Storefront Backend Options

The Adobe Commerce storefront supports three backend types. Prerequisites and setup differ, so use only the guidance that matches your environment. This page helps you identify your backend and meet prerequisites before you configure the storefront to talk to Commerce.

If you are new to the stack, read Storefront architecture first. Authoring storefront pages (Document Authoring, Universal Editor) is covered there and in Document Authoring Quick Start; this topic focuses on the Commerce backend the storefront connects to.

Drop-in components (B2C and B2B) require an Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service or Adobe Commerce Optimizer license. PaaS customers who add an Adobe Commerce Optimizer license are covered—the ACO license includes drop-in usage. There is no separate “B2B backend” type.

Backends fall into three categories:

• Commerce PaaS — Existing Adobe Commerce Cloud or on-premises deployment without an Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service or Adobe Commerce Optimizer license
• Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service — Cloud Service deployment whose license includes Storefront
• Adobe Commerce Optimizer — New Adobe Commerce Optimizer deployment, or an existing PaaS deployment that added Adobe Commerce Optimizer

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?

This table summarizes the key differences between backend types.

Feature	Commerce PaaS	Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service	Adobe Commerce Optimizer
License includes Storefront	No	Yes	Yes
Setup	Manual install required	Fully automated	Fully automated
Version	v2.4.7+ self-managed	Auto-managed	Fully managed SaaS

PaaS + Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector

The Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector (PaaS-to-Adobe Commerce Optimizer) syncs your PaaS catalog and pricing into Adobe Commerce Optimizer. You install a PHP extension on the PaaS platform and configure the Adobe Commerce Optimizer UI. See the Adobe Commerce Optimizer documentation for connector setup.

Backend topology

This diagram zooms in on the backend layer from the system stack, adding Luma Bridge and the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector. For the full stack—including drop-in components, boilerplate layers, and the event system—see Storefront architecture.

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EDS connects to PaaS, Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service, or Adobe Commerce Optimizer. EDS drop-in components set session cookies that Luma Bridge (a PHP module on PaaS) reads to share sessions with Luma — independent of Adobe Commerce Optimizer. The Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector syncs PaaS catalog and pricing into Adobe Commerce Optimizer.

Prerequisites by backend

Select your backend to see the requirements before you start storefront setup.

Commerce Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Product license

Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure or on-premises. The Magento Open Source edition 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

v2.4.7 or later

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) that reads the session cookies set by EDS drop-in components, allowing Luma pages to share cart and authentication sessions with EDS. It does not plug into drop-in components. It works with or without Adobe Commerce Optimizer. With the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector, Luma Bridge continues to share sessions during migration. See Luma Bridge.

Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service

Product license

Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service (license includes Storefront)

Requirements

Adobe manages all requirements automatically. No manual installation is required.

Adobe Commerce Optimizer

Product license

Adobe Commerce Optimizer (license includes Storefront)

Requirements

Adobe manages all requirements in a fully managed SaaS model. No manual installation is required.

Adobe Commerce Optimizer + PaaS

If you are on Commerce PaaS 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

Install and configure the following on Commerce PaaS before you create your storefront. Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service and Adobe Commerce Optimizer manage these automatically. Skip this section if you are not on Commerce PaaS.

Storefront Compatibility package

The Storefront Compatibility package extends the GraphQL schema for cart, checkout, account, and order. For an overview, see the Storefront Compatibility package row in Commerce services. For installation, see Install the Storefront Compatibility package (v2.4.7 or v2.4.8).

Storefront services

Catalog Service and related APIs supply fast catalog data (including GraphQL) for drop-in components. Data Connection links Adobe Commerce to Adobe Experience Platform. Services Connector, Live Search, and Product Recommendations integrate as described in Experience League. See Commerce services for how each fits the architecture.

Headless storefronts must send the required storefront events for Live Search and Product Recommendations. Use the Experience League topics in the table for 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 Guide
Services Connector	Commerce Services Connector
Catalog Service	Catalog Service Guide
Live Search	Live Search Guide ; Headless data collection
Product Recommendations	Product Recommendations Guide ; 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.

Next steps

After confirming your prerequisites, create and configure your project.

Storefront architecture Full system stack, runtime flow, and how components connect.

Create a storefront Step-by-step setup from the boilerplate template.

Commerce configuration Endpoints, headers, and `config.json` for your backend.