Backend options

The storefront supports a few backend types, each with its own prerequisites, so follow only the path that matches your project. Choosing the wrong type leads to misleading signals. For example, GitHub and DA.live look healthy, but previews or drop-ins fail. As a result, you might install packages your license does not require.

For authoring storefront pages, see Document Authoring Quick Start. This page covers the Commerce backend the storefront connects to.

All drop-in components require an Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service or Adobe Commerce Optimizer license. Adobe Commerce on Cloud and on-premises customers who add an Adobe Commerce Optimizer license get drop-in support as part of that license. There is no separate “B2B backend” type.

Follow the setup path for the platform that handles your shopping operations:

• Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service supplies managed catalog services and transactional operations.
• Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises with an Adobe Commerce Optimizer license requires setup on the existing Adobe Commerce deployment.
• Adobe Commerce Optimizer with a third-party commerce platform requires catalog configuration and a project-specific integration for shopping operations.

Adobe Commerce Optimizer does not replace the platform that handles cart, checkout, customer accounts, and orders. Its managed catalog services do not make the existing platform’s prerequisites automatic.

Related documentation

This page covers Commerce backends only. For Adobe Commerce product help (Admin, deployments, merchandising services, integrations), start from Adobe Commerce documentation on Experience League.

For pages and blocks on DA.live, see Document Authoring documentation or Document Authoring Quick Start.

Which backend do you have?

Feature	Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises with Adobe Commerce Optimizer	Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service	Adobe Commerce Optimizer with a third-party platform
License includes Storefront	Yes, through Adobe Commerce Optimizer	Yes	Yes
Setup	Configure the existing Commerce deployment and the selected catalog services.	Adobe manages platform packages; your team configures the storefront and services.	Configure catalog ingestion and the third-party shopping integration.
Shopping operations	Existing Adobe Commerce deployment	Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service	Existing third-party platform
Version	See supported versions in Compatibility Package.	Adobe-managed continuous release	Adobe-managed catalog services; the existing platform has its own requirements.

PaaS + Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector

The Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector syncs catalog and pricing data from Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises into Adobe Commerce Optimizer. You install a PHP extension on the Adobe Commerce platform, and then use the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Studio to configure catalogs, product discovery, merchandising, and other storefront settings. See the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector documentation for setup instructions.

Prerequisites by backend

Read the requirements for the platform that handles shopping operations. Projects using Adobe Commerce Optimizer must also read its catalog and integration requirements. Existing Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises deployments still need the manual checklist.

Commerce Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Product license

Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises. The Magento Open Source edition (Adobe’s open-source e-commerce platform, which is a separate product from Adobe Commerce) is not supported. A PaaS license alone does not include drop-in components. To use drop-ins on PaaS, you must also hold an Adobe Commerce Optimizer license (see Adobe Commerce Optimizer).

Version

Use a supported Adobe Commerce release listed in Compatibility Package. Check that page for version-specific installation instructions.

Required packages and services

Manual installation is required. See PaaS: required packages and services below for step-by-step instructions.

Luma Bridge and Adobe Commerce Optimizer

Luma Bridge is a PHP module on Commerce (PaaS). It reads session cookies that EDS drop-ins set, so Luma pages can share cart and sign-in state with EDS. It works with or without Adobe Commerce Optimizer, and it does not connect directly inside drop-in code. If you use the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector, Luma Bridge can still share sessions while you migrate. See Luma Bridge.

Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service

Product license

Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service (license includes Storefront)

Requirements

Adobe manages the platform packages and hosted services. Your team still configures the storefront connection and the catalog or merchandising settings required by the project. Continue with Storefront configuration.

Adobe Commerce Optimizer

Product license

Adobe Commerce Optimizer (license includes Storefront)

Requirements

Adobe manages the catalog and product-discovery service. Your team configures catalog ingestion and the connection from the storefront. Shopping operations still require a transactional platform:

• For Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises, complete PaaS: required packages and services. If catalog data is synchronized into Adobe Commerce Optimizer, follow the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector requirements .
• For a third-party commerce platform, confirm the project-specific cart, checkout, and account integration with its owner. Connecting the catalog alone does not complete that integration.

Adobe Commerce Optimizer + PaaS

If you are on Commerce on Cloud or on-premises with an existing Luma storefront and add Adobe Commerce Optimizer, you can use Luma Bridge to share sessions between EDS and Luma’s cart, checkout, and account pages while content and marketing move to Edge Delivery first.

PaaS: required packages and services

Complete this checklist when Adobe Commerce on Cloud or on-premises handles shopping operations, including projects that use Adobe Commerce Optimizer for catalog data. Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service manages its platform packages instead. Third-party transactional platforms need their own integration checklist.

Minimum checklist before you create a storefront

Before Site CreatorApp in Document Author (DA.live) that creates and initializes a storefront by setting up content, optional code, theme choice, and storefront configuration values., manual configuration, or local preview can rely on Commerce APIs, confirm these items on Commerce on Cloud and on-premises:

• Confirm the supported Adobe Commerce version and drop-in licensing in Compatibility Package and Licensing requirements. Magento Open Source is not supported for this storefront path.
• Confirm that the Storefront Compatibility packageA PHP package you install on Commerce PaaS that extends the GraphQL schema so cart, checkout, account, and order drop-ins can communicate with your backend as expected. is installed on the Adobe Commerce deployment. See Manual installation.
• For a B2B storefront, confirm the additional requirements in B2B Compatibility Package.
• Confirm the catalog services and data-ingestion path with the project owner. For catalog synchronization into Adobe Commerce Optimizer, use the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector . Where the project uses Catalog Service, Live Search, or Product Recommendations, follow their applicable service requirements.

The Commerce Services Connector and Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector have different roles. Do not assume that setting up one completes the other. Commerce services at a glance explains those relationships.

Storefront Compatibility package

Your storefront repo still uses npm for JavaScript drop-ins, but these modules run as PHP on the Commerce server. To learn how Commerce services fit together, see Commerce services.

Storefront services

Catalog Service, Services Connector, Live Search, and Product Recommendations are covered on Adobe Experience League and in Commerce services. Data Connection is optional and comes from a separate product, Adobe Experience Platform.

Headless storefronts must send the required storefront events for Live Search and Product Recommendations. The Adobe Experience League topics in the table cover setup and headless data requirements. On Edge Delivery Services, implement storefront events with the Adobe Client Data Layer and Analytics .

Service	Documentation
Data Connection	Data Connection page
Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector	Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector overview
Services Connector	Commerce Services Connector
Catalog Service	Catalog Service page
Live Search	Live Search page ; Headless data collection
Product Recommendations	Product Recommendations page ; Headless integration · Drop-in setup

Multiple stores in one Commerce environment

If you are migrating only one store to Edge Delivery Services in a shared Commerce environment, contact Adobe Commerce Support to ensure that Live Search stays active without disabling Elasticsearch for your other stores.

Backend topology

Use this additional diagram when an existing Adobe Commerce deployment remains part of the project. The Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector synchronizes its catalog and pricing data into Adobe Commerce Optimizer.

The Luma BridgeA PHP module on your Commerce instance that reads session cookies from EDS drop-ins, letting Luma pages share the same shopper cart and sign-in session during a phased migration to Edge Delivery Services. is optional and applies only when classic LumaAdobe Commerce's classic server-side storefront theme, built with PHP. If you run a Luma storefront today, Luma Bridge can help share cart and sign-in sessions with EDS drop-ins while you migrate. pages and Edge Delivery pages must share the cart and sign-in session during migration. It is not required for a new storefront without Luma pages. For the normal storefront runtime model, see Commerce services at a glance.

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Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service supplies catalog and shopping operations. With Adobe Commerce Optimizer, catalog requests go to its services while shopping operations remain on the existing platform. This diagram shows the Adobe Commerce platform path. Luma Bridge shares sessions with Luma during a phased migration, and the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector synchronizes catalog and pricing data.

Next steps

After confirming your prerequisites, create your storefront and connect it to Commerce.

Create a storefront Create or reuse a template-based repository, connect Code Sync, and provision starter content with Site Creator.

Storefront configuration Endpoints, headers, and config.json for your backend.

After the connection is configured, use Verify your storefront setup to confirm that content, catalog data, and the required shopping features work.