templates: adds landing page to blank template

[PatrikKozak]

What

This update enhances the Blank template by adding a simple front-end to ensure a better out-of-the-box experience.

Why

When deploying the template to platforms like Payload Cloud, Vercel, or similar services, users would previously encounter a 404 or not-found page on the front-end / route unless explicitly handled.

With this update, the template now includes a minimal front-end that renders a basic page at route /.

Notes

• The added front-end is entirely optional.

• If users prefer to use the Blank template as a starting point for a back-end-only solution or plan to integrate with a different front-end framework, they can simply delete the (frontend) folder and proceed as before.

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[sondreorland]

Could this have been a separate template? For example, blank-website, or perhaps a new template for the current blank one like blank-cms?

Many of us use Payload as a back-end-only solution in standalone projects, querying data via the REST API into other front-end frameworks (not always Next.js). The blank template is currently the only one without a website.

[PatrikKozak]

Hey @sondreorland - thanks for the feedback!

We’ve added this front-end as a convenience for scenarios where someone decides to deploy this template on our cloud, vercel, or similar platforms. This ensures the front-end doesn’t display a not-found or 404 page by default.

If your plan is to use a different front-end framework or use Payload as a back-end-only solution, you can simply remove the (frontend) folder entirely and continue as before.

[sondreorland]

The new changes you added makes more sense now, awesome!🔥