Setting NODE_ENV=production fails without payload:build

[mryellow]

Link to reproduction

No response

Describe the Bug

When setting NODE_ENV=production on a plain Javascript build the admin interface fails to load on /admin.

I believe it could be that the changes to defaults when process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'.

Saw mention of default base directory changing when NODE_ENV is set to production though struggle to find that documentation again.

To Reproduce

• Place Javascript version of the files in /dist
• Run cross-env PAYLOAD_CONFIG_PATH=dist/payload.config.js NODE_ENV=production node dist/server.js

Payload Version

2

Adapters and Plugins

No response

[mryellow]

The failure of the admin interface to be accessible may relate to this section taking a different path in the builder:

payload/packages/payload/src/express/admin.ts

Lines 5 to 9 in 4a54aa7

	if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
	ctx.express.use(ctx.config.routes.admin, await ctx.config.admin.bundler.serve(ctx))
	} else {
	ctx.express.use(ctx.config.routes.admin, await ctx.config.admin.bundler.dev(ctx))
	}

[mryellow]

This may be when build:payload (Which should be simply the webpack bundler) has failed to be ran. Due to failure on some systems.

With the TypeScript I had Error: unknown field cwd same as other reports:

https://help.railway.app/questions/i-want-to-deploy-a-nextjs-project-with-p-dc946ee6
https://help.railway.app/questions/error-unknown-field-cwd-when-building-edc1598f
swc-project/swc#7538 (comment)

Now with a Javascript version of the files I get:

> cross-env PAYLOAD_CONFIG_PATH=src/payload.config.js payload build

/home/user/path/node_modules/@swc/wasm/wasm.js:489
    const ret = new Error(getStringFromWasm0(arg0, arg1));
                ^

Error: invalid type: unit value, expected a map

#6611

[jmikrut]

Hey @mryellow - yes, you'll need to copy over your build folder as well if you want to run Payload in production. Without a built copy of the admin UI, the admin UI will not work in production.

Give that a shot!

[mryellow]

There is nothing in that directory which requires such opinionated build tooling.

(Tooling which was bugged and blocked the entire project from functioning.)

It's simply a directory of static assets. It could be committed.

[mryellow]

There should be a descriptive error.

[mryellow]

#6713