Local Sites vs Payload CMS
Compare local site definitions with Payload CMS. Learn which data source fits your workflow.
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.