75 - Fix error handling for invalid instance URLs

app/Livewire/Onboarding.php

@@ -142,7 +142,14 @@ public function createPlatformAccount(): void
         $fullInstanceUrl = 'https://' . $this->instanceUrl;
 
         try {
-            // Create or get platform instance
+            // Authenticate with Lemmy API first (before creating any records)
+            $authResponse = $this->lemmyAuthService->authenticate(
+                $fullInstanceUrl,
+                $this->username,
+                $this->password
+            );
+
+            // Only create platform instance after successful authentication
             $platformInstance = PlatformInstance::firstOrCreate([
                 'url' => $fullInstanceUrl,
                 'platform' => 'lemmy',
@@ -151,13 +158,6 @@ public function createPlatformAccount(): void
                 'is_active' => true,
             ]);
 
-            // Authenticate with Lemmy API
-            $authResponse = $this->lemmyAuthService->authenticate(
-                $fullInstanceUrl,
-                $this->username,
-                $this->password
-            );
-
             // Create platform account
             $platformAccount = PlatformAccount::create([
                 'platform' => 'lemmy',

app/Modules/Lemmy/Services/LemmyApiService.php

@@ -73,10 +73,12 @@ public function login(string $username, string $password): ?string
                 if ($idx === 0 && in_array('http', $schemesToTry, true)) {
                     continue;
                 }
-                return null;
+                // Connection failed - throw exception to distinguish from auth failure
+                throw new Exception('Connection failed: ' . $e->getMessage());
             }
         }
 
+        // If we get here without a token, it's an auth failure (not connection)
         return null;
     }
 

app/Services/Auth/LemmyAuthService.php

@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ public function authenticate(string $instanceUrl, string $username, string $pass
             if (str_contains($e->getMessage(), 'Rate limited by')) {
                 throw new PlatformAuthException(PlatformEnum::LEMMY, $e->getMessage());
             }
+            // Check if it's a connection failure
+            if (str_contains($e->getMessage(), 'Connection failed')) {
+                throw new PlatformAuthException(PlatformEnum::LEMMY, 'Connection failed');
+            }
             // For other exceptions, throw a clean PlatformAuthException
             throw new PlatformAuthException(PlatformEnum::LEMMY, 'Connection failed');
         }