diff --git a/.changeset/warm-beds-flow.md b/.changeset/warm-beds-flow.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7d34336739
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/warm-beds-flow.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@techdocs/cli': patch
+---
+
+Updated the HTTP server to allow for simplification of the development of the CLI itself.
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/app-config.dev.yaml b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/app-config.dev.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 02d68c940e..0000000000
--- a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/app-config.dev.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# NOTE: This file is used for testing techdocs-cli locally
-
-app:
-  title: Techdocs Preview App
-  baseUrl: http://localhost:3000
-
-backend:
-  baseUrl: http://localhost:7007
-
-techdocs:
-  builder: 'external'
-  requestUrl: http://localhost:7007/api
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/package.json b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/package.json
index 6eb3119b06..2df050ef86 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/package.json
+++ b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/package.json
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@
     "start-server-and-test": "^1.10.11"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "backstage-cli app:serve --config ./app-config.yaml --config ./app-config.dev.yaml",
+    "start": "backstage-cli app:serve --config ./app-config.yaml",
     "build": "backstage-cli app:build --config ./app-config.yaml",
-    "build:dev": "backstage-cli app:build --config ./app-config.dev.yaml",
     "clean": "backstage-cli clean",
     "test": "backstage-cli test",
     "lint": "backstage-cli lint",
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.test.tsx b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.test.tsx
index f177433d95..75658d271e 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.test.tsx
@@ -18,25 +18,24 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { renderWithEffects } from '@backstage/test-utils';
 import App from './App';
 
+jest.mock('./config', () => ({
+  configLoader: async () => [
+    {
+      data: {
+        app: { title: 'Test' },
+        backend: { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:7007' },
+        techdocs: {
+          storageUrl: 'http://localhost:7007/api/techdocs/static/docs',
+        },
+      },
+      context: 'test',
+    },
+  ],
+}));
+
 describe('App', () => {
   it('should render', async () => {
-    process.env = {
-      NODE_ENV: 'test',
-      APP_CONFIG: [
-        {
-          data: {
-            app: { title: 'Test' },
-            backend: { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:7007' },
-            techdocs: {
-              storageUrl: 'http://localhost:7007/api/techdocs/static/docs',
-            },
-          },
-          context: 'test',
-        },
-      ] as any,
-    };
-
     const rendered = await renderWithEffects(<App />);
-    expect(rendered.baseElement).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(rendered.getByText('Docs Preview')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.tsx b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.tsx
index 00b232d8e1..51bdfbbb11 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/App.tsx
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ import { apis } from './apis';
 import { Root } from './components/Root';
 import { techDocsPage } from './components/TechDocsPage';
 import * as plugins from './plugins';
+import { configLoader } from './config';
 
 const app = createApp({
   apis,
+  configLoader,
   plugins: Object.values(plugins),
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/config.ts b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..482ceb41ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/techdocs-cli-embedded-app/src/config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { defaultConfigLoader } from '@backstage/core-app-api';
+
+const PRODUCTION_CONFIG = {
+  backend: {
+    baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000',
+  },
+  techdocs: {
+    builder: 'external',
+    requestUrl: 'http://localhost:3000/api',
+  },
+};
+
+const DEVELOPMENT_CONFIG = {
+  backend: {
+    baseUrl: 'http://localhost:7007',
+  },
+  techdocs: {
+    builder: 'external',
+    requestUrl: 'http://localhost:7007/api',
+  },
+};
+
+async function isProductionServe() {
+  const res = await fetch('/.detect');
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const text = await res.text();
+  return text.trim() === 'techdocs-cli-server';
+}
+
+export async function configLoader() {
+  const defaultConfigs = await defaultConfigLoader();
+  const isProduction = await isProductionServe();
+
+  return [
+    ...defaultConfigs,
+    {
+      context: 'detected',
+      data: isProduction ? PRODUCTION_CONFIG : DEVELOPMENT_CONFIG,
+    },
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli/scripts/build.sh b/packages/techdocs-cli/scripts/build.sh
index 31c2eae6c3..ef2d625711 100755
--- a/packages/techdocs-cli/scripts/build.sh
+++ b/packages/techdocs-cli/scripts/build.sh
@@ -31,11 +31,7 @@ compile_and_build_cli() {
 
 build_and_embed_app() {
   echo "🚚 Embedding app..."
-  if [ "$TECHDOCS_CLI_DEV_MODE" = "true" ] ; then
-    yarn workspace techdocs-cli-embedded-app build:dev > /dev/null
-  else
-    yarn workspace techdocs-cli-embedded-app build > /dev/null
-  fi
+  yarn workspace techdocs-cli-embedded-app build > /dev/null
   cp -r "$TECHDOCS_CLI_EMBEDDED_APP_DIR"/dist "$TECHDOCS_CLI_DIR"/dist/techdocs-preview-bundle > /dev/null
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-cli/src/lib/httpServer.ts b/packages/techdocs-cli/src/lib/httpServer.ts
index 0402ce4e69..92fc5abc87 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-cli/src/lib/httpServer.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-cli/src/lib/httpServer.ts
@@ -71,10 +71,18 @@ export default class HTTPServer {
             response.setHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Methods', 'GET, OPTIONS');
 
             request.url = forwardPath;
-            return proxy.web(request, response);
+            proxy.web(request, response);
+            return;
           }
 
-          return serveHandler(request, response, {
+          // This endpoint is used by the frontend to detect where the backend is running.
+          if (request.url === '/.detect') {
+            response.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
+            response.end('techdocs-cli-server');
+            return;
+          }
+
+          serveHandler(request, response, {
             public: this.backstageBundleDir,
             trailingSlash: true,
             rewrites: [{ source: '**', destination: 'index.html' }],