diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 38fb8b6..f1303f2 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
   - `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/...`,
-    `/static/...`) are registered BEFORE `frontend.route(app, "/")` is
+    `/_/assets/...`, `/_/admin`) are registered BEFORE `frontend.route(app, "/_/assets")` 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
     frontend assets still take priority over content slugs. The `Frontend`
     is constructed with `spa=False` explicitly: it only serves the built
-    asset files at root without a catch-all; an `index.html` in the build
-    would become a `/` route, so leave it out of the build to keep `/` ours.
+    asset files under `/_/assets/` without a catch-all; an `index.html` in the build
+    would become a `/_/assets/` route, so leave it out of the build to keep `/` ours.
   - `data.py` — msgspec Structs for the kanta database. The site structure
     is a tree: `Data.menu` maps top-level slugs to `Node`s, each with
     `children` keyed by slug — the URL path is the slug chain. The front
@@ -72,12 +72,17 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
     (`#page-banner`, `#nav`, `#sidebar`, `#main`) for fetch-navigation swaps.
   - `seed.py` — demo content written on startup for paths missing from the
     database (never overwrites existing pages).
-  - `static/` — our own assets served at `/static/`: `style.css` (shared
-    with Vue later), `pagerite.js` (fetch-navigation with rotating-cube
-    `startViewTransition`, scroll-reveal), `banner.svg`
-    (full-width header art) and `fonts/` (self-hosted Fraunces/Literata/
-    Fira Code variable woff2). The `::view-transition*` block at the end of
-    `style.css` (from termotohtori.fi) is fragile — do not tweak.
+  - `frontend/src/` — the Vue editor and public-page entries.
+    - `main.js` — Vue editor app entry, mounts PageEditor/SiteEditor.
+    - `pagerite.js` — public page entry; imports the shared style and runs
+      fetch-navigation, scroll-reveal and code copy buttons.
+    - `assets/` — shared styles and data files built by Vite and served hashed
+      under `/_/assets/`: `style.css`, `pygments.css`, `banner.svg` and
+      `fonts/` (self-hosted Fraunces/Literata/Fira Code variable woff2). The
+      `::view-transition*` block at the end of `style.css` (from
+      termotohtori.fi) is fragile — do not tweak.
+    - Vite builds ES-module `.js` outputs; the backend renders `<script
+      type="module" defer>` for them.
   - The database file is `pagerite.kanta` in the cwd (`PAGERITE_DB`
     overrides); gitignored. Do not delete it without asking.
 - `scripts/fastapi-vue/` — helper scripts from the fastapi-vue template
@@ -97,14 +102,15 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
   lists become drop zones while dragging). The 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`
+  `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.
   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` and a JS-only input (`src/main.js`) so no `index.html`
-  ends up in the build (it would shadow `/`). vite-plugin-fastapi.js has an
+  `manifest: true`, `assetsDir: ''` 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
   auto-upgrade marker — edit `vite.config.js`, not the plugin.
 - `docs/` — design documentation.
 
@@ -145,14 +151,14 @@ not for the public pages. See `docs/design-principles.md` for the design.
   - **markdown-it-py** — Markdown rendering with `html=True` raw
     passthrough; mdit-py-plugins for footnote/deflist/tasklists/attrs;
     **Pygments** for server-side code highlighting (`nowrap` spans, styles
-    in `static/pygments.css` scoped to "pre code").
+    in `frontend/src/assets/pygments.css` scoped to "pre code").
 
 ## Conventions
 
 - Keep dependencies minimal; add via `uv add` and mention it.
 - The public URL space belongs to content (pretty slugs at root). Reserve
-  only few prefixes (`/_/` for files + API, `/static`, `/admin`) for the
-  machinery; top-level `_` is a reserved slug.
+  only `/_/` for the machinery (files, API, built assets, admin); top-level
+  `_` is a reserved slug.
 - No auth in core code; trusted single author. Never add output
   sanitization "for safety" against the author — embedded HTML/scripts in
   Markdown are passed through deliberately.
diff --git a/docs/design-principles.md b/docs/design-principles.md
index 9a0e11e..8baef85 100644
--- a/docs/design-principles.md
+++ b/docs/design-principles.md
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ 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 `/_/` (the API at `/_/api/`, uploaded files at `/_/f/`),
-  plus `/static` and `/admin`.
+  lives under `/_/` (the API at `/_/api/`, uploaded files at `/_/f/`, built
+  assets at `/_/assets/`, and the admin shell at `/_/admin`).
 - **Single user, trusted author.** No auth concerns in the core design.
   Everything published is public; only editing tools will later sit behind
   access control (external SSO when that time comes). The author is trusted
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ evolves.
   lists, task lists, brace-attributes; tables and strikethrough from the
   default preset), with `html=True` for raw passthrough. Fenced code blocks
   are highlighted server-side with **Pygments** (github-dark palette in
-  `/static/pygments.css`); a JS copy button appears on hover. Should this
+  `/_/assets/pygments-*.css`); a JS copy button appears on hover. Should this
   prove limiting, we implement our own renderer on top of html5tagger,
   which we already use for all HTML generation.
 - **Files are content-addressed.** Uploads (`PUT /_/api/files/{filename}`)
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ evolves.
   **per-page configurable**: `Node.banner` holds an arbitrary trusted HTML
   snippet (an image, a styled div, canvas + script — anything), resolved by
   walking up the node's ancestors to the front page; when nothing in the
-  chain sets one, the default `/static/banner.svg` artwork shows.
+  chain sets one, the default `/_/assets/banner-*.svg` artwork shows.
 - **Fetch-navigation.** Links are plain `<a href>`; a small script
-  (`pagerite/static/pagerite.js`) intercepts same-origin clicks, fetches the
+  (`frontend/src/pagerite.js`) intercepts same-origin clicks, fetches the
   page, and swaps the `#page-banner`, `#nav`, `#sidebar` and `#main` regions
   and the document title, keeping `<head>` and the layout chrome. Without JS
   everything works as normal page loads. Scripts inside fetched banner and
@@ -124,11 +124,13 @@ evolves.
 
 ## Styling
 
-- A single shared `style.css` covers the server-rendered pages and the Vue
-  components. Vue may add per-component styles on top where needed.
-- Fonts are self-hosted under `/static/fonts/` (Fraunces for headings,
-  Literata for body, Fira Code for code — variable woff2 files with local
-  `@font-face`). No third-party requests.
+- A single shared `frontend/src/assets/style.css` covers the server-rendered
+  pages and the Vue components. Vue may add per-component styles on top where
+  needed.
+- Fonts, the shared stylesheet, pygments styles and the default banner SVG
+  live under `frontend/src/assets/` and are emitted as hashed assets under
+  `/_/assets/` (Fraunces for headings, Literata for body, Fira Code for code —
+  variable woff2 files with local `@font-face`). No third-party requests.
 
 ## Editing
 
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ 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
+  A standalone shell also exists at `/_/admin#/path` with its own preview
   pane. (All users are trusted authors for now; access control later with
   SSO.)
 - **CodeMirror 6** for Markdown editing (no WYSIWYG), title/published
diff --git a/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue b/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue
index 7c9a7e7..b67796f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/PageEditor.vue
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 // 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.
-// The socket reconnects automatically; unsaved text and pending saves
-// survive a disconnect. Editor scroll drives the document scroll, keeping
-// the rendered article at the cursor's position.
+// (main.js openEditor) or standalone at /_/admin with its own preview pane.
+// 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 { EditorView, basicSetup } from 'codemirror'
 import { EditorState } from '@codemirror/state'
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ const emit = defineEmits(['close'])
 const path = ref('')
 const title = ref('')
 const published = ref(true)
-const status = ref('connecting…')
+const saveError = ref('')
 const previewHtml = ref('')
 const previewHasH1 = ref(false)
 const editorEl = ref(null)
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@ let view = null
 let savedResolve = null
 let pendingSave = null
 let reconnectTimer = null
+let reconnectDelay = 2000
+const MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY = 16000
 let everConnected = false
 let dirty = false
 let syncingScroll = false
@@ -42,7 +45,17 @@ function currentPath() {
 }
 
 function send(msg) {
-  if (ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
+  if (ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+    ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
+  } else {
+    ensureConnected()
+  }
+}
+
+function ensureConnected() {
+  if (!ws || ws.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSED || ws.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSING) {
+    connect()
+  }
 }
 
 function normPath(p) {
@@ -67,9 +80,6 @@ function save() {
     published: published.value,
   }
   pendingSave = msg
-  status.value = ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN
-    ? 'saving…'
-    : 'offline — will save on reconnect'
   send(msg)
   return new Promise((resolve) => { savedResolve = resolve })
 }
@@ -102,9 +112,6 @@ async function uploadImage(file) {
     const { path: stored } = await res.json()
     const alt = name.replace(/\.[^.]+$/, '')
     insertAtCursor(`![${alt}](${stored})`)
-    status.value = `uploaded ${name}`
-  } else {
-    status.value = `upload failed (${res.status})`
   }
 }
 
@@ -170,16 +177,15 @@ function onMessage(ev) {
     setDocument(msg.markdown)
     requestRender()
     dirty = false // just loaded from the server, nothing unsaved
-    status.value = msg.exists ? '' : 'new page'
   } else if (msg.type === 'html' && msg.path === path.value) {
     previewIntoArticle(msg.html, msg.has_h1)
   } else if (msg.type === 'saved') {
-    status.value = `saved ${new Date().toLocaleTimeString()}`
+    saveError.value = ''
     pendingSave = null
     savedResolve?.()
     savedResolve = null
   } else if (msg.type === 'error') {
-    status.value = `error: ${msg.detail}`
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
   }
 }
 
@@ -217,7 +223,7 @@ function connect() {
   )
   ws.onmessage = onMessage
   ws.onopen = () => {
-    status.value = ''
+    reconnectDelay = 2000
     if (everConnected) {
       // Reconnected: local text is authoritative — don't re-open (that
       // would clobber the editor), just resync preview and pending saves.
@@ -229,9 +235,11 @@ function connect() {
     everConnected = true
   }
   ws.onclose = () => {
-    status.value = 'offline — reconnecting…'
     clearTimeout(reconnectTimer)
-    reconnectTimer = setTimeout(connect, 1500)
+    reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      connect()
+      reconnectDelay = Math.min(reconnectDelay * 2, MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY)
+    }, reconnectDelay)
   }
 }
 
@@ -294,9 +302,9 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
       />
       <button type="button" @click="fileInput.click()">image</button>
       <button type="button" @click="saveAndClose">save</button>
-      <span class="status">{{ status }}</span>
       <button v-if="!standalone" 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">
@@ -370,12 +378,6 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   color: var(--text);
 }
 
-.status {
-  color: var(--muted);
-  font-size: 0.85rem;
-  min-width: 5rem;
-}
-
 .panes {
   flex: 1;
   display: flex;
diff --git a/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue b/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue
index 64c4ba9..b4c8f23 100644
--- a/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/SiteEditor.vue
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const emit = defineEmits(['close'])
 
 const path = ref('')
 const banner = ref('')
-const status = ref('connecting…')
+const saveError = ref('')
 const tree = ref([])
 const fileInput = ref(null)
 const bannerEl = ref(null)
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ const bannerEl = ref(null)
 let ws = null
 let pendingSave = null
 let reconnectTimer = null
+let reconnectDelay = 2000
+const MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY = 16000
 let everConnected = false
 let view = null      // CodeMirror for the banner HTML
 let syncing = false  // set while replacing the document programmatically
@@ -56,7 +58,17 @@ function normPath(p) {
 }
 
 function send(msg) {
-  if (ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
+  if (ws && ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+    ws.send(JSON.stringify(msg))
+  } else {
+    ensureConnected()
+  }
+}
+
+function ensureConnected() {
+  if (!ws || ws.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSED || ws.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSING) {
+    connect()
+  }
 }
 
 // Debounce per key: text edits save while typing, without a request per
@@ -72,9 +84,6 @@ function debounce(key, fn, ms = 600) {
 function save() {
   const msg = { type: 'save', path: normPath(path.value), banner: banner.value }
   pendingSave = msg
-  if (ws && ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) {
-    status.value = 'offline — will save on reconnect'
-  }
   send(msg)
 }
 
@@ -189,7 +198,6 @@ async function commitPending() {
   if (!node) return
   const slug = node.slug.trim().replace(/\/+/g, '')
   if (!slug) {
-    status.value = 'a slug is needed'
     return
   }
   const loc = locatePending(tree.value, '')
@@ -205,7 +213,7 @@ async function commitPending() {
     }),
   })
   if (!res.ok) {
-    status.value = `create failed (${res.status})`
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
     return
   }
   // Place it exactly where the row was dropped: a fresh order key halfway
@@ -218,6 +226,8 @@ async function commitPending() {
       : next ? next.order - 1
       : 1
     await postStructure({ path: newPath, order })
+  } else {
+    saveError.value = ''
   }
   pending.value = null
   await refreshPages()
@@ -232,10 +242,11 @@ async function addContent(node) {
     body: JSON.stringify({ title: node.title, markdown: '', published: node.published }),
   })
   if (res.ok) {
+    saveError.value = ''
     await refreshPages()
     navigate(node.path)
   } else {
-    status.value = `failed (${res.status})`
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
   }
 }
 
@@ -283,7 +294,11 @@ async function saveBrand() {
     headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
     body: JSON.stringify({ brand: brand.value }),
   })
-  if (!res.ok) status.value = `brand save failed (${res.status})`
+  if (res.ok) {
+    saveError.value = ''
+  } else {
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
+  }
 }
 
 // Two-step delete (no dialogs): the first click arms the row's button for
@@ -306,18 +321,19 @@ function armRemove(node) {
 async function removePage(node) {
   const res = await fetch(`/_/api/pages/${node.path}`, { method: 'DELETE' })
   if (res.ok) {
+    saveError.value = ''
     refreshPages()
     const p = node.path
     if (p === path.value || (p && path.value.startsWith(`${p}/`))) {
       // The current page was deleted — or reduced to a category that now
       // redirects to its first child. Either way, re-render from the server.
       if (node.children.length) loadPlain(path.value)
-      else { status.value = 'deleted'; navigate('') }
+      else navigate('')
     } else {
       loadPlain(path.value) // refresh menus
     }
   } else {
-    status.value = `delete failed (${res.status})`
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
   }
 }
 
@@ -334,8 +350,12 @@ async function postStructure(op) {
     headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
     body: JSON.stringify(op),
   })
-  if (!res.ok) status.value = `structure change failed (${res.status})`
-  else loadPlain(path.value) // refresh menus and content from the server
+  if (res.ok) {
+    saveError.value = ''
+    loadPlain(path.value) // refresh menus and content from the server
+  } else {
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
+  }
   await refreshPages()
   return res.ok
 }
@@ -453,7 +473,6 @@ async function uploadBannerMedia(file) {
   const name = file.name.replace(/[^\w.-]/g, '-')
   const res = await fetch(`/_/api/files/${encodeURIComponent(name)}`, { method: 'PUT', body: file })
   if (!res.ok) {
-    status.value = `upload failed (${res.status})`
     return
   }
   const { path: stored } = await res.json()
@@ -464,7 +483,6 @@ async function uploadBannerMedia(file) {
   setDocument(rest ? `${tag}\n${rest}` : tag)
   previewBanner()
   save()
-  status.value = `uploaded ${name}`
 }
 
 function onBannerPaste(ev) {
@@ -491,13 +509,12 @@ function onMessage(ev) {
     // Overlay this page's own banner on the swapped region. Empty means
     // inherited: the server-rendered region already shows the right one.
     if (banner.value.trim()) previewBanner()
-    status.value = msg.exists ? '' : 'new page'
   } else if (msg.type === 'saved') {
-    status.value = `saved ${new Date().toLocaleTimeString()}`
+    saveError.value = ''
     pendingSave = null
     refreshPages()
   } else if (msg.type === 'error') {
-    status.value = `error: ${msg.detail}`
+    saveError.value = '⚠️ changes could not be saved'
   }
 }
 
@@ -515,7 +532,7 @@ function connect() {
   )
   ws.onmessage = onMessage
   ws.onopen = () => {
-    status.value = ''
+    reconnectDelay = 2000
     if (everConnected) {
       // Reconnected: resend any save attempted while offline.
       if (pendingSave) send(pendingSave)
@@ -525,9 +542,11 @@ function connect() {
     everConnected = true
   }
   ws.onclose = () => {
-    status.value = 'offline — reconnecting…'
     clearTimeout(reconnectTimer)
-    reconnectTimer = setTimeout(connect, 1500)
+    reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      connect()
+      reconnectDelay = Math.min(reconnectDelay * 2, MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY)
+    }, reconnectDelay)
   }
 }
 
@@ -575,9 +594,9 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   <div class="editor-root overlay">
     <header class="toolbar">
       <span class="mode-label">site editor</span>
-      <span class="status">{{ status }}</span>
       <button type="button" class="close" title="close" @click="close">✕</button>
     </header>
+    <div v-if="saveError">{{ saveError }}</div>
 
     <section class="block">
       <label class="field">
@@ -647,11 +666,6 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   white-space: nowrap;
 }
 
-.status {
-  color: var(--muted);
-  font-size: 0.85rem;
-}
-
 /* Window-style close button, top right corner. */
 .toolbar .close {
   margin-left: auto;
diff --git a/pagerite/static/banner.svg b/frontend/src/assets/banner.svg
similarity index 100%
rename from pagerite/static/banner.svg
rename to frontend/src/assets/banner.svg
diff --git a/pagerite/static/fonts/firacode.woff2 b/frontend/src/assets/fonts/firacode.woff2
similarity index 100%
rename from pagerite/static/fonts/firacode.woff2
rename to frontend/src/assets/fonts/firacode.woff2
diff --git a/frontend/src/assets/fonts/fonts.css b/frontend/src/assets/fonts/fonts.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c68159
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/assets/fonts/fonts.css
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+@font-face { font-family: 'Fraunces'; font-weight: 100 1000; font-style: normal; font-display: swap; src: url('fraunces.woff2') format('woff2'); }
+@font-face { font-family: 'Literata'; font-weight: 100 900; font-style: normal; font-display: swap; src: url('literata.woff2') format('woff2'); }
+@font-face { font-family: 'Fira Code'; font-weight: 300 700; font-style: normal; font-display: swap; src: url('firacode.woff2') format('woff2'); }
diff --git a/pagerite/static/fonts/fraunces.woff2 b/frontend/src/assets/fonts/fraunces.woff2
similarity index 100%
rename from pagerite/static/fonts/fraunces.woff2
rename to frontend/src/assets/fonts/fraunces.woff2
diff --git a/pagerite/static/fonts/literata.woff2 b/frontend/src/assets/fonts/literata.woff2
similarity index 100%
rename from pagerite/static/fonts/literata.woff2
rename to frontend/src/assets/fonts/literata.woff2
diff --git a/pagerite/static/pygments.css b/frontend/src/assets/pygments.css
similarity index 100%
rename from pagerite/static/pygments.css
rename to frontend/src/assets/pygments.css
diff --git a/pagerite/static/style.css b/frontend/src/assets/style.css
similarity index 99%
rename from pagerite/static/style.css
rename to frontend/src/assets/style.css
index 96ca89f..ce03454 100644
--- a/pagerite/static/style.css
+++ b/frontend/src/assets/style.css
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* Shared styles for server-rendered pages and Vue components. */
-@import url("/static/fonts/fonts.css");
-@import url("/static/pygments.css");
+@import url("./fonts/fonts.css");
+@import url("./pygments.css");
 
 :root {
   color-scheme: dark;
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ body {
   flex-direction: column;
   justify-content: flex-end;
   min-height: 11rem;
-  background: url("/static/banner.svg") center 40% / cover;
+  background: url("./banner.svg") center 40% / cover;
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.js b/frontend/src/main.js
index 4b94601..d2713f0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.js
+++ b/frontend/src/main.js
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
+import "./assets/style.css";
+
 // Pagerite editor entries. Two separate apps, mounted in their own
 // dynamically created host divs inside the static document:
 // - PageEditor ("page" mode): pen next to an article heading — Markdown
 //   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
+// The standalone /_/admin shell (#app in the DOM) mounts PageEditor with the
 // page selected by location hash, as a no-dynamic-import fallback.
 import { createApp } from 'vue'
 import PageEditor from './PageEditor.vue'
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ export function closeEditor() {
 
 const shell = document.getElementById('app')
 if (shell) {
-  // Standalone /admin shell: mount into it and follow the location hash.
+  // Standalone /_/admin shell: mount into it and follow the location hash.
   host = shell
   createApp(PageEditor, {
     pagePath: location.hash.replace(/^#\/?/, '').replace(/\/$/, ''),
diff --git a/pagerite/static/pagerite.js b/frontend/src/pagerite.js
similarity index 98%
rename from pagerite/static/pagerite.js
rename to frontend/src/pagerite.js
index e344b0a..70cc885 100644
--- a/pagerite/static/pagerite.js
+++ b/frontend/src/pagerite.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import "./assets/style.css";
+
 // Fetch-navigation: swap dynamic regions (#nav, #main) instead of full
 // page loads. Real <a href> links are used throughout, so this is pure
 // progressive enhancement - without JS every link does a normal load.
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@
   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);
+      if (!a.pathname.startsWith("/_/admin")) urls.add(a.pathname);
     }
     for (const url of urls) {
       if (url === location.pathname) continue;
@@ -246,8 +248,7 @@
     if (url.origin !== location.origin) return;
     // Same-page anchor links (footnotes etc.): let the browser handle them
     if (url.pathname === location.pathname && url.hash) return;
-    if (url.pathname.startsWith("/_/") || url.pathname.startsWith("/static/")
-        || url.pathname === "/admin") return;
+    if (url.pathname.startsWith("/_/")) return;
     ev.preventDefault();
     load(url);
   });
diff --git a/frontend/vite.config.js b/frontend/vite.config.js
index 6e30f2b..a8504b9 100644
--- a/frontend/vite.config.js
+++ b/frontend/vite.config.js
@@ -5,19 +5,37 @@ import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
 import vue from '@vitejs/plugin-vue'
 import vueDevTools from 'vite-plugin-vue-devtools'
 
+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.
+const CONTENT_PROXY = '^\\/(?!_|@|src|node_modules|__)(?:[^./?]+(?:\\/[^./?]+)*)?(?:\\?.*)?$'
+
 // https://vite.dev/config/
 export default defineConfig({
   plugins: [
-    fastapiVue(),
+    fastapiVue({ paths: ["/_/api", "/_/f"] }),
     vue(),
     vueDevTools(),
   ],
+  server: {
+    proxy: {
+      "/_/admin": { target: backendUrl, changeOrigin: false },
+      [CONTENT_PROXY]: { target: backendUrl, changeOrigin: false },
+    },
+  },
   build: {
-    // JS entry only: no index.html in the build (it would shadow our /),
-    // and a manifest so the backend can resolve hashed asset names.
+    // Emit hashed assets at the root of frontend-build so the backend can
+    // serve them under /_/assets/{file} without a nested /assets directory.
     manifest: true,
+    assetsDir: '',
     rollupOptions: {
-      input: fileURLToPath(new URL('./src/main.js', import.meta.url)),
+      input: {
+        main: fileURLToPath(new URL('./src/main.js', import.meta.url)),
+        pagerite: fileURLToPath(new URL('./src/pagerite.js', import.meta.url)),
+      },
     },
   },
 })
diff --git a/pagerite/app.py b/pagerite/app.py
index d513875..064720e 100644
--- a/pagerite/app.py
+++ b/pagerite/app.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 """FastAPI application: server-rendered content pages plus Vue assets.
 
 Route ordering matters: our routes are defined before
-``frontend.route(app, "/")`` is called, so they take priority over the
-asset routes that fastapi-vue inserts at that position during ``load()``.
+``frontend.route(app, "/_/assets")`` is called, so they take priority over
+the asset routes that fastapi-vue inserts at that position during ``load()``.
 The content catch-all (``/{path:path}``) is defined last, so built
 frontend assets still win over content slugs; anything unmatched falls
 through to content (and 404 if no page exists there).
@@ -40,14 +40,16 @@ from pagerite.data import (
 from pagerite.markdown import has_h1, render
 
 DB_PATH = os.getenv("PAGERITE_DB", "pagerite.kanta")
-STATIC = Path(__file__).with_name("static")
 
 # Our own data root; kanta edits it in place, reads are plain attribute access.
 data = Data()
 kanta = Kanta(DB_PATH, data)
 
-# Vue build assets served at root, no SPA catch-all (assets only).
-frontend = Frontend(Path(__file__).with_name("frontend-build"), spa=False)
+# Vue build assets served under /_/assets/, no SPA catch-all (assets only).
+# With assetsDir: '', all files are emitted at the build root, so cached="/"
+# marks every built file immutable.
+BUILD_DIR = Path(__file__).with_name("frontend-build")
+frontend = Frontend(BUILD_DIR, spa=False, cached="/")
 
 
 def _hash_name(body: bytes, orig: str) -> str:
@@ -341,12 +343,12 @@ async def delete_page(path: str) -> None:
 
 
 def _check_reserved(path: str) -> None:
-    """Reject slugs that collide with machinery prefixes.
+    """Reject slugs under the machinery prefix.
 
-    The public URL space belongs to content; only "/_/" (files + API),
-    "/static" and "/admin" are reserved.
+    The public URL space belongs to content; only "/_/" is reserved for
+    the machinery (API, files, built assets, admin).
     """
-    if path.split("/", 1)[0] in {"_", "static", "admin"}:
+    if path.split("/", 1)[0] == "_":
         raise HTTPException(400, "reserved path prefix")
 
 
@@ -467,17 +469,17 @@ async def editor_ws(ws: WebSocket) -> None:
         pass
 
 
-@app.get("/admin", response_class=HTMLResponse)
+@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("/static/{path:path}")
-async def static_file(path: str) -> FileResponse:
-    """Serve our own static assets (style.css, pagerite.js)."""
-    file = STATIC / path
-    if not file.is_file() or not file.resolve().is_relative_to(STATIC):
+@app.get("/favicon.ico")
+async def favicon() -> FileResponse:
+    """Serve the favicon copied from frontend/public by the Vite build."""
+    file = BUILD_DIR / "favicon.ico"
+    if not file.is_file():
         raise HTTPException(404)
     return FileResponse(file)
 
@@ -489,7 +491,7 @@ async def front_page(request: Request) -> Response:
 
 
 # Vue build asset routes are inserted at this position during load().
-frontend.route(app, "/")
+frontend.route(app, "/_/assets")
 
 
 @app.get("/{path:path}", response_model=None)
diff --git a/pagerite/markdown.py b/pagerite/markdown.py
index eaa79bf..881bc10 100644
--- a/pagerite/markdown.py
+++ b/pagerite/markdown.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from pygments.formatters import HtmlFormatter
 from pygments.lexers import get_lexer_by_name
 from pygments.util import ClassNotFound
 
-# Styles in /static/pygments.css match this formatter (regenerate:
+# Styles in /_/assets/pygments-*.css match this formatter (regenerate:
 # HtmlFormatter(style="github-dark").get_style_defs("pre code"))
 _formatter = HtmlFormatter(style="github-dark", nowrap=True)
 
diff --git a/pagerite/static/fonts/fonts.css b/pagerite/static/fonts/fonts.css
deleted file mode 100644
index 16ce2f0..0000000
--- a/pagerite/static/fonts/fonts.css
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@font-face { font-family: 'Fraunces'; font-weight: 100 1000; font-style: normal; font-display: swap; src: url('/static/fonts/fraunces.woff2') format('woff2'); }
-@font-face { font-family: 'Literata'; font-weight: 100 900; font-style: normal; font-display: swap; src: url('/static/fonts/literata.woff2') format('woff2'); }
-@font-face { font-family: 'Fira Code'; font-weight: 300 700; font-style: normal; font-display: swap; src: url('/static/fonts/firacode.woff2') format('woff2'); }
diff --git a/pagerite/views.py b/pagerite/views.py
index 4e5b15f..1388851 100644
--- a/pagerite/views.py
+++ b/pagerite/views.py
@@ -24,26 +24,28 @@ from pagerite.markdown import has_h1, render
 SITE_NAME = "Pagerite"
 BUILD = Path(__file__).with_name("frontend-build")
 
-Layout = Template(
-    Document(
-        E.Title,
-        lang="en",
-        _urls=["/static/style.css", "/static/pagerite.js"],
+
+def _layout(urls: list[str], modules: list[str] = ()) -> Template:
+    """Page layout template with standard asset URLs and ES-module scripts."""
+    doc = Document(E.Title, lang="en", _urls=urls)
+    for src in modules:
+        doc.script(src=src, type="module", defer=True)
+    return Template(
+        doc
+        .header(
+            E.div(E.Banner, id="page-banner"),
+            E.BannerEdit,
+            E.Brand,
+            E.nav(E.Nav, id="nav"),
+            id="banner",
+        )
+        .div(
+            E.aside(E.Sidebar, id="sidebar"),
+            E.main(E.Main, id="main"),
+            id="content",
+        )
+        .footer(None),  # kept empty for now; zero-height (see style.css)
     )
-    .header(
-        E.div(E.Banner, id="page-banner"),
-        E.BannerEdit,
-        E.Brand,
-        E.nav(E.Nav, id="nav"),
-        id="banner",
-    )
-    .div(
-        E.aside(E.Sidebar, id="sidebar"),
-        E.main(E.Main, id="main"),
-        id="content",
-    )
-    .footer(None),  # kept empty for now; zero-height (see style.css)
-)
 
 
 def _brand_link(brand: str) -> HTML:
@@ -168,7 +170,7 @@ def _edit_attrs(path: str, mode: str = "page") -> dict:
         "class": "edit-link" if mode == "page" else "edit-link banner-edit-link",
         "title": "edit",
         "data-editor-src": scripts[-1],
-        "data-editor-css": ",".join(s for s in styles if s != "/static/style.css"),
+        "data-editor-css": ",".join(styles),
         "data-editor-mode": mode,
     }
 
@@ -192,8 +194,9 @@ def render_page(menu: dict[str, Node], path: str, brand: str = SITE_NAME) -> str
     """Render a full HTML page for the slug path."""
     node = resolve(menu, path)[-1]
     title = _title(path.rpartition("/")[2], node)
+    scripts, styles = _page_assets()
     return str(
-        Layout(
+        _layout(styles, scripts)(
             Title=f"{title} – {brand}" if brand else title,
             Brand=_brand_link(brand),
             Nav=nav_html(menu, path),
@@ -213,8 +216,9 @@ def render_not_found(menu: dict[str, Node], path: str, brand: str = SITE_NAME) -
         # Editing works here too: this is how brand new pages get created.
         doc.button("🖊️", **_edit_attrs(path))
         doc.p(f"No page at /{path}.")
+    scripts, styles = _page_assets()
     return str(
-        Layout(
+        _layout(styles, scripts)(
             Title=f"Not Found – {brand}" if brand else "Not Found",
             Brand=_brand_link(brand),
             Nav=nav_html(menu, path),
@@ -226,8 +230,25 @@ def render_not_found(menu: dict[str, Node], path: str, brand: str = SITE_NAME) -
     )
 
 
+def _page_assets() -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
+    """Script and CSS URLs for public pages (pagerite entry).
+
+    Dev mode loads the entry from the Vite dev server; production uses
+    the Vite build manifest to resolve the hashed asset names.
+    """
+    if vite_url := os.environ.get("PAGERITE_VITE_URL"):
+        return (
+            [f"{vite_url}/src/pagerite.js"],
+            [],  # Vite injects the imported CSS in dev
+        )
+    manifest = json.loads((BUILD / ".vite/manifest.json").read_text())
+    entry = manifest["src/pagerite.js"]
+    styles = [f"/_/assets/{css}" for css in entry.get("css", [])]
+    return [f"/_/assets/{entry['file']}"], styles
+
+
 def _editor_assets() -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
-    """Script and CSS URLs for the admin editor (Vue app).
+    """Script and CSS URLs for the admin editor (main entry).
 
     Dev mode loads the modules from the Vite dev server; production uses
     the Vite build manifest to resolve the hashed asset names.
@@ -235,12 +256,12 @@ def _editor_assets() -> tuple[list[str], list[str]]:
     if vite_url := os.environ.get("PAGERITE_VITE_URL"):
         return (
             [f"{vite_url}/@vite/client", f"{vite_url}/src/main.js"],
-            ["/static/style.css"],
+            [],  # Vite injects the imported CSS in dev
         )
     manifest = json.loads((BUILD / ".vite/manifest.json").read_text())
     entry = manifest["src/main.js"]
-    styles = [f"/{css}" for css in entry.get("css", [])]
-    return [f"/{entry['file']}"], ["/static/style.css", *styles]
+    styles = [f"/_/assets/{css}" for css in entry.get("css", [])]
+    return [f"/_/assets/{entry['file']}"], styles
 
 
 def render_editor() -> str:
@@ -248,6 +269,6 @@ def render_editor() -> str:
     scripts, styles = _editor_assets()
     doc = Document(f"Admin – {SITE_NAME}", lang="en", _urls=styles)
     for src in scripts:
-        doc.script("", src=src, type="module")
+        doc.script(src=src, type="module", defer=True)
     doc.div(None, id="app")
     return str(doc)