly) may be Vue components, either mounted into specific
-  elements of the server-rendered pages or served as standalone apps
-  (e.g. an admin panel). The public reading experience has no scripting
+  (editing tools mainly) are Vue components mounted into specific elements of
+  the server-rendered pages. The public reading experience has no scripting
   requirement.
 - **Persistence via kanta.** Content is stored in an asyncio-friendly kanta
   database. Rendering happens on the fly on each request — there are no
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ evolves.
   directly at the site root; structured content may nest
   (`/docs/design-principles`-style). The URL space is the author's, so
   reserved prefixes must be kept few and deliberate: everything internal
-  lives under `/_` (`/_api/`, `/_f/`, `/_assets/`, `/_admin`). The only
+  lives under `/_` (`/_api/`, `/_f/`, `/_assets/`). The only
   other reserved root path is `/favicon.ico`, served from the build.
   Slugs are lowercase ASCII letters, digits, hyphens and underscores
   (`[a-z0-9_-]`; input is transliterated and filtered as you type, and a
@@ -159,8 +158,7 @@ evolves.
   reloads the page). The pens are `<button>`s wired up by `pagerite.js` —
   editing is an action, not a navigation. The editor's WebSocket
   **reconnects automatically** with local text and pending saves preserved.
-  A standalone shell also exists at `/_admin#/path` with its own preview
-  pane. (All users are trusted authors for now; access control later with
+  (All users are trusted authors for now; access control later with
   SSO.)
 - **CodeMirror 6** for Markdown editing (no WYSIWYG), title/published
   controls.
diff --git a/frontend/index.html b/frontend/index.html
deleted file mode 100644
index 212a54d..0000000
--- a/frontend/index.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html lang="en">
-  <head>
-    <meta charset="UTF-8">
-    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
-    <title>Pagerite</title>
-  </head>
-  <body>
-    <div id="app"></div>
-    <script type="module" src="/src/main.js"></script>
-  </body>
-</html>
diff --git a/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue b/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue
index 5f0a3df..7e3c5e0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 <script setup>
 // Page editor: CodeMirror for Markdown, live server-rendered preview
 // applied straight into the visible article, saving over one WebSocket
-// (/_api/ws/editor). Docked left of the article on the page itself
-// (main.js openEditor) or standalone at /_admin with its own preview pane.
+// (/_api/ws/editor). Docked left of the article on the page itself.
 // The socket connects when the editor is opened and reconnects with
 // exponential backoff after a failure; unsaved text and pending saves
 // survive a disconnect. Editor scroll drives the document scroll, keeping the
 // rendered article at the cursor's position.
-import { nextTick, onMounted, onUnmounted, ref } from 'vue'
+import { onMounted, onUnmounted, ref } from 'vue'
 import { EditorView, basicSetup } from 'codemirror'
 import { EditorState } from '@codemirror/state'
 import { markdown } from '@codemirror/lang-markdown'
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ import { cmHighlight, cmTheme } from './cmtheme'
 
 const props = defineProps({
   pagePath: { type: String, default: '' },
-  standalone: { type: Boolean, default: false },
 })
 const emit = defineEmits(['close'])
 
@@ -23,10 +21,7 @@ const path = ref('')
 const title = ref('')
 const published = ref(true)
 const saveError = ref('')
-const previewHtml = ref('')
-const previewHasH1 = ref(false)
 const editorEl = ref(null)
-const previewEl = ref(null)
 const fileInput = ref(null)
 
 let ws = null
@@ -40,10 +35,6 @@ let everConnected = false
 let dirty = false
 let syncingScroll = false
 
-function currentPath() {
-  return location.hash.replace(/^#\/?/, '').replace(/\/$/, '')
-}
-
 function send(msg) {
   if (ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
     ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
@@ -87,10 +78,9 @@ function save() {
 async function saveAndClose() {
   await save()
   // Reload so nav/sidebar changes apply, then the editor is gone.
-  // In standalone mode replace the current history entry so the admin
-  // shell does not remain in the back-button stack.
-  if (props.standalone) location.replace(`/${path.value}`)
-  else { dirty = false; emit('close'); location.reload() }
+  dirty = false
+  emit('close')
+  location.reload()
 }
 
 function close() {
@@ -98,7 +88,7 @@ function close() {
   const stale = dirty
   dirty = false
   emit('close')
-  if (stale && !props.standalone) location.reload()
+  if (stale) location.reload()
 }
 
 function insertAtCursor(text) {
@@ -128,11 +118,6 @@ function setDocument(text, preserveSelection = false) {
   view.dispatch(tr)
 }
 
-function onHashChange() {
-  const p = currentPath()
-  if (p !== path.value) openPath(p)
-}
-
 function runScripts(root) {
   // Scripts injected via innerHTML do not execute; re-create them.
   for (const old of root.querySelectorAll('script')) {
@@ -144,15 +129,6 @@ function runScripts(root) {
 }
 
 function previewIntoArticle(html, hasH1) {
-  // Docked mode previews into the article on the page itself;
-  // standalone mode has its own preview pane. When the markdown owns its
-  // h1, the title-derived h1 is hidden (matching server-side rendering).
-  previewHasH1.value = hasH1
-  if (props.standalone) {
-    previewHtml.value = html
-    nextTick(() => { if (previewEl.value) runScripts(previewEl.value) })
-    return
-  }
   const article = document.querySelector('#main article')
   if (!article) return
   const h1 = article.querySelector('h1')
@@ -210,13 +186,8 @@ function syncScroll() {
     const scroller = view.scrollDOM
     const max = scroller.scrollHeight - scroller.clientHeight
     const pct = max > 0 ? scroller.scrollTop / max : 0
-    if (props.standalone) {
-      const pv = previewEl.value
-      if (pv) pv.scrollTop = pct * (pv.scrollHeight - pv.clientHeight)
-    } else {
-      const doc = document.documentElement
-      window.scrollTo(0, pct * (doc.scrollHeight - innerHeight))
-    }
+    const doc = document.documentElement
+    window.scrollTo(0, pct * (doc.scrollHeight - innerHeight))
     syncingScroll = false
   })
 }
@@ -234,7 +205,7 @@ function connect() {
       requestRender()
       if (pendingSave) send(pendingSave)
     } else {
-      openPath(props.standalone ? currentPath() : normPath(props.pagePath))
+      openPath(normPath(props.pagePath))
     }
     everConnected = true
   }
@@ -281,7 +252,6 @@ onMounted(() => {
     setMarkdown: (text) => setDocument(text, true),
     path: () => path.value,
   }
-  if (props.standalone) addEventListener('hashchange', onHashChange)
   addEventListener('keydown', onKeydown)
 })
 
@@ -293,13 +263,12 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   }
   view?.destroy()
   delete window.__pageritePageEditor
-  if (props.standalone) removeEventListener('hashchange', onHashChange)
   removeEventListener('keydown', onKeydown)
 })
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <div class="editor-root" :class="{ overlay: !standalone }">
+  <div class="editor-root overlay">
     <header class="toolbar">
       <input v-model="title" placeholder="Title" class="title" @input="requestRender" />
       <label><input v-model="published" type="checkbox" /> published</label>
@@ -312,18 +281,11 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
       />
       <button type="button" @click="fileInput.click()">image</button>
       <button type="button" @click="saveAndClose">save</button>
-      <button v-if="!standalone" type="button" class="close" title="close" @click="close">✕</button>
+      <button type="button" class="close" title="close" @click="close">✕</button>
     </header>
     <div v-if="saveError">{{ saveError }}</div>
     <div class="panes">
       <div ref="editorEl" class="editor" />
-      <div v-if="standalone" ref="previewEl" class="preview">
-        <article>
-          <h1 v-if="!previewHasH1">{{ title }}</h1>
-          <!-- server-rendered markdown preview -->
-          <div class="body" v-html="previewHtml" />
-        </article>
-      </div>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>
@@ -418,18 +380,4 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 .editor :deep(.cm-gutters) {
   display: none;
 }
-
-.preview {
-  flex: 1;
-  min-width: 0;
-  overflow-y: auto;
-  padding: 1rem 1.5rem;
-  border: 1px solid var(--line);
-  border-radius: 6px;
-}
-
-.preview article {
-  max-width: 44rem;
-  margin: 0 auto;
-}
 </style>
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.js b/frontend/src/main.js
index 97ebede..25220a1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.js
+++ b/frontend/src/main.js
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 //   editing with the preview rendered into the visible article.
 // - SiteEditor ("site" mode): pen on the banner — banner HTML editing
 //   (previewed into the real banner) and the site structure tree.
-// The standalone /_admin shell (#app in the DOM) mounts PageEditor with the
-// page selected by location hash, as a no-dynamic-import fallback.
 if (import.meta.env.DEV) {
   import("./assets/pagerite.css");
   import("./assets/themes/purple/theme.css");
@@ -17,22 +15,18 @@ import SiteEditor from './SiteEditor.vue'
 
 let host = null
 
-export function openEditor(path, { standalone = false, mode = 'page' } = {}) {
+export function openEditor(path, { mode = 'page' } = {}) {
   closeEditor()
   host = document.createElement('div')
   host.className = 'editor-host'
   // Docked inside #content: below the banner, next to the article only.
-  const container = (!standalone && document.getElementById('content')) || document.body
-  container.prepend(host)
-  if (!standalone) {
-    document.body.classList.add('editing')
-    // Which kind of editor is open; pagerite.js uses this to decide
-    // whether a pen click closes the panel or swaps in the other editor.
-    document.body.dataset.editorMode = mode
-  }
+  document.getElementById('content').prepend(host)
+  document.body.classList.add('editing')
+  // Which kind of editor is open; pagerite.js uses this to decide
+  // whether a pen click closes the panel or swaps in the other editor.
+  document.body.dataset.editorMode = mode
   createApp(mode === 'site' ? SiteEditor : PageEditor, {
     pagePath: path,
-    standalone,
     onClose: closeEditor,
   }).mount(host)
 }
@@ -47,14 +41,3 @@ export function closeEditor() {
   host = null
   setTimeout(() => old.remove(), 250)
 }
-
-const shell = document.getElementById('app')
-if (shell) {
-  // Standalone /_admin shell: mount into it and follow the location hash.
-  host = shell
-  createApp(PageEditor, {
-    pagePath: location.hash.replace(/^#\/?/, '').replace(/\/$/, ''),
-    standalone: true,
-    onClose: () => {},
-  }).mount(shell)
-}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pagerite.js b/frontend/src/pagerite.js
index c1f3538..e430076 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pagerite.js
+++ b/frontend/src/pagerite.js
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
   function preload() {
     const urls = new Set();
     for (const a of document.querySelectorAll('#nav a[href^="/"], #main a[href^="/"]')) {
-      if (!a.pathname.startsWith("/_admin")) urls.add(a.pathname);
+      urls.add(a.pathname);
     }
     for (const url of urls) {
       if (url === location.pathname) continue;
diff --git a/frontend/vite.config.js b/frontend/vite.config.js
index 9021c18..a0dcf4e 100644
--- a/frontend/vite.config.js
+++ b/frontend/vite.config.js
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ const backendUrl = process.env.PAGERITE_BACKEND_URL || 'http://localhost:3200'
 
 // Proxy content pages (/slug, /path/to/slug) to the FastAPI backend in dev.
 // Excludes Vite internals (/@..., /src, /node_modules, /__...) and the
-// backend's /_ prefix. /_api and /_f are handled by the fastapi-vue plugin;
-// /_admin is proxied explicitly below.
+// backend's /_ prefix. /_api and /_f are handled by the fastapi-vue plugin.
 const CONTENT_PROXY = '^\\/(?!_|@|src|node_modules|__)(?:[^./?]+(?:\\/[^./?]+)*)?(?:\\?.*)?$'
 
 // https://vite.dev/config/
@@ -22,10 +21,10 @@ export default defineConfig({
   ],
   server: {
     proxy: {
-      "/_admin": { target: backendUrl, changeOrigin: false },
       [CONTENT_PROXY]: { target: backendUrl, changeOrigin: false },
     },
   },
+  appType: 'mpa', // no SPA fallback; every HTML page is served by FastAPI
   build: {
     // Mirror the URL space in the build output: hashed files land under
     // frontend-build/_assets/ and the Frontend serves the build directory
diff --git a/pagerite/app.py b/pagerite/app.py
index b7989a9..daa5fc8 100644
--- a/pagerite/app.py
+++ b/pagerite/app.py
@@ -549,12 +549,6 @@ async def editor_ws(ws: WebSocket) -> None:
         pass
 
 
-@app.get("/_admin", response_class=HTMLResponse)
-async def admin() -> HTMLResponse:
-    """Serve the editor app shell (Vue mounts into #app)."""
-    return HTMLResponse(views.render_editor())
-
-
 @app.get("/")
 async def front_page(request: Request) -> Response:
     """Render the front page (slug path "")."""
diff --git a/pagerite/views.py b/pagerite/views.py
index b3086f1..50071da 100644
--- a/pagerite/views.py
+++ b/pagerite/views.py
@@ -72,15 +72,6 @@ def _editor_css_url(vite_url: str | None) -> str | None:
     return None
 
 
-def _editor_page_css_urls(vite_url: str | None) -> list[str]:
-    """All CSS URLs for the standalone admin editor page."""
-    if vite_url:
-        return []
-    shared = _shared_css_urls(None)
-    editor_css = _editor_css_url(None)
-    return [*shared, editor_css] if editor_css else shared
-
-
 def _layout(urls: list[str], modules: list[str] = ()) -> Template:
     """Page layout template with standard asset URLs and ES-module scripts.
 
@@ -230,12 +221,12 @@ def _edit_attrs(path: str, mode: str = "page") -> dict:
     (the pen on the banner) edits the banner and site structure. They are
     buttons, not links: editing is an action, not a navigation.
     """
-    scripts, _styles, editor_css = _editor_assets()
+    script, editor_css = _editor_assets()
     return {
         "type": "button",
         "class": "edit-link" if mode == "page" else "edit-link banner-edit-link",
         "title": "edit",
-        "data-editor-src": scripts[-1],
+        "data-editor-src": script[-1],
         "data-editor-css": editor_css or "",
         "data-editor-mode": mode,
     }
@@ -346,38 +337,17 @@ def _page_assets() -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
     return _asset_cache["page"]
 
 
-def _editor_assets() -> tuple[list[str], list[str], str | None]:
-    """Script URLs, page CSS URLs, and editor-specific CSS URL.
+def _editor_assets() -> tuple[list[str], str | None]:
+    """Script URL and editor-specific CSS URL for the public-page edit pen.
 
-    The standalone admin page uses all CSS URLs; the public-page edit pen
-    only needs the editor-specific URL because the shared CSS is already
-    linked on the page.
+    The shared CSS is already linked on the page, so the pen only needs the
+    editor-specific stylesheet.
     """
     vite_url = os.environ.get("PAGERITE_VITE_URL")
     if vite_url:
-        return (
-            [f"{vite_url}/@vite/client", f"{vite_url}/src/main.js"],
-            _shared_css_urls(vite_url),
-            None,
-        )
+        return [f"{vite_url}/@vite/client", f"{vite_url}/src/main.js"], None
     if "editor" not in _asset_cache:
         manifest = _manifest()
         entry = manifest["src/main.js"]
-        _asset_cache["editor"] = (
-            [f"/{entry['file']}"],
-            _editor_page_css_urls(None),
-            _editor_css_url(None),
-        )
+        _asset_cache["editor"] = [f"/{entry['file']}"], _editor_css_url(None)
     return _asset_cache["editor"]
-
-
-def render_editor() -> str:
-    """Render the admin editor shell: a mount point for the Vue app."""
-    scripts, styles, _editor_css = _editor_assets()
-    doc = Document(f"Admin – {SITE_NAME}", lang="en")
-    for url in styles:
-        doc.link(rel="stylesheet", href=url, blocking="render")
-    for src in scripts:
-        doc.script(src=src, type="module")
-    doc.div(None, id="app")
-    return str(doc)