diff --git a/.changeset/lazy-pugs-wash.md b/.changeset/lazy-pugs-wash.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..923ef5b116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lazy-pugs-wash.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-app-node': minor
+---
+
+Added the `app` plugin node library, initially providing an extension point that can be used to configure a static fallback handler.
diff --git a/.changeset/sharp-months-think.md b/.changeset/sharp-months-think.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..04ffbb8d1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/sharp-months-think.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-app-backend': patch
+---
+
+Migrated the alpha `appBackend` export to use static configuration and extension points rather than accepting options.
diff --git a/app-config.yaml b/app-config.yaml
index 8dcd052e61..7988d6ebbe 100644
--- a/app-config.yaml
+++ b/app-config.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ app:
           - url: https://discord.gg/backstage-687207715902193673
             title: '#backstage'
 
+  packageName: example-app
+
 backend:
   # Used for enabling authentication, secret is shared by all backend plugins
   # See https://backstage.io/docs/auth/service-to-service-auth for
diff --git a/packages/backend-next/src/index.ts b/packages/backend-next/src/index.ts
index fa7561e211..c44da4ae8c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-next/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-next/src/index.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import { lighthousePlugin } from '@backstage/plugin-lighthouse-backend';
 
 const backend = createBackend();
 
-backend.add(appPlugin({ appPackageName: 'example-app' }));
+backend.add(appPlugin());
 
 // Badges
 backend.add(badgesPlugin());
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/alpha-api-report.md b/plugins/app-backend/alpha-api-report.md
index 20a2902557..5fb0546a79 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/alpha-api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/alpha-api-report.md
@@ -4,18 +4,9 @@
 
 ```ts
 import { BackendFeature } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import express from 'express';
 
 // @alpha
-export const appPlugin: (options: AppPluginOptions) => BackendFeature;
-
-// @alpha (undocumented)
-export type AppPluginOptions = {
-  appPackageName?: string;
-  staticFallbackHandler?: express.Handler;
-  disableConfigInjection?: boolean;
-  disableStaticFallbackCache?: boolean;
-};
+export const appPlugin: () => BackendFeature;
 
 // (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
 ```
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/config.d.ts b/plugins/app-backend/config.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dc11bc4e0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/config.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+export interface Config {
+  app?: {
+    /**
+     * The name of the app package (in most Backstage repositories, this is the
+     * "name" field in `packages/app/package.json`) that content should be served
+     * from. The same app package should be added as a dependency to the backend
+     * package in order for it to be accessible at runtime.
+     *
+     * In a typical setup with a single app package, this will default to 'app'.
+     */
+    packageName?: string;
+
+    /**
+     * Disables the configuration injection. This can be useful if you're running in an environment
+     * with a read-only filesystem, or for some other reason don't want configuration to be injected.
+     *
+     * Note that this will cause the configuration used when building the app bundle to be used, unless
+     * a separate configuration loading strategy is set up.
+     *
+     * This also disables configuration injection though `APP_CONFIG_` environment variables.
+     */
+    disableConfigInjection?: boolean;
+
+    /**
+     * By default the app backend plugin will cache previously deployed static assets in the database.
+     * If you disable this, it is recommended to set a `staticFallbackHandler` instead.
+     */
+    disableStaticFallbackCache?: boolean;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/package.json b/plugins/app-backend/package.json
index c9b25508c0..be1b6b3a80 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/package.json
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/config": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/config-loader": "workspace:^",
+    "@backstage/plugin-app-node": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/types": "workspace:^",
     "@types/express": "^4.17.6",
     "express": "^4.17.1",
@@ -73,8 +74,10 @@
     "node-fetch": "^2.6.7",
     "supertest": "^6.1.3"
   },
+  "configSchema": "config.d.ts",
   "files": [
     "dist",
+    "config.d.ts",
     "migrations/**/*.{js,d.ts}",
     "static"
   ]
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/src/alpha.ts b/plugins/app-backend/src/alpha.ts
index cc8276b853..edb5c8caf5 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/src/alpha.ts
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/src/alpha.ts
@@ -15,4 +15,3 @@
  */
 
 export { appPlugin } from './service/appPlugin';
-export type { AppPluginOptions } from './service/appPlugin';
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.test.ts b/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.test.ts
index 518f56b7f9..37d38663ef 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.test.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import mockFs from 'mock-fs';
 import { resolve as resolvePath } from 'path';
 import fetch from 'node-fetch';
-import { startTestBackend } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import { mockServices, startTestBackend } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { appPlugin } from './appPlugin';
 
 describe('appPlugin', () => {
@@ -39,10 +39,14 @@ describe('appPlugin', () => {
 
   it('boots', async () => {
     const { server } = await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        appPlugin({
-          appPackageName: 'app',
-          disableStaticFallbackCache: true,
+      features: [appPlugin()],
+      services: [
+        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
+          data: {
+            app: {
+              disableStaticFallbackCache: true,
+            },
+          },
         }),
       ],
     });
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.ts b/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.ts
index a223d3ffb5..9ba2ea6d6c 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.ts
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/src/service/appPlugin.ts
@@ -21,58 +21,28 @@ import {
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { createRouter } from './router';
 import { loggerToWinstonLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
-
-/** @alpha */
-export type AppPluginOptions = {
-  /**
-   * The name of the app package (in most Backstage repositories, this is the
-   * "name" field in `packages/app/package.json`) that content should be served
-   * from. The same app package should be added as a dependency to the backend
-   * package in order for it to be accessible at runtime.
-   *
-   * In a typical setup with a single app package, this will default to 'app'.
-   */
-  appPackageName?: string;
-
-  /**
-   * A request handler to handle requests for static content that are not present in the app bundle.
-   *
-   * This can be used to avoid issues with clients on older deployment versions trying to access lazy
-   * loaded content that is no longer present. Typically the requests would fall back to a long-term
-   * object store where all recently deployed versions of the app are present.
-   *
-   * Another option is to provide a `database` that will take care of storing the static assets instead.
-   *
-   * If both `database` and `staticFallbackHandler` are provided, the `database` will attempt to serve
-   * static assets first, and if they are not found, the `staticFallbackHandler` will be called.
-   */
-  staticFallbackHandler?: express.Handler;
-
-  /**
-   * Disables the configuration injection. This can be useful if you're running in an environment
-   * with a read-only filesystem, or for some other reason don't want configuration to be injected.
-   *
-   * Note that this will cause the configuration used when building the app bundle to be used, unless
-   * a separate configuration loading strategy is set up.
-   *
-   * This also disables configuration injection though `APP_CONFIG_` environment variables.
-   */
-  disableConfigInjection?: boolean;
-
-  /**
-   * By default the app backend plugin will cache previously deployed static assets in the database.
-   * If you disable this, it is recommended to set a `staticFallbackHandler` instead.
-   */
-  disableStaticFallbackCache?: boolean;
-};
+import { staticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/plugin-app-node';
 
 /**
  * The App plugin is responsible for serving the frontend app bundle and static assets.
  * @alpha
  */
-export const appPlugin = createBackendPlugin((options: AppPluginOptions) => ({
+export const appPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
   pluginId: 'app',
   register(env) {
+    let staticFallbackHandler: express.Handler | undefined;
+
+    env.registerExtensionPoint(staticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint, {
+      setStaticFallbackHandler(handler) {
+        if (staticFallbackHandler) {
+          throw new Error(
+            'Attempted to install a static fallback handler for the app-backend twice',
+          );
+        }
+        staticFallbackHandler = handler;
+      },
+    });
+
     env.registerInit({
       deps: {
         logger: coreServices.logger,
@@ -81,24 +51,19 @@ export const appPlugin = createBackendPlugin((options: AppPluginOptions) => ({
         httpRouter: coreServices.httpRouter,
       },
       async init({ logger, config, database, httpRouter }) {
-        const {
-          appPackageName,
-          staticFallbackHandler,
-          disableConfigInjection,
-          disableStaticFallbackCache,
-        } = options;
+        const appPackageName =
+          config.getOptionalString('app.packageName') ?? 'app';
         const winstonLogger = loggerToWinstonLogger(logger);
 
         const router = await createRouter({
           logger: winstonLogger,
           config,
-          database: disableStaticFallbackCache ? undefined : database,
-          appPackageName: appPackageName ?? 'app',
+          database,
+          appPackageName,
           staticFallbackHandler,
-          disableConfigInjection,
         });
         httpRouter.use(router);
       },
     });
   },
-}));
+});
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/src/service/router.ts b/plugins/app-backend/src/service/router.ts
index 4e94138439..40e291c19d 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/src/service/router.ts
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/src/service/router.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,13 @@ export async function createRouter(
 ): Promise<express.Router> {
   const { config, logger, appPackageName, staticFallbackHandler } = options;
 
+  const disableConfigInjection =
+    options.disableConfigInjection ??
+    config.getOptionalBoolean('app.disableConfigInjection');
+  const disableStaticFallbackCache = config.getOptionalBoolean(
+    'app.disableStaticFallbackCache',
+  );
+
   const appDistDir = resolvePackagePath(appPackageName, 'dist');
   const staticDir = resolvePath(appDistDir, 'static');
 
@@ -107,7 +114,7 @@ export async function createRouter(
 
   logger.info(`Serving static app content from ${appDistDir}`);
 
-  if (!options.disableConfigInjection) {
+  if (!disableConfigInjection) {
     const appConfigs = await readConfigs({
       config,
       appDistDir,
@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ export async function createRouter(
     }),
   );
 
-  if (options.database) {
+  if (options.database && !disableStaticFallbackCache) {
     const store = await StaticAssetsStore.create({
       logger,
       database: options.database,
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/.eslintrc.js b/plugins/app-node/.eslintrc.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e2a53a6ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/.eslintrc.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = require('@backstage/cli/config/eslint-factory')(__dirname);
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/README.md b/plugins/app-node/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5c606540c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# @backstage/plugin-app-node
+
+Welcome to the Node.js library package for the app plugin!
+
+_This plugin was created through the Backstage CLI_
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/api-report.md b/plugins/app-node/api-report.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..504c9d48c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/api-report.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+## API Report File for "@backstage/plugin-app-node"
+
+> Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
+
+```ts
+import { ExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { Handler } from 'express';
+
+// @public
+export interface StaticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint {
+  setStaticFallbackHandler(handler: Handler): void;
+}
+
+// @public
+export const staticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint: ExtensionPoint<StaticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint>;
+```
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/package.json b/plugins/app-node/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c971bdb628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+{
+  "name": "@backstage/plugin-app-node",
+  "description": "Node.js library for the app plugin",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "main": "src/index.ts",
+  "types": "src/index.ts",
+  "license": "Apache-2.0",
+  "publishConfig": {
+    "access": "public",
+    "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
+    "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
+  },
+  "backstage": {
+    "role": "node-library"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "build": "backstage-cli package build",
+    "lint": "backstage-cli package lint",
+    "test": "backstage-cli package test",
+    "clean": "backstage-cli package clean",
+    "prepack": "backstage-cli package prepack",
+    "postpack": "backstage-cli package postpack"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
+  },
+  "files": [
+    "dist"
+  ],
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
+    "@types/express": "^4.17.6",
+    "express": "^4.17.1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/src/extensions.ts b/plugins/app-node/src/extensions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6a75a5b791
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/src/extensions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { createExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { Handler } from 'express';
+
+/**
+ * The interface for {@link staticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint}.
+ *
+ * @public
+ */
+export interface StaticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint {
+  /**
+   * Sets the static fallback handler. This can only be done once.
+   */
+  setStaticFallbackHandler(handler: Handler): void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * An extension point the exposes the ability to configure a static fallback handler for the app backend.
+ *
+ * The static fallback handler is a request handler to handle requests for static content that is not
+ * present in the app bundle.
+ *
+ * This can be used to avoid issues with clients on older deployment versions trying to access lazy
+ * loaded content that is no longer present. Typically the requests would fall back to a long-term
+ * object store where all recently deployed versions of the app are present.
+ *
+ * Another option is to provide a `database` that will take care of storing the static assets instead.
+ *
+ * If both `database` and `staticFallbackHandler` are provided, the `database` will attempt to serve
+ * static assets first, and if they are not found, the `staticFallbackHandler` will be called.
+ *
+ * @public
+ */
+export const staticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint =
+  createExtensionPoint<StaticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint>({
+    id: 'app.staticFallbackHandler',
+  });
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/src/index.ts b/plugins/app-node/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c5189fa8b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Node.js library for the app plugin.
+ *
+ * @packageDocumentation
+ */
+
+export {
+  staticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint,
+  type StaticFallbackHandlerExtensionPoint,
+} from './extensions';
diff --git a/plugins/app-node/src/setupTests.ts b/plugins/app-node/src/setupTests.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b9026cde5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-node/src/setupTests.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+export {};
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 8b41dfe9f9..8172e59412 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -4584,6 +4584,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/config": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/config-loader": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/plugin-app-node": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/types": "workspace:^"
     "@types/express": ^4.17.6
     "@types/supertest": ^2.0.8
@@ -4604,6 +4605,17 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft
 
+"@backstage/plugin-app-node@workspace:^, @backstage/plugin-app-node@workspace:plugins/app-node":
+  version: 0.0.0-use.local
+  resolution: "@backstage/plugin-app-node@workspace:plugins/app-node"
+  dependencies:
+    "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
+    "@types/express": ^4.17.6
+    express: ^4.17.1
+  languageName: unknown
+  linkType: soft
+
 "@backstage/plugin-auth-backend@workspace:^, @backstage/plugin-auth-backend@workspace:plugins/auth-backend":
   version: 0.0.0-use.local
   resolution: "@backstage/plugin-auth-backend@workspace:plugins/auth-backend"