Choose a Deployment Architecture
Run Next.js as an independent Web product or as a Unified Platform Host.
The Next.js template always works as a complete Web product. Unified deployment adds a public, versioned client backend to the same Better Auth, PostgreSQL, services, and subscription state.
| Architecture | Choose it when | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone Web | You are shipping this Web product without shared native or desktop clients | Installation |
| Unified Platform Host | Swift, Kotlin, Expo, Electron, or Tauri must share users and business data | App API overview |
This is a deployment architecture, not an end-user switch. Migrating an existing product requires identity, data, file, and entitlement migration.
Review the global mode guide and compatibility matrix before configuring providers.