Can I use Payload as a traditional CMS for an Express website?

valravn89last year

4

• 

  tylandavis

  last year

  Totally doable. And in fact, if you follow the "Adding to an existing app" section of our docs (

  https://payloadcms.com/docs/getting-started/installation#adding-to-an-existing-app

  ), you'll have a set up that's basically on par with starting with a fresh

  create-payload-app
  
  

  Honestly I think the only reason that set up isn't very common is just because FE frameworks are super popular and not as many people are familiar with setting up routes and everything in Express. Sounds like you know what you're doing, so I'd say you're on the right track!

• 

  valravn89last year

  Alright thanks. Yk I keep thinking to myself there must be something I'm missing.. since i haven't seen any examples on this use case. I think there should be like a tutorial or something for implementing it that way.

• 

  tylandavis

  last year

  The closest example we have I think would be the

  custom-server

  example, which adds Nextjs into an Express server, but there's an

  eject

  to remove the Nextjs stuff from it.

  https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/main/examples/custom-server
• 

  omariginal3 weeks ago

  Hey guys! Sorry for digging this zombie thread. I am trying to achieve the same, to mount payload on an existing (fairly complex) express app. I have to admit I am lost at the proposed suggestion, and the linked code sample is not super helpful for someone who doesn't use next.js (me! not a single clue), and is not looking to use it either.

  
  
  

  Is there a more up to date documentation on how this can be done? my ideal scenario, or anything similar to it:

  
  

  // ... my previous express code
  
  const payload = initializePayload(...);
  
  app.use('/cms', payload);