diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f08a7248..bc6af42b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ release
 # env
 .env*
 !.env.example
+!apps/desktop/.env.production
+!apps/desktop/.env.development
 
 # platform specific
 *.dmg
diff --git a/apps/desktop/.env.development b/apps/desktop/.env.development
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1baa4dd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/.env.development
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Gateway WebSocket URL (dev)
+MAIN_VITE_GATEWAY_URL=https://multica-dev.copilothub.ai
+# Web URL for OAuth login (dev)
+MAIN_VITE_WEB_URL=http://localhost:3000
+# API URL for main process bridge (dev)
+MAIN_VITE_API_URL=https://api-dev.copilothub.ai
+# API URL for renderer (dev)
+RENDERER_VITE_API_URL=https://api-dev.copilothub.ai
+# API URL for core/tools (dev)
+MULTICA_API_URL=https://api-dev.copilothub.ai
diff --git a/apps/desktop/.env.example b/apps/desktop/.env.example
index d6547f7e..b2d236e4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/.env.example
+++ b/apps/desktop/.env.example
@@ -46,10 +46,16 @@
 # Required:
 #   MAIN_VITE_GATEWAY_URL   - WebSocket Gateway URL for remote connections
 #   MAIN_VITE_WEB_URL       - Web App URL for OAuth login flow
+#   MAIN_VITE_API_URL       - API URL bridged to process.env for core package
+#   RENDERER_VITE_API_URL   - API URL for renderer process (UI requests)
+#   MULTICA_API_URL         - API URL for core/tools (web-search, finance)
 #
 # Example .env.production:
 #   MAIN_VITE_GATEWAY_URL=https://gateway.multica.ai
 #   MAIN_VITE_WEB_URL=https://www.multica.ai
+#   MAIN_VITE_API_URL=https://api.multica.ai
+#   RENDERER_VITE_API_URL=https://api.multica.ai
+#   MULTICA_API_URL=https://api.multica.ai
 #
 # =============================================================================
 # Variable Naming Convention
@@ -58,6 +64,7 @@
 #   MAIN_VITE_*       - Main process only (Node.js, full system access)
 #   RENDERER_VITE_*   - Renderer process only (browser context)
 #   VITE_*            - All processes
+#   MULTICA_*         - Core/CLI/Gateway (read via process.env at runtime)
 #
 # =============================================================================
 # Environment Variables
@@ -72,3 +79,21 @@ MAIN_VITE_GATEWAY_URL=http://localhost:3000
 # Web App URL - Desktop opens this URL for user login (OAuth flow)
 # Production example: https://www.multica.ai
 MAIN_VITE_WEB_URL=http://localhost:3000
+
+# MAIN_VITE_API_URL
+# API URL for main process - Bridged to process.env.MULTICA_API_URL at startup
+# so that the externalized @multica/core package can read the correct API URL
+# in packaged builds (where .env files are not bundled).
+# Production example: https://api.multica.ai
+MAIN_VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:8080
+
+# RENDERER_VITE_API_URL
+# API URL for renderer process - Used by the React UI for login, user info, etc.
+# Production example: https://api.multica.ai
+RENDERER_VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:8080
+
+# MULTICA_API_URL
+# API URL for core/tools - Used by agent engine tools (web-search, finance)
+# Read by core package via process.env.MULTICA_API_URL at runtime
+# Production example: https://api.multica.ai
+MULTICA_API_URL=http://localhost:8080
diff --git a/apps/desktop/.env.production b/apps/desktop/.env.production
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ed19681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/.env.production
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Gateway WebSocket URL
+MAIN_VITE_GATEWAY_URL=https://gateway.multica.ai
+# Web URL for OAuth login
+MAIN_VITE_WEB_URL=https://www.multica.ai
+# API URL for main process bridge → core package
+MAIN_VITE_API_URL=https://api.multica.ai
+# API URL for renderer (UI requests)
+RENDERER_VITE_API_URL=https://api.multica.ai
+# API URL for core/tools — fallback already hardcoded in code; this documents the expected value
+# In packaged builds, MAIN_VITE_API_URL bridges this via process.env
+MULTICA_API_URL=https://api.multica.ai
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 345fe5ac..22b3a617 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
   "scripts": {
     "multica": "pnpm --filter @multica/cli dev",
     "mu": "pnpm --filter @multica/cli dev",
-    "dev": "turbo build --filter=@multica/types --filter=@multica/utils --filter=@multica/core && concurrently -n types,utils,core,desktop -c blue,green,yellow,cyan \"pnpm --filter @multica/types dev\" \"pnpm --filter @multica/utils dev\" \"pnpm --filter @multica/core dev\" \"GATEWAY_URL=https://multica-dev.copilothub.ai/ pnpm --filter @multica/desktop dev\"",
-    "dev:desktop": "GATEWAY_URL=https://multica-dev.copilothub.ai/ pnpm --filter @multica/desktop dev",
+    "dev": "turbo build --filter=@multica/types --filter=@multica/utils --filter=@multica/core && concurrently -n types,utils,core,desktop -c blue,green,yellow,cyan \"pnpm --filter @multica/types dev\" \"pnpm --filter @multica/utils dev\" \"pnpm --filter @multica/core dev\" \"pnpm --filter @multica/desktop dev\"",
+    "dev:desktop": "pnpm --filter @multica/desktop dev",
     "dev:desktop:reset": "rm -rf ~/.super-multica && echo '✓ Deleted ~/.super-multica - Fresh install state restored'",
     "dev:desktop:fresh": "pnpm dev:desktop:reset && pnpm dev:desktop",
     "dev:desktop:onboarding": "pnpm --filter @multica/desktop dev:onboarding",