diff --git a/frontend/src/core/auth/UseSession.tsx b/frontend/src/core/auth/UseSession.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4cdfed453
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/core/auth/UseSession.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { createContext, useContext, type ReactNode } from 'react';
+
+interface AuthContextValue {
+  session: null;
+  user: null;
+  loading: boolean;
+  error: null;
+  signOut: () => Promise<void>;
+  refreshSession: () => Promise<void>;
+}
+
+const defaultValue: AuthContextValue = {
+  session: null,
+  user: null,
+  loading: false,
+  error: null,
+  signOut: async () => {},
+  refreshSession: async () => {},
+};
+
+const AuthContext = createContext<AuthContextValue>(defaultValue);
+
+export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
+  return <AuthContext.Provider value={defaultValue}>{children}</AuthContext.Provider>;
+}
+
+export function useAuth(): AuthContextValue {
+  return useContext(AuthContext);
+}
+
+export function useAuthDebug(): AuthContextValue {
+  return useAuth();
+}
+
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/hooks/useOnboardingFlow.ts b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/hooks/useOnboardingFlow.ts
index d8b335897..a0341d229 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/hooks/useOnboardingFlow.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/hooks/useOnboardingFlow.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import {
   ONBOARDING_SESSION_EVENT,
   SERVER_LICENSE_REQUEST_EVENT,
   type ServerLicenseRequestPayload,
-} from '@core/constants/events';
+} from '@app/constants/events';
 import { useServerExperience } from '@app/hooks/useServerExperience';
 
 interface InitialModalHandlers {
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/AnimatedSlideBackground.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/AnimatedSlideBackground.tsx
index 9367fc7a8..cf14fece2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/AnimatedSlideBackground.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/AnimatedSlideBackground.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react';
-import styles from './AnimatedSlideBackground.module.css';
-import { AnimatedSlideBackgroundProps } from '../../../types/types';
+import styles from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/AnimatedSlideBackground.module.css';
+import { AnimatedSlideBackgroundProps } from '@app/types/types';
 
 type CircleStyles = React.CSSProperties & {
   '--circle-move-x'?: string;
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/DesktopInstallSlide.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/DesktopInstallSlide.tsx
index 3416c0590..9cebfbb9c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/DesktopInstallSlide.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/DesktopInstallSlide.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { SlideConfig } from '../../../types/types';
-import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from './unifiedBackgroundConfig';
-import { DesktopInstallTitle, type OSOption } from './DesktopInstallTitle';
+import { SlideConfig } from '@app/types/types';
+import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig';
+import { DesktopInstallTitle, type OSOption } from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/DesktopInstallTitle';
 
 export type { OSOption };
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/PlanOverviewSlide.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/PlanOverviewSlide.tsx
index 029cc4f8f..3b8d4bfb0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/PlanOverviewSlide.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/PlanOverviewSlide.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { Trans, useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
-import { SlideConfig, LicenseNotice } from '../../../types/types';
-import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from './unifiedBackgroundConfig';
+import { SlideConfig, LicenseNotice } from '@app/types/types';
+import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig';
 
 interface PlanOverviewSlideProps {
   isAdmin: boolean;
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/SecurityCheckSlide.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/SecurityCheckSlide.tsx
index 6cfc136ed..868d06abe 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/SecurityCheckSlide.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/SecurityCheckSlide.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { Select } from '@mantine/core';
 import styles from '../InitialOnboardingModal/InitialOnboardingModal.module.css';
-import { SlideConfig } from '../../../types/types';
+import { SlideConfig } from '@app/types/types';
 import LocalIcon from '@app/components/shared/LocalIcon';
-import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from './unifiedBackgroundConfig';
+import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig';
 import i18n from '@app/i18n';
 
 interface SecurityCheckSlideProps {
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/ServerLicenseSlide.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/ServerLicenseSlide.tsx
index 4b2f9873b..f118d2ac0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/ServerLicenseSlide.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/ServerLicenseSlide.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { Trans } from 'react-i18next';
-import { SlideConfig, LicenseNotice } from '../../../types/types';
-import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from './unifiedBackgroundConfig';
+import { SlideConfig, LicenseNotice } from '@app/types/types';
+import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig';
 import i18n from '@app/i18n';
 
 interface ServerLicenseSlideProps {
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/WelcomeSlide.tsx b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/WelcomeSlide.tsx
index 0065da23a..eb9160eba 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/WelcomeSlide.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/WelcomeSlide.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { useTranslation, Trans } from 'react-i18next';
-import { SlideConfig } from '../../../types/types';
-import styles from '../InitialOnboardingModal/InitialOnboardingModal.module.css';
-import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from './unifiedBackgroundConfig';
+import { SlideConfig } from '@app/types/types';
+import styles from '@app/components/onboarding/InitialOnboardingModal/InitialOnboardingModal.module.css';
+import { UNIFIED_CIRCLE_CONFIG } from '@app/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig';
 
 function WelcomeSlideTitle() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig.ts b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig.ts
index f7b2fa111..8ba3c0fbb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/core/components/onboarding/slides/unifiedBackgroundConfig.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { AnimatedCircleConfig } from '../../../types/types';
+import { AnimatedCircleConfig } from '@app/types/types';
 
 /**
  * Unified circle background configuration used across all onboarding slides.
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/hooks/useLicenseAlert.ts b/frontend/src/core/hooks/useLicenseAlert.ts
index 5fff4bef0..a9035ef5e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/core/hooks/useLicenseAlert.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/core/hooks/useLicenseAlert.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import {
   UPGRADE_BANNER_ALERT_EVENT,
   type UpgradeBannerAlertPayload,
-} from '@core/constants/events';
+} from '@app/constants/events';
 
 export interface LicenseAlertState {
   active: boolean;
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/hooks/useServerExperience.ts b/frontend/src/core/hooks/useServerExperience.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8dd60069a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/core/hooks/useServerExperience.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { useAppConfig } from '@app/contexts/AppConfigContext';
+
+const SELF_REPORTED_ADMIN_KEY = 'stirling-self-reported-admin';
+const FREE_TIER_LIMIT = 5;
+
+type UserCountSource = 'admin' | 'estimate' | 'unknown';
+
+export type ServerScenarioKey =
+  | 'unknown'
+  | 'licensed'
+  | 'no-login-user-under-limit-no-license'
+  | 'no-login-admin-under-limit-no-license'
+  | 'no-login-user-over-limit-no-license'
+  | 'no-login-admin-over-limit-no-license'
+  | 'login-user-under-limit-no-license'
+  | 'login-admin-under-limit-no-license'
+  | 'login-user-over-limit-no-license'
+  | 'login-admin-over-limit-no-license';
+
+export interface ServerExperienceValue {
+  loginEnabled: boolean;
+  configIsAdmin: boolean;
+  effectiveIsAdmin: boolean;
+  selfReportedAdmin: boolean;
+  isAuthenticated: boolean;
+  isNewServer: boolean | null;
+  isNewUser: boolean | null;
+  premiumEnabled: boolean | null;
+  license: string | undefined;
+  runningProOrHigher: boolean | undefined;
+  runningEE: boolean | undefined;
+  hasPaidLicense: boolean;
+  licenseKeyValid: boolean | null;
+  licenseLoading: boolean;
+  licenseInfoAvailable: boolean;
+  totalUsers: number | null;
+  weeklyActiveUsers: number | null;
+  userCountLoading: boolean;
+  userCountError: string | null;
+  userCountSource: UserCountSource;
+  userCountResolved: boolean;
+  overFreeTierLimit: boolean | null;
+  freeTierLimit: number;
+  refreshUserCounts: () => Promise<void>;
+  setSelfReportedAdmin: (value: boolean) => void;
+  scenarioKey: ServerScenarioKey;
+}
+
+function readSelfReportedAdmin(): boolean {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  try {
+    return window.localStorage.getItem(SELF_REPORTED_ADMIN_KEY) === 'true';
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+export function useServerExperience(): ServerExperienceValue {
+  const { config } = useAppConfig();
+  const [selfReportedAdmin, setSelfReportedAdminState] = useState<boolean>(readSelfReportedAdmin);
+
+  const loginEnabled = config?.enableLogin !== false;
+  const configIsAdmin = Boolean(config?.isAdmin);
+  const effectiveIsAdmin = configIsAdmin || (!loginEnabled && selfReportedAdmin);
+  const hasPaidLicense = config?.license === 'PRO' || config?.license === 'ENTERPRISE';
+
+  const setSelfReportedAdmin = useCallback((value: boolean) => {
+    setSelfReportedAdminState(value);
+    if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
+      return;
+    }
+    try {
+      if (value) {
+        window.localStorage.setItem(SELF_REPORTED_ADMIN_KEY, 'true');
+      } else {
+        window.localStorage.removeItem(SELF_REPORTED_ADMIN_KEY);
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // ignore storage write failures
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
+      return;
+    }
+    const handleStorage = (event: StorageEvent) => {
+      if (event.key === SELF_REPORTED_ADMIN_KEY) {
+        setSelfReportedAdminState(event.newValue === 'true');
+      }
+    };
+    window.addEventListener('storage', handleStorage);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('storage', handleStorage);
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (config?.isNewServer && !loginEnabled && !selfReportedAdmin) {
+      setSelfReportedAdmin(true);
+    }
+  }, [config?.isNewServer, loginEnabled, selfReportedAdmin, setSelfReportedAdmin]);
+
+  const scenarioKey: ServerScenarioKey = useMemo(() => {
+    if (hasPaidLicense) {
+      return 'licensed';
+    }
+    return 'unknown';
+  }, [hasPaidLicense]);
+
+  const value = useMemo<ServerExperienceValue>(() => ({
+    loginEnabled,
+    configIsAdmin,
+    effectiveIsAdmin,
+    selfReportedAdmin,
+    isAuthenticated: false,
+    isNewServer: config?.isNewServer ?? null,
+    isNewUser: config?.isNewUser ?? null,
+    premiumEnabled: config?.premiumEnabled ?? null,
+    license: config?.license,
+    runningProOrHigher: config?.runningProOrHigher,
+    runningEE: config?.runningEE,
+    hasPaidLicense,
+    licenseKeyValid: config?.premiumEnabled ?? null,
+    licenseLoading: false,
+    licenseInfoAvailable: false,
+    totalUsers: null,
+    weeklyActiveUsers: null,
+    userCountLoading: false,
+    userCountError: null,
+    userCountSource: 'unknown',
+    userCountResolved: false,
+    overFreeTierLimit: null,
+    freeTierLimit: FREE_TIER_LIMIT,
+    refreshUserCounts: async () => {},
+    setSelfReportedAdmin,
+    scenarioKey,
+  }), [
+    config?.isNewServer,
+    config?.isNewUser,
+    config?.license,
+    config?.premiumEnabled,
+    config?.runningEE,
+    config?.runningProOrHigher,
+    configIsAdmin,
+    effectiveIsAdmin,
+    hasPaidLicense,
+    loginEnabled,
+    scenarioKey,
+    selfReportedAdmin,
+    setSelfReportedAdmin,
+  ]);
+
+  return value;
+}
+
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/testing/serverExperienceSimulations.ts b/frontend/src/core/testing/serverExperienceSimulations.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f136ce489
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/core/testing/serverExperienceSimulations.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+import type { AppConfig } from '@app/contexts/AppConfigContext';
+
+interface LicenseInfo {
+  licenseType: string;
+  enabled: boolean;
+  maxUsers: number;
+  hasKey: boolean;
+}
+
+interface WauResponse {
+  trackingSince: string;
+  daysOnline: number;
+  totalUniqueBrowsers: number;
+  weeklyActiveUsers: number;
+}
+
+interface AdminUsageResponse {
+  totalUsers?: number;
+}
+
+interface SimulationScenario {
+  label: string;
+  appConfig: AppConfig;
+  wau?: WauResponse;
+  adminUsage?: AdminUsageResponse;
+  licenseInfo: LicenseInfo;
+}
+
+const DEV_TESTING_MODE = false;
+const SIMULATION_INDEX = 0;
+
+const FREE_LICENSE_INFO: LicenseInfo = {
+  licenseType: 'NORMAL',
+  enabled: false,
+  maxUsers: 5,
+  hasKey: false,
+};
+
+const BASE_NO_LOGIN_CONFIG: AppConfig = {
+  enableAnalytics: true,
+  appVersion: '2.0.0',
+  serverCertificateEnabled: false,
+  enableAlphaFunctionality: false,
+  serverPort: 8080,
+  premiumEnabled: false,
+  runningProOrHigher: false,
+  runningEE: false,
+  enableLogin: false,
+  activeSecurity: false,
+  languages: [],
+  contextPath: '/',
+  license: 'NORMAL',
+  baseUrl: 'http://localhost',
+  enableEmailInvites: true,
+};
+
+const BASE_LOGIN_CONFIG: AppConfig = {
+  ...BASE_NO_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+  enableLogin: true,
+  activeSecurity: true,
+};
+
+const SIMULATION_SCENARIOS: SimulationScenario[] = [
+  {
+    label: 'no-login-user-under-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_NO_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+    },
+    wau: {
+      trackingSince: '2025-11-18T23:20:12.520884200Z',
+      daysOnline: 0,
+      totalUniqueBrowsers: 3,
+      weeklyActiveUsers: 3,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'no-login-admin-under-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_NO_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+    },
+    wau: {
+      trackingSince: '2025-10-01T00:00:00Z',
+      daysOnline: 14,
+      totalUniqueBrowsers: 4,
+      weeklyActiveUsers: 4,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'no-login-user-over-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_NO_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+    },
+    wau: {
+      trackingSince: '2025-09-01T00:00:00Z',
+      daysOnline: 30,
+      totalUniqueBrowsers: 12,
+      weeklyActiveUsers: 9,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'no-login-admin-over-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_NO_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+    },
+    wau: {
+      trackingSince: '2025-08-15T00:00:00Z',
+      daysOnline: 45,
+      totalUniqueBrowsers: 18,
+      weeklyActiveUsers: 12,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'login-user-under-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+      isAdmin: false,
+    },
+    adminUsage: {
+      totalUsers: 3,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'login-admin-under-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+      isAdmin: true,
+    },
+    adminUsage: {
+      totalUsers: 4,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'login-user-over-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+      isAdmin: false,
+    },
+    adminUsage: {
+      totalUsers: 12,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+  {
+    label: 'login-admin-over-limit (no-license)',
+    appConfig: {
+      ...BASE_LOGIN_CONFIG,
+      isAdmin: true,
+    },
+    adminUsage: {
+      totalUsers: 57,
+    },
+    licenseInfo: { ...FREE_LICENSE_INFO },
+  },
+];
+
+function getActiveScenario(): SimulationScenario | null {
+  if (!DEV_TESTING_MODE) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const scenario = SIMULATION_SCENARIOS[SIMULATION_INDEX];
+  if (!scenario) {
+    console.warn('[Simulation] SIMULATION_INDEX out of range, using live backend.');
+    return null;
+  }
+  console.warn(`[Simulation] Using scenario #${SIMULATION_INDEX} (${scenario.label}).`);
+  return scenario;
+}
+
+export function getSimulatedAppConfig(): AppConfig | null {
+  return getActiveScenario()?.appConfig ?? null;
+}
+
+export function getSimulatedWauResponse(): WauResponse | null {
+  return getActiveScenario()?.wau ?? null;
+}
+
+export function getSimulatedAdminUsage(): AdminUsageResponse | null {
+  return getActiveScenario()?.adminUsage ?? null;
+}
+
+export function getSimulatedLicenseInfo(): LicenseInfo | null {
+  return getActiveScenario()?.licenseInfo ?? null;
+}
+
+export const DEV_TESTING_ENABLED = DEV_TESTING_MODE;
+