Backend options

The storefront supports three backend types. Each type has its own prerequisites, so follow only the path that matches your project. Choosing the wrong type can lead to misleading signals—GitHub and DA.live may look healthy while previews or drop-ins fail—and may result in installing packages your license does not require.

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

Drop-in components — B2C (business-to-consumer, meaning typical shopper experiences) and B2B (business-to-business, meaning company accounts, quotes, and purchase orders) — require an Adobe Commerce as a Cloud Service or Adobe Commerce Optimizer license. PaaS customers who add an Adobe Commerce Optimizer license are covered, and that license includes drop-in usage. There is no separate “B2B backend” type.

Backends fall into three categories:

• Commerce PaaS — Existing Adobe Commerce on Cloud infrastructure 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?

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 focuses on the backend layer. It adds two optional pieces you might use during a phased move: 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. and the Adobe Commerce Optimizer Connector. Luma is Adobe’s classic server-side Commerce storefront theme. If you run a 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. storefront today and are moving to Edge Delivery Services, Luma Bridge is a PHP module on Commerce so Luma pages and EDS drop-ins can share the same cart and sign-in session during the transition. For the full stack (drop-ins, boilerplate, and how services connect), see Commerce services and backends.

Loading diagram...

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

Open only the tab for your backend and read it end to end. Commerce PaaS includes a manual checklist that the two managed backends do not.

Commerce Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Product license

Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure 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

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). It reads session cookies that EDS drop-ins set, so Luma pages can share cart and sign-in state with EDS. It does not connect directly inside drop-in code. It works with or without Adobe Commerce Optimizer. 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 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.

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 PaaS:

1. You are on Adobe Commerce v2.4.7 or later (Magento Open Source is not supported for this storefront path).
2. You installed 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. (Install guide) so cart, checkout, account, and order GraphQL match what drop-ins expect.
3. You connected the storefront services your project needs (at minimum, plan for Services Connector and Catalog Service, then add Live Search, Product Recommendations, and Data Connection per your rollout). Use the service documentation table below for links.

Storefront Compatibility package

Extends GraphQL for cart, checkout, account, and order flows that drop-ins expect. Overview: Commerce services. Install: Install the Storefront Compatibility package (v2.4.7 or v2.4.8).

Storefront services

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

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 your storefront and connect it to Commerce.

Create a storefront Site Creator in DA.live first; manual template and Code Sync when required.

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