---
layout: changelog
title: "Configurable start command for SSR Sites"
date: 2026-05-05
cover: /images/changelog/2026-05-05.avif
tags: console, functions, sites
---

You can now set an explicit **start command** for **server-side rendered (SSR)** Sites in the Appwrite Console, alongside your existing **build settings** (install command, build command, and output directory). After a successful build, Appwrite uses this command to start the Node.js process that serves your app at runtime.

Framework presets still supply sensible defaults for common stacks. When you need more control, a dedicated start command helps you:

- Point Appwrite at the **exact script or binary** that boots your server (for example a custom `server.js`, a framework CLI wrapper, or a workspace-specific `package.json` script).
- Run **monorepos and multi-package layouts** where the server lives under a subpath or a different package than the build root.
- Match **team conventions** (`pnpm`, `yarn`, `npx`) or **CI-style commands** without relying on whatever the preset inferred from the framework alone.
- Try **diagnostics or staging behavior** at boot (for example extra logging or guarded startup) while keeping your build commands unchanged.

Configure it under your site’s **Settings → Build settings** when **Server side rendering** is enabled, then redeploy so the new command takes effect.

[Appwrite Sites documentation](/docs/products/sites)