Local Sites vs Payload CMS

This template supports two data sources. Here's how they differ.

Local Sites

Define your site in TypeScript files under sites/. Perfect for documentation sites, marketing pages, and content that lives in version control. Changes deploy with your code. The showcase site uses this approach.

Payload CMS

Connect to a Payload CMS instance for a headless CMS experience. Editors manage content in the admin UI. Ideal for teams that need non-developers to update content, or for sites with frequent content changes.

Switching

Use SITE_NAME for local sites and SITE_SLUG for Payload. The page structure and blocks are the same—only the data source changes.