diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 7787afb..5c3e1c6 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "biome.enabled": true,
   "editor.defaultFormatter": "biomejs.biome",
   "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
-    "source.organizeImports.biome": "explicit",
+    //"source.organizeImports.biome": "explicit",
     "source.fixAll.biome": "explicit"
   },
   "typescript.preferences.importModuleSpecifier": "non-relative",
diff --git a/app/__test__/app/modes.test.ts b/app/__test__/app/modes.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..034cf92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/__test__/app/modes.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { code, hybrid } from "modes";
+
+describe("modes", () => {
+   describe("code", () => {
+      test("verify base configuration", async () => {
+         const c = code({}) as any;
+         const config = await c.app?.({} as any);
+         expect(Object.keys(config)).toEqual(["options"]);
+         expect(config.options.mode).toEqual("code");
+         expect(config.options.plugins).toEqual([]);
+         expect(config.options.manager.skipValidation).toEqual(false);
+         expect(config.options.manager.onModulesBuilt).toBeDefined();
+      });
+
+      test("keeps overrides", async () => {
+         const c = code({
+            connection: {
+               url: ":memory:",
+            },
+         }) as any;
+         const config = await c.app?.({} as any);
+         expect(config.connection.url).toEqual(":memory:");
+      });
+   });
+
+   describe("hybrid", () => {
+      test("fails if no reader is provided", () => {
+         // @ts-ignore
+         expect(hybrid({} as any).app?.({} as any)).rejects.toThrow(/reader/);
+      });
+      test("verify base configuration", async () => {
+         const c = hybrid({ reader: async () => ({}) }) as any;
+         const config = await c.app?.({} as any);
+         expect(Object.keys(config)).toEqual(["reader", "beforeBuild", "config", "options"]);
+         expect(config.options.mode).toEqual("db");
+         expect(config.options.plugins).toEqual([]);
+         expect(config.options.manager.skipValidation).toEqual(false);
+         expect(config.options.manager.onModulesBuilt).toBeDefined();
+      });
+   });
+});
diff --git a/app/src/adapter/bun/bun.adapter.ts b/app/src/adapter/bun/bun.adapter.ts
index 51c9be3..c5d640d 100644
--- a/app/src/adapter/bun/bun.adapter.ts
+++ b/app/src/adapter/bun/bun.adapter.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export function createHandler<Env = BunEnv>(
 
 export function serve<Env = BunEnv>(
    {
+      app,
       distPath,
       connection,
       config: _config,
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ export function serve<Env = BunEnv>(
       port,
       fetch: createHandler(
          {
+            app,
             connection,
             config: _config,
             options,
diff --git a/app/src/adapter/cloudflare/proxy.ts b/app/src/adapter/cloudflare/proxy.ts
index 9efd5c4..3476315 100644
--- a/app/src/adapter/cloudflare/proxy.ts
+++ b/app/src/adapter/cloudflare/proxy.ts
@@ -65,37 +65,31 @@ export function withPlatformProxy<Env extends CloudflareEnv>(
    }
 
    return {
-      ...config,
-      beforeBuild: async (app, registries) => {
-         if (!use_proxy) return;
-         const env = await getEnv();
-         registerMedia(env, registries as any);
-         await config?.beforeBuild?.(app, registries);
-      },
-      bindings: async (env) => {
-         return (await config?.bindings?.(await getEnv(env))) || {};
-      },
       // @ts-ignore
       app: async (_env) => {
          const env = await getEnv(_env);
          const binding = use_proxy ? getBinding(env, "D1Database") : undefined;
+         const appConfig = typeof config.app === "function" ? await config.app(env) : config;
+         const connection =
+            use_proxy && binding
+               ? d1Sqlite({
+                    binding: binding.value as any,
+                 })
+               : appConfig.connection;
 
-         if (config?.app === undefined && use_proxy && binding) {
-            return {
-               connection: d1Sqlite({
-                  binding: binding.value,
-               }),
-            };
-         } else if (typeof config?.app === "function") {
-            const appConfig = await config?.app(env);
-            if (binding) {
-               appConfig.connection = d1Sqlite({
-                  binding: binding.value,
-               }) as any;
-            }
-            return appConfig;
-         }
-         return config?.app || {};
+         return {
+            ...appConfig,
+            beforeBuild: async (app, registries) => {
+               if (!use_proxy) return;
+               const env = await getEnv();
+               registerMedia(env, registries as any);
+               await config?.beforeBuild?.(app, registries);
+            },
+            bindings: async (env) => {
+               return (await config?.bindings?.(await getEnv(env))) || {};
+            },
+            connection,
+         };
       },
    } satisfies CloudflareBkndConfig<Env>;
 }
diff --git a/app/src/adapter/node/node.adapter.ts b/app/src/adapter/node/node.adapter.ts
index 83feba8..d85d197 100644
--- a/app/src/adapter/node/node.adapter.ts
+++ b/app/src/adapter/node/node.adapter.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export async function createApp<Env = NodeEnv>(
       path.resolve(distPath ?? relativeDistPath ?? "./node_modules/bknd/dist", "static"),
    );
    if (relativeDistPath) {
-      console.warn("relativeDistPath is deprecated, please use distPath instead");
+      $console.warn("relativeDistPath is deprecated, please use distPath instead");
    }
 
    registerLocalMediaAdapter();
diff --git a/app/src/data/fields/JsonSchemaField.ts b/app/src/data/fields/JsonSchemaField.ts
index fed47bf..1bc2bbc 100644
--- a/app/src/data/fields/JsonSchemaField.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/fields/JsonSchemaField.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ export class JsonSchemaField<
 
    constructor(name: string, config: Partial<JsonSchemaFieldConfig>) {
       super(name, config);
-      this.validator = new Validator({ ...this.getJsonSchema() });
+
+      // make sure to hand over clean json
+      this.validator = new Validator(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this.getJsonSchema())));
    }
 
    protected getSchema() {
diff --git a/app/src/modes/code.ts b/app/src/modes/code.ts
index 30e4dc3..6c147a3 100644
--- a/app/src/modes/code.ts
+++ b/app/src/modes/code.ts
@@ -10,16 +10,19 @@ export type CodeMode<AdapterConfig extends BkndConfig> = AdapterConfig extends B
    ? BkndModeConfig<Args, AdapterConfig>
    : never;
 
-export function code<Args>(config: BkndCodeModeConfig<Args>): BkndConfig<Args> {
+export function code<
+   Config extends BkndConfig,
+   Args = Config extends BkndConfig<infer A> ? A : unknown,
+>(codeConfig: CodeMode<Config>): BkndConfig<Args> {
    return {
-      ...config,
+      ...codeConfig,
       app: async (args) => {
          const {
             config: appConfig,
             plugins,
             isProd,
             syncSchemaOptions,
-         } = await makeModeConfig(config, args);
+         } = await makeModeConfig(codeConfig, args);
 
          if (appConfig?.options?.mode && appConfig?.options?.mode !== "code") {
             $console.warn("You should not set a different mode than `db` when using code mode");
diff --git a/app/src/modes/hybrid.ts b/app/src/modes/hybrid.ts
index c7c1c37..ce72630 100644
--- a/app/src/modes/hybrid.ts
+++ b/app/src/modes/hybrid.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { BkndConfig } from "bknd/adapter";
 import { makeModeConfig, type BkndModeConfig } from "./shared";
-import { getDefaultConfig, type MaybePromise, type ModuleConfigs, type Merge } from "bknd";
+import { getDefaultConfig, type MaybePromise, type Merge } from "bknd";
 import type { DbModuleManager } from "modules/db/DbModuleManager";
 import { invariant, $console } from "bknd/utils";
 
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export type BkndHybridModeOptions = {
     * Reader function to read the configuration from the file system.
     * This is required for hybrid mode to work.
     */
-   reader?: (path: string) => MaybePromise<string>;
+   reader: (path: string) => MaybePromise<string | object>;
    /**
     * Provided secrets to be merged into the configuration
     */
@@ -23,8 +23,12 @@ export type HybridMode<AdapterConfig extends BkndConfig> = AdapterConfig extends
    ? BkndModeConfig<Args, Merge<BkndHybridModeOptions & AdapterConfig>>
    : never;
 
-export function hybrid<Args>(hybridConfig: HybridBkndConfig<Args>): BkndConfig<Args> {
+export function hybrid<
+   Config extends BkndConfig,
+   Args = Config extends BkndConfig<infer A> ? A : unknown,
+>(hybridConfig: HybridMode<Config>): BkndConfig<Args> {
    return {
+      ...hybridConfig,
       app: async (args) => {
          const {
             config: appConfig,
@@ -40,16 +44,15 @@ export function hybrid<Args>(hybridConfig: HybridBkndConfig<Args>): BkndConfig<A
          }
          invariant(
             typeof appConfig.reader === "function",
-            "You must set the `reader` option when using hybrid mode",
+            "You must set a `reader` option when using hybrid mode",
          );
 
-         let fileConfig: ModuleConfigs;
-         try {
-            fileConfig = JSON.parse(await appConfig.reader!(configFilePath)) as ModuleConfigs;
-         } catch (e) {
-            const defaultConfig = (appConfig.config ?? getDefaultConfig()) as ModuleConfigs;
-            await appConfig.writer!(configFilePath, JSON.stringify(defaultConfig, null, 2));
-            fileConfig = defaultConfig;
+         const fileContent = await appConfig.reader(configFilePath);
+         let fileConfig = typeof fileContent === "string" ? JSON.parse(fileContent) : fileContent;
+         if (!fileConfig) {
+            $console.warn("No config found, using default config");
+            fileConfig = getDefaultConfig();
+            await appConfig.writer?.(configFilePath, JSON.stringify(fileConfig, null, 2));
          }
 
          return {
diff --git a/app/src/modes/shared.ts b/app/src/modes/shared.ts
index f1bc4ff..92973dc 100644
--- a/app/src/modes/shared.ts
+++ b/app/src/modes/shared.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { AppPlugin, BkndConfig, MaybePromise, Merge } from "bknd";
 import { syncTypes, syncConfig } from "bknd/plugins";
 import { syncSecrets } from "plugins/dev/sync-secrets.plugin";
-import { invariant, $console } from "bknd/utils";
+import { $console } from "bknd/utils";
 
 export type BkndModeOptions = {
    /**
@@ -56,6 +56,14 @@ export type BkndModeConfig<Args = any, Additional = {}> = BkndConfig<
    Merge<BkndModeOptions & Additional>
 >;
 
+function _isProd() {
+   try {
+      return process.env.NODE_ENV === "production";
+   } catch (_e) {
+      return false;
+   }
+}
+
 export async function makeModeConfig<
    Args = any,
    Config extends BkndModeConfig<Args> = BkndModeConfig<Args>,
@@ -69,25 +77,24 @@ export async function makeModeConfig<
 
    if (typeof config.isProduction !== "boolean") {
       $console.warn(
-         "You should set `isProduction` option when using managed modes to prevent accidental issues",
+         "You should set `isProduction` option when using managed modes to prevent accidental issues with writing plugins and syncing schema. As fallback, it is set to",
+         _isProd(),
       );
    }
 
-   invariant(
-      typeof config.writer === "function",
-      "You must set the `writer` option when using managed modes",
-   );
+   let needsWriter = false;
 
    const { typesFilePath, configFilePath, writer, syncSecrets: syncSecretsOptions } = config;
 
-   const isProd = config.isProduction;
+   const isProd = config.isProduction ?? _isProd();
    const plugins = appConfig?.options?.plugins ?? ([] as AppPlugin[]);
+   const syncFallback = typeof config.syncSchema === "boolean" ? config.syncSchema : !isProd;
    const syncSchemaOptions =
       typeof config.syncSchema === "object"
          ? config.syncSchema
          : {
-              force: config.syncSchema !== false,
-              drop: true,
+              force: syncFallback,
+              drop: syncFallback,
            };
 
    if (!isProd) {
@@ -95,6 +102,7 @@ export async function makeModeConfig<
          if (plugins.some((p) => p.name === "bknd-sync-types")) {
             throw new Error("You have to unregister the `syncTypes` plugin");
          }
+         needsWriter = true;
          plugins.push(
             syncTypes({
                enabled: true,
@@ -114,6 +122,7 @@ export async function makeModeConfig<
          if (plugins.some((p) => p.name === "bknd-sync-config")) {
             throw new Error("You have to unregister the `syncConfig` plugin");
          }
+         needsWriter = true;
          plugins.push(
             syncConfig({
                enabled: true,
@@ -142,6 +151,7 @@ export async function makeModeConfig<
                .join(".");
          }
 
+         needsWriter = true;
          plugins.push(
             syncSecrets({
                enabled: true,
@@ -174,6 +184,10 @@ export async function makeModeConfig<
       }
    }
 
+   if (needsWriter && typeof config.writer !== "function") {
+      $console.warn("You must set a `writer` function, attempts to write will fail");
+   }
+
    return {
       config,
       isProd,
diff --git a/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts b/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts
index 8406eaa..706a8fd 100644
--- a/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts
+++ b/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ export class ModuleManager {
    }
 
    extractSecrets() {
-      const moduleConfigs = structuredClone(this.configs());
+      const moduleConfigs = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this.configs()));
       const secrets = { ...this.options?.secrets };
       const extractedKeys: string[] = [];
 
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/(documentation)/usage/introduction.mdx b/docs/content/docs/(documentation)/usage/introduction.mdx
index adf6810..c290a12 100644
--- a/docs/content/docs/(documentation)/usage/introduction.mdx
+++ b/docs/content/docs/(documentation)/usage/introduction.mdx
@@ -213,9 +213,9 @@ To use it, you have to wrap your configuration in a mode helper, e.g. for `code`
 import { code, type CodeMode } from "bknd/modes";
 import { type BunBkndConfig, writer } from "bknd/adapter/bun";
 
-const config = {
+export default code<BunBkndConfig>({
    // some normal bun bknd config
-   connection: { url: "file:test.db" },
+   connection: { url: "file:data.db" },
    // ...
    // a writer is required, to sync the types
    writer,
@@ -227,9 +227,7 @@ const config = {
       force: true,
       drop: true,
    }
-} satisfies CodeMode<BunBkndConfig>;
-
-export default code(config);
+});
 ```
 
 Similarily, for `hybrid` mode:
@@ -238,9 +236,9 @@ Similarily, for `hybrid` mode:
 import { hybrid, type HybridMode } from "bknd/modes";
 import { type BunBkndConfig, writer, reader } from "bknd/adapter/bun";
 
-const config = {
+export default hybrid<BunBkndConfig>({
    // some normal bun bknd config
-   connection: { url: "file:test.db" },
+   connection: { url: "file:data.db" },
    // ...
    // reader/writer are required, to sync the types and config
    writer,
@@ -262,7 +260,5 @@ const config = {
       force: true,
       drop: true,
    },
-} satisfies HybridMode<BunBkndConfig>;
-
-export default hybrid(config);
+});
 ```
\ No newline at end of file