diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/package.json b/packages/create-payload-app/package.json
index e2ff2895d..30c71d3d1 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/package.json
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/package.json
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
     "create-payload-app": "bin/cli.js"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "build": "pnpm copyfiles && pnpm build:swc",
+    "build": "pnpm copyfiles && pnpm typecheck && pnpm build:swc",
+    "typecheck": "tsc",
     "copyfiles": "copyfiles -u 2 \"../../app/(payload)/**\" \"dist\"",
     "build:swc": "swc ./src -d ./dist --config-file .swcrc",
     "clean": "rimraf {dist,*.tsbuildinfo}",
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/configure-payload-config.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/configure-payload-config.ts
index 7e3db445c..f24eda14b 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/configure-payload-config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/configure-payload-config.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import fse from 'fs-extra'
-import path from 'path'
+import globby from 'globby'
 
 import type { DbDetails } from '../types.js'
 
 import { warning } from '../utils/log.js'
-import { bundlerPackages, dbPackages, editorPackages } from './packages.js'
+import { dbReplacements } from './packages.js'
 
 /** Update payload config with necessary imports and adapters */
 export async function configurePayloadConfig(args: {
@@ -15,47 +15,10 @@ export async function configurePayloadConfig(args: {
     return
   }
 
-  // Update package.json
-  const packageJsonPath = path.resolve(args.projectDir, 'package.json')
   try {
-    const packageObj = await fse.readJson(packageJsonPath)
-
-    packageObj.dependencies['payload'] = '^2.0.0'
-
-    const dbPackage = dbPackages[args.dbDetails.type]
-    const bundlerPackage = bundlerPackages['webpack']
-    const editorPackage = editorPackages['lexical']
-
-    // Delete all other db adapters
-    Object.values(dbPackages).forEach((p) => {
-      if (p.packageName !== dbPackage.packageName) {
-        delete packageObj.dependencies[p.packageName]
-      }
-    })
-
-    packageObj.dependencies[dbPackage.packageName] = dbPackage.version
-    packageObj.dependencies[bundlerPackage.packageName] = bundlerPackage.version
-    packageObj.dependencies[editorPackage.packageName] = editorPackage.version
-
-    await fse.writeJson(packageJsonPath, packageObj, { spaces: 2 })
-  } catch (err: unknown) {
-    warning(`Unable to configure Payload in package.json`)
-    warning(err instanceof Error ? err.message : '')
-  }
-
-  try {
-    const possiblePaths = [
-      path.resolve(args.projectDir, 'src/payload.config.ts'),
-      path.resolve(args.projectDir, 'src/payload/payload.config.ts'),
-    ]
-
-    let payloadConfigPath: string | undefined
-
-    possiblePaths.forEach((p) => {
-      if (fse.pathExistsSync(p) && !payloadConfigPath) {
-        payloadConfigPath = p
-      }
-    })
+    const payloadConfigPath = (
+      await globby('**/payload.config.ts', { absolute: true, cwd: args.projectDir })
+    )?.[0]
 
     if (!payloadConfigPath) {
       warning('Unable to update payload.config.ts with plugins')
@@ -65,9 +28,7 @@ export async function configurePayloadConfig(args: {
     const configContent = fse.readFileSync(payloadConfigPath, 'utf-8')
     const configLines = configContent.split('\n')
 
-    const dbReplacement = dbPackages[args.dbDetails.type]
-    const bundlerReplacement = bundlerPackages['webpack']
-    const editorReplacement = editorPackages['slate']
+    const dbReplacement = dbReplacements[args.dbDetails.type]
 
     let dbConfigStartLineIndex: number | undefined
     let dbConfigEndLineIndex: number | undefined
@@ -76,21 +37,6 @@ export async function configurePayloadConfig(args: {
       if (l.includes('// database-adapter-import')) {
         configLines[i] = dbReplacement.importReplacement
       }
-      if (l.includes('// bundler-import')) {
-        configLines[i] = bundlerReplacement.importReplacement
-      }
-
-      if (l.includes('// bundler-config')) {
-        configLines[i] = bundlerReplacement.configReplacement
-      }
-
-      if (l.includes('// editor-import')) {
-        configLines[i] = editorReplacement.importReplacement
-      }
-
-      if (l.includes('// editor-config')) {
-        configLines[i] = editorReplacement.configReplacement
-      }
 
       if (l.includes('// database-adapter-config-start')) {
         dbConfigStartLineIndex = i
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.spec.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.spec.ts
index 95e6cc0bc..a0ac16be4 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.spec.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import fse from 'fs-extra'
 import path from 'path'
-import type { BundlerType, CliArgs, DbType, ProjectTemplate } from '../types.js'
+import type { CliArgs, DbType, ProjectTemplate } from '../types.js'
 import { createProject } from './create-project.js'
-import { bundlerPackages, dbPackages, editorPackages } from './packages.js'
+import { dbReplacements } from './packages.js'
 import { getValidTemplates } from './templates.js'
 
 const projectDir = path.resolve(__dirname, './tmp')
@@ -104,29 +104,16 @@ describe('createProject', () => {
           },
         })
 
-        const dbReplacement = dbPackages[db as DbType]
-        const bundlerReplacement = bundlerPackages[bundler as BundlerType]
-        const editorReplacement = editorPackages['slate']
+        const dbReplacement = dbReplacements[db as DbType]
 
         const packageJsonPath = path.resolve(projectDir, 'package.json')
         const packageJson = fse.readJsonSync(packageJsonPath)
 
-        // Check deps
-        expect(packageJson.dependencies['payload']).toEqual('^2.0.0')
-        expect(packageJson.dependencies[dbReplacement.packageName]).toEqual(dbReplacement.version)
-
         // Should only have one db adapter
         expect(
           Object.keys(packageJson.dependencies).filter((n) => n.startsWith('@payloadcms/db-')),
         ).toHaveLength(1)
 
-        expect(packageJson.dependencies[bundlerReplacement.packageName]).toEqual(
-          bundlerReplacement.version,
-        )
-        expect(packageJson.dependencies[editorReplacement.packageName]).toEqual(
-          editorReplacement.version,
-        )
-
         let payloadConfigPath = path.resolve(projectDir, 'src/payload.config.ts')
 
         // Website and ecommerce templates have payload.config.ts in src/payload
@@ -142,12 +129,6 @@ describe('createProject', () => {
         expect(content).not.toContain('// database-adapter-config-start')
         expect(content).not.toContain('// database-adapter-config-end')
         expect(content).toContain(dbReplacement.configReplacement.join('\n'))
-
-        expect(content).not.toContain('// bundler-config-import')
-        expect(content).toContain(bundlerReplacement.importReplacement)
-
-        expect(content).not.toContain('// bundler-config')
-        expect(content).toContain(bundlerReplacement.configReplacement)
       })
     })
   })
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.ts
index 7e5547f59..e028a3054 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/create-project.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,18 @@ import chalk from 'chalk'
 import degit from 'degit'
 import execa from 'execa'
 import fse from 'fs-extra'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 import ora from 'ora'
 import path from 'path'
 
 import type { CliArgs, DbDetails, PackageManager, ProjectTemplate } from '../types.js'
 
-import { error, success, warning } from '../utils/log.js'
+import { debug, error, success, warning } from '../utils/log.js'
 import { configurePayloadConfig } from './configure-payload-config.js'
 
+const filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
+const dirname = path.dirname(filename)
+
 async function createOrFindProjectDir(projectDir: string): Promise<void> {
   const pathExists = await fse.pathExists(projectDir)
   if (!pathExists) {
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ async function installDeps(args: {
     })
     return true
   } catch (err: unknown) {
-    console.log({ err })
+    error(`Error installing dependencies${err instanceof Error ? `: ${err.message}` : ''}.`)
     return false
   }
 }
@@ -48,29 +52,34 @@ async function installDeps(args: {
 export async function createProject(args: {
   cliArgs: CliArgs
   dbDetails?: DbDetails
-  overrides?: {
-    gitBranch?: string
-  }
   packageManager: PackageManager
   projectDir: string
   projectName: string
   template: ProjectTemplate
 }): Promise<void> {
-  const { cliArgs, dbDetails, overrides, packageManager, projectDir, projectName, template } = args
+  const { cliArgs, dbDetails, packageManager, projectDir, projectName, template } = args
 
   if (cliArgs['--dry-run']) {
-    console.log(`\n  Dry run: Creating project in ${chalk.green(path.resolve(projectDir))}\n`)
+    console.log(`\n  Dry run: Creating project in ${chalk.green(projectDir)}\n`)
     return
   }
 
   await createOrFindProjectDir(projectDir)
 
-  console.log(`\n  Creating project in ${chalk.green(path.resolve(projectDir))}\n`)
+  console.log(`\n  Creating project in ${chalk.green(projectDir)}\n`)
 
-  if ('url' in template) {
+  if (cliArgs['--local-template']) {
+    // Copy template from local path. For development purposes.
+    const localTemplate = path.resolve(
+      dirname,
+      '../../../../templates/',
+      cliArgs['--local-template'],
+    )
+    await fse.copy(localTemplate, projectDir)
+  } else if ('url' in template) {
     let templateUrl = template.url
-    if (args.overrides?.gitBranch) {
-      templateUrl = `${template.url}#${overrides?.gitBranch}`
+    if (cliArgs['--template-branch']) {
+      templateUrl = `${template.url}#${cliArgs['--template-branch']}`
       debug(`Using template url: ${templateUrl}`)
     }
     const emitter = degit(templateUrl)
@@ -88,14 +97,19 @@ export async function createProject(args: {
     await fse.remove(lockPath)
   }
 
-  spinner.text = 'Installing dependencies...'
-  const result = await installDeps({ cliArgs, packageManager, projectDir })
-  spinner.stop()
-  spinner.clear()
-  if (result) {
-    success('Dependencies installed')
+  if (!cliArgs['--no-deps']) {
+    spinner.text = 'Installing dependencies...'
+    const result = await installDeps({ cliArgs, packageManager, projectDir })
+    spinner.stop()
+    spinner.clear()
+    if (result) {
+      success('Dependencies installed')
+    } else {
+      error('Error installing dependencies')
+    }
   } else {
-    error('Error installing dependencies')
+    spinner.stop()
+    spinner.clear()
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/init-next.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/init-next.ts
index f68e6c570..71c187c44 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/init-next.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/init-next.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import type { CompilerOptions } from 'typescript'
 
 import chalk from 'chalk'
 import { parse, stringify } from 'comment-json'
-import { detect } from 'detect-package-manager'
 import execa from 'execa'
 import fs from 'fs'
 import fse from 'fs-extra'
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ type InitNextArgs = Pick<CliArgs, '--debug'> & {
 type InitNextResult = { reason?: string; success: boolean; userAppDir?: string }
 
 export async function initNext(args: InitNextArgs): Promise<InitNextResult> {
-  args.projectDir = args.projectDir || process.cwd()
   const { packageManager, projectDir } = args
   const templateResult = await applyPayloadTemplateFiles(args)
   if (!templateResult.success) return templateResult
@@ -104,7 +102,7 @@ async function applyPayloadTemplateFiles(args: InitNextArgs): Promise<InitNextRe
   }
 
   // Next.js configs can be next.config.js, next.config.mjs, etc.
-  const foundConfig = (await globby('next.config.*js', { cwd: projectDir }))?.[0]
+  const foundConfig = (await globby('next.config.*js', { absolute: true, cwd: projectDir }))?.[0]
 
   if (!foundConfig) {
     throw new Error(`No next.config.js found at ${projectDir}`)
@@ -137,11 +135,14 @@ async function applyPayloadTemplateFiles(args: InitNextArgs): Promise<InitNextRe
   }
 
   // src/app or app
-  const userAppDirGlob = await globby(['**/app'], {
-    cwd: projectDir,
-    onlyDirectories: true,
-  })
-  const userAppDir = path.resolve(projectDir, userAppDirGlob?.[0])
+  const userAppDir = (
+    await globby(['**/app'], {
+      absolute: true,
+      cwd: projectDir,
+      onlyDirectories: true,
+    })
+  )?.[0]
+
   if (!fs.existsSync(userAppDir)) {
     return { reason: `Could not find user app directory inside ${projectDir}`, success: false }
   } else {
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/packages.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/packages.ts
index 1511dd2e7..29f9a1122 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/packages.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/packages.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,9 @@
-import type { BundlerType, DbType, EditorType } from '../types.js'
+import type { DbType } from '../types.js'
 
 type DbAdapterReplacement = {
   configReplacement: string[]
   importReplacement: string
   packageName: string
-  version: string
-}
-
-type BundlerReplacement = {
-  configReplacement: string
-  importReplacement: string
-  packageName: string
-  version: string
-}
-
-type EditorReplacement = {
-  configReplacement: string
-  importReplacement: string
-  packageName: string
-  version: string
 }
 
 const mongodbReplacement: DbAdapterReplacement = {
@@ -26,7 +11,6 @@ const mongodbReplacement: DbAdapterReplacement = {
   packageName: '@payloadcms/db-mongodb',
   // Replacement between `// database-adapter-config-start` and `// database-adapter-config-end`
   configReplacement: ['  db: mongooseAdapter({', '    url: process.env.DATABASE_URI,', '  }),'],
-  version: '^1.0.0',
 }
 
 const postgresReplacement: DbAdapterReplacement = {
@@ -39,45 +23,9 @@ const postgresReplacement: DbAdapterReplacement = {
   ],
   importReplacement: "import { postgresAdapter } from '@payloadcms/db-postgres'",
   packageName: '@payloadcms/db-postgres',
-  version: '^0.x', // up to, not including 1.0.0
 }
 
-export const dbPackages: Record<DbType, DbAdapterReplacement> = {
+export const dbReplacements: Record<DbType, DbAdapterReplacement> = {
   mongodb: mongodbReplacement,
   postgres: postgresReplacement,
 }
-
-const webpackReplacement: BundlerReplacement = {
-  importReplacement: "import { webpackBundler } from '@payloadcms/bundler-webpack'",
-  packageName: '@payloadcms/bundler-webpack',
-  // Replacement of line containing `// bundler-config`
-  configReplacement: '    bundler: webpackBundler(),',
-  version: '^1.0.0',
-}
-
-const viteReplacement: BundlerReplacement = {
-  configReplacement: '  bundler: viteBundler(),',
-  importReplacement: "import { viteBundler } from '@payloadcms/bundler-vite'",
-  packageName: '@payloadcms/bundler-vite',
-  version: '^0.x', // up to, not including 1.0.0
-}
-
-export const bundlerPackages: Record<BundlerType, BundlerReplacement> = {
-  vite: viteReplacement,
-  webpack: webpackReplacement,
-}
-
-export const editorPackages: Record<EditorType, EditorReplacement> = {
-  lexical: {
-    configReplacement: '  editor: lexicalEditor({}),',
-    importReplacement: "import { lexicalEditor } from '@payloadcms/richtext-lexical'",
-    packageName: '@payloadcms/richtext-lexical',
-    version: '^0.x', // up to, not including 1.0.0
-  },
-  slate: {
-    configReplacement: '  editor: slateEditor({}),',
-    importReplacement: "import { slateEditor } from '@payloadcms/richtext-slate'",
-    packageName: '@payloadcms/richtext-slate',
-    version: '^1.0.0',
-  },
-}
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/select-db.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/select-db.ts
index 130930bc1..57c92df6f 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/select-db.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/select-db.ts
@@ -58,26 +58,36 @@ export async function selectDb(args: CliArgs, projectName: string): Promise<DbDe
 
   const dbChoice = dbChoiceRecord[dbType]
 
-  const dbUriRes = await prompts(
-    {
-      name: 'value',
-      type: 'text',
-      initial: `${dbChoice.dbConnectionPrefix}${
-        projectName === '.' ? `payload-${getRandomDigitSuffix()}` : slugify(projectName)
-      }`,
-      message: `Enter ${dbChoice.title.split(' ')[0]} connection string`, // strip beta from title
-      validate: (value: string) => !!value.length,
-    },
-    {
-      onCancel: () => {
-        process.exit(0)
+  let dbUri: string | undefined = undefined
+  const initialDbUri = `${dbChoice.dbConnectionPrefix}${
+    projectName === '.' ? `payload-${getRandomDigitSuffix()}` : slugify(projectName)
+  }`
+
+  if (args['--db-accept-recommended']) {
+    dbUri = initialDbUri
+  } else if (args['--db-connection-string']) {
+    dbUri = args['--db-connection-string']
+  } else {
+    const dbUriRes = await prompts(
+      {
+        name: 'value',
+        type: 'text',
+        initial: initialDbUri,
+        message: `Enter ${dbChoice.title.split(' ')[0]} connection string`, // strip beta from title
+        validate: (value: string) => !!value.length,
       },
-    },
-  )
+      {
+        onCancel: () => {
+          process.exit(0)
+        },
+      },
+    )
+    dbUri = dbUriRes.value
+  }
 
   return {
     type: dbChoice.value,
-    dbUri: dbUriRes.value,
+    dbUri,
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.spec.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.spec.ts
index fcee72ffc..8119bbbc9 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { parseAndInsertWithPayload, withPayloadImportStatement } from './wrap-next-config'
+import { parseAndInsertWithPayload, withPayloadImportStatement } from './wrap-next-config.js'
 
 const defaultNextConfig = `/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
 const nextConfig = {};
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.ts
index fd9062781..0082da27d 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/lib/wrap-next-config.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import fs from 'fs'
 import globby from 'globby'
 import path from 'path'
 
-export const withPayloadImportStatement = `import { withPayload } from '@payloadcms/next/withPayload'\n`
+export const withPayloadImportStatement = `import { withPayload } from '@payloadcms/next'\n`
 
 export const wrapNextConfig = async (args: { projectDir: string }): Promise<void> => {
   const foundConfig = (await globby('next.config.*js', { cwd: args.projectDir }))?.[0]
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/main.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/main.ts
index daf770292..6c958fa56 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/main.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/main.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ export class Main {
     this.args = arg(
       {
         '--db': String,
+        '--db-accept-recommended': Boolean,
+        '--db-connection-string': String,
         '--help': Boolean,
+        '--local-template': String,
         '--name': String,
         '--secret': String,
         '--template': String,
@@ -63,10 +66,11 @@ export class Main {
       }
 
       const projectName = await parseProjectName(this.args)
-      const projectDir =
+      const projectDir = path.resolve(
         projectName === '.' || this.args['--init-next']
           ? path.basename(process.cwd())
-          : `./${slugify(projectName)}`
+          : `./${slugify(projectName)}`,
+      )
 
       console.log(welcomeMessage)
       const packageManager = await getPackageManager(this.args, projectDir)
@@ -95,7 +99,6 @@ export class Main {
       const template = await parseTemplate(this.args, validTemplates)
 
       switch (template.type) {
-        case 'local':
         case 'starter': {
           const dbDetails = await selectDb(this.args, projectName)
           const payloadSecret = generateSecret()
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/src/types.ts b/packages/create-payload-app/src/types.ts
index 571942fe4..7d7febde7 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/src/types.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,13 @@ import type arg from 'arg'
 export interface Args extends arg.Spec {
   '--beta': BooleanConstructor
   '--db': StringConstructor
+  '--db-accept-recommended': BooleanConstructor
+  '--db-connection-string': StringConstructor
   '--debug': BooleanConstructor
   '--dry-run': BooleanConstructor
   '--help': BooleanConstructor
   '--init-next': BooleanConstructor
+  '--local-template': StringConstructor
   '--name': StringConstructor
   '--no-deps': BooleanConstructor
   '--secret': StringConstructor
@@ -60,5 +63,4 @@ export type DbDetails = {
   type: DbType
 }
 
-export type BundlerType = 'vite' | 'webpack'
 export type EditorType = 'lexical' | 'slate'
diff --git a/packages/create-payload-app/tsconfig.json b/packages/create-payload-app/tsconfig.json
index 7196960d5..fbecd13e6 100644
--- a/packages/create-payload-app/tsconfig.json
+++ b/packages/create-payload-app/tsconfig.json
@@ -7,17 +7,6 @@
     "outDir": "./dist" /* Specify an output folder for all emitted files. */,
     "rootDir": "./src" /* Specify the root folder within your source files. */
   },
-  "exclude": [
-    "dist",
-    "build",
-    "tests",
-    "test",
-    "node_modules",
-    ".eslintrc.js",
-    "src/**/*.spec.js",
-    "src/**/*.spec.jsx",
-    "src/**/*.spec.ts",
-    "src/**/*.spec.tsx"
-  ],
+  "exclude": ["dist", "build", "tests", "test", "node_modules", ".eslintrc.js"],
   "include": ["src/**/*.ts", "src/**/*.tsx", "src/**/*.d.ts", "src/**/*.json"]
 }