fix(first-run): email auth, landing CTA, catalog Start here

[dascalescuro]

Summary

Addresses the new-visitor audit of learn.database.tech so a SQL beginner can become a customer without an existing GitHub account.

Full plan: docs/FIRST-RUN-FIX-PLAN.md.

What's in this PR

P1 — Landing / catalog

• Primary CTA is Start SELECT basics (not Sign in with GitHub)
• Copy no longer claims “no resets” (sandbox has Reset)
• /lessons footnote is a real link; theme toggle + Sign in on homepage
• database.tech brand line under the product name
• Catalog Start here banner for signed-out users; clearer signed-in empty state
• Mobile: header stacks; tags wrap instead of truncating to savepoi

P2 — Email/password auth

• better-auth emailAndPassword enabled (already planned in PLAN.md)
• /sign-in + /sign-up with email form + Continue with GitHub
• SignInButton / sandbox prompts route to /sign-in instead of GitHub-only OAuth

P4 — Lesson 1 skill check

• Replaces sandbox-health click with query-returns counting active users (= 7)

Follow-ups (not in this PR)

• P0: Point apex database.tech DNS at Vercel / 301 → learn.database.tech
• P3: Guest sandbox for select-basics (try without account)
• P5: Final brand alignment (database.tech vs Learn Postgres)

Test plan

• Homepage: Start SELECT basics is primary; Sign in secondary in header
• /sign-up → create account with email → open select-basics → sandbox starts
• GitHub OAuth still works from /sign-in
• Phone-width /lessons: Sign in fully visible; tags readable
• Lesson 1 check fails until SELECT count(*) FROM users WHERE is_active = true returns 7
• npm run lessons:validate (43/43)

[vercel]

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Project	Deployment	Actions	Updated
learn-postgres	Ready	Preview	Oct 14, 2026 2:47pm UTC