diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 884e9ed..b15ce32 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@ NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_NAME="Classical Virtues"
 # API_KEY=
 
 # Basehub CMS
+# Both come from the Basehub project dashboard (Settings → Read tokens / Webhooks).
+# Leave empty for local work: the app degrades gracefully (empty story list / null story).
 BASEHUB_TOKEN=
 BASEHUB_WEBHOOK_SECRET=
 
 # Development Settings
-NODE_ENV=development
+# Note: do NOT set NODE_ENV here — Next.js manages it automatically and warns
+# when it is set manually. It is intentionally omitted.
 NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7d3d83b..7a4cf63 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,10 +51,13 @@ This project implements a **dual-content architecture** with BaseHub CMS as the
 
 ## 🛠️ Getting Started
 
+> **New here?** [SETUP.md](./SETUP.md) is the concise, verified quickstart (prerequisites,
+> install, env vars, commands, and how to add a new virtue story). The notes below are an overview.
+
 ### Prerequisites
 
-- Node.js 18+ and pnpm
-- BaseHub account and project setup
+- Node.js `>=20.9.0` (verified on Node 24) and pnpm 10+
+- BaseHub account and project setup (optional locally — the app degrades gracefully without a token)
 - Vercel account for deployment
 
 ### Local Development
diff --git a/SETUP.md b/SETUP.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34ebcae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SETUP.md
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+# SETUP — Classical Virtues
+
+Concise, verified quickstart for getting the repo running locally and shipping changes.
+For the deep Basehub schema walkthrough see [BASEHUB-SETUP.md](./BASEHUB-SETUP.md); for
+architecture conventions see [CLAUDE.md](./CLAUDE.md).
+
+- **Repo:** https://github.com/huntsyea/classical-virtues
+- **Live:** https://www.classicalvirtues.com/
+- **Stack:** Next.js 16 (App Router, React 19, Turbopack) · Basehub CMS · Tailwind 3 · shadcn/ui
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+| Tool | Version | Notes |
+| ---- | ------- | ----- |
+| Node | `>=20.9.0` (per `package.json` engines) | Verified on Node 24.16.0 |
+| pnpm | 10+ | Verified on pnpm 11.7.0; CI pins major 10 |
+
+This project uses **pnpm only** (a `pnpm-lock.yaml` is committed; `package-lock.json` /
+`yarn.lock` are git-ignored). Don't mix package managers.
+
+## Install
+
+```bash
+pnpm install
+```
+
+Postinstall builds `sharp` and `unrs-resolver` (allow-listed in `pnpm-workspace.yaml`).
+A clean install takes a few seconds and produces no errors.
+
+## Environment
+
+```bash
+cp .env.example .env.local
+```
+
+`.env*.local` is git-ignored — never commit real tokens. Variables:
+
+| Variable | Required? | Where it comes from |
+| -------- | --------- | ------------------- |
+| `BASEHUB_TOKEN` | For live content | Basehub dashboard → project → Settings → **Read tokens** (format `bshb_pk_…`) |
+| `BASEHUB_WEBHOOK_SECRET` | For content-revalidation webhook | Basehub dashboard → **Webhooks** (Svix signing secret, format `whsec_…`) |
+| `NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL` | No | Defaults to `http://localhost:3000` |
+| `NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_NAME` | No | Display name |
+| `NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED` | No | Set to `1` to opt out of Next telemetry |
+
+### Fastest path: pull secrets from Vercel
+
+If you have access to the `dudesdesign/classical-virtues` Vercel project, you don't need
+to copy tokens by hand — pull them straight into a git-ignored `.env.local`:
+
+```bash
+npx vercel link --yes --project classical-virtues --scope dudesdesign  # writes .vercel/ (git-ignored)
+npx vercel env pull .env.local                                          # downloads development env vars
+```
+
+This populates `BASEHUB_TOKEN`, `BASEHUB_WEBHOOK_SECRET`, and `BLOB_READ_WRITE_TOKEN`.
+Add `NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL` / `NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_NAME` from `.env.example` if you want them.
+
+**Graceful degradation (verified):** with `BASEHUB_TOKEN` empty, the app still runs.
+`getAllStories()` returns `[]` and `getStoryBySlug()` returns `null`
+(see `src/lib/stories.ts`), so the home page, `/stories`, `/about`, and `/api/stories`
+all render — just with no stories. This lets you work on layout/UI without a token.
+
+## Commands
+
+| Command | What it does |
+| ------- | ------------ |
+| `pnpm run dev` | `basehub dev & next dev` — dev server at http://localhost:3000 |
+| `pnpm run build` | `basehub && next build` — production build (**requires `BASEHUB_TOKEN`**, see below) |
+| `pnpm run build:local` | `next build` only — builds **without** a token using the committed `basehub-types.d.ts` |
+| `pnpm run start` | Serve the production build |
+| `pnpm run lint` | ESLint (currently clean) |
+| `pnpm run basehub` | Regenerate `basehub-types.d.ts` from the Basehub schema (needs a token) |
+
+### About the build and the Basehub token
+
+The `build` and `dev` scripts call the `basehub` CLI, which **hard-fails without a
+`BASEHUB_TOKEN`** (`🔴 Token not found`):
+
+- `pnpm run dev` — the `basehub dev` half errors, but it's backgrounded (`&`), so
+  `next dev` still boots normally. You'll just see the token warning.
+- `pnpm run build` — the `basehub` codegen step runs first and exits non-zero **before**
+  `next build`, so the full build fails without a token.
+- `pnpm run build:local` — skips codegen and runs `next build` directly. This works
+  token-less because `basehub-types.d.ts` is committed; the app then degrades gracefully.
+
+In CI and on Vercel the token is present, so the standard `basehub && next build` is correct
+there. Only regenerate types (`pnpm run basehub`) when the Basehub schema changes.
+
+> Note: don't set `NODE_ENV` in `.env.local` — Next.js manages it and warns when it's set
+> manually. It's intentionally omitted from `.env.example`.
+
+## Adding a new virtue story
+
+Content lives in **Basehub**, not in the repo — adding a story usually needs **no code
+changes or deploy**.
+
+1. Open the Basehub project dashboard and edit the **`stories`** collection.
+2. Create a new entry and fill the fields the app reads (see `src/lib/basehub.ts` /
+   the `StoryData` interface in `src/lib/stories.ts`):
+   - **title** (entry title) · **virtue** (e.g. "Courage") · **image** (hero) ·
+     **summary** · **virtueDescription** (the moral) · **audioUrl** (optional narration) ·
+     **content** (rich text / Markdown or MDX).
+3. **Publish.** ISR + the `/revalidate-sitemap` webhook pick it up; the story appears at
+   `/stories/<slug>` and in the story grid, sitemap, and structured data automatically.
+4. If you **added or renamed schema fields**, run `pnpm run basehub` locally to regenerate
+   `basehub-types.d.ts`, wire the new field through `src/lib/basehub.ts` →
+   `src/lib/stories.ts`, and commit those type changes.
+
+See [BASEHUB-SETUP.md](./BASEHUB-SETUP.md) for the full field-by-field schema reference.
+
+## Deploying (Vercel)
+
+The repo is **not** yet linked locally (no `.vercel/` dir). To connect to the existing
+`classicalvirtues.com` Vercel project (do **not** create a new project):
+
+1. `vercel link` (or use the Vercel dashboard) to link this repo to the existing project.
+2. Set environment variables in the Vercel project (Production + Preview):
+   `BASEHUB_TOKEN`, `BASEHUB_WEBHOOK_SECRET` (+ optional `NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL`).
+3. Build command: `basehub && next build` (the default `build` script). Install: `pnpm install`.
+4. Point the Basehub webhook at `https://www.classicalvirtues.com/revalidate-sitemap`.
+
+CI (`.github/workflows/ci-cd.yml`) runs lint + build on push/PR and needs a `BASEHUB_TOKEN`
+repo secret for the build step to pass.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 97520e7..e6f594a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "basehub dev & next dev",
     "build": "basehub && next build",
+    "build:local": "next build",
     "start": "next start",
     "lint": "eslint .",
     "basehub": "basehub"