Payload Headless CMS

Payload is a code-first headless content management system and application backend built on Next.js that defines content models through TypeScript configuration rather than through a visual admin interface. Collection definitions specify fields, validation rules, access control policies, hooks, and relationships using a declarative API, and the system uses those definitions to auto-generate a REST API, a GraphQL API, a local API for server-side queries, and a React-based admin panel with forms, list views, and relationship pickers. This code-first approach means the entire content schema lives in version control alongside application code, enabling code review, automated testing, and environment synchronization through deployment pipelines. Field types include text, rich text with a Lexical editor, number, date, select, relationship, array, blocks, tabs, upload, and point coordinates, each with configurable validation, appearance, and conditional logic. Access control is defined at the collection and field level through JavaScript functions that receive the authenticated user and operation type, returning boolean or query-level restrictions. Versioning and drafts enable content teams to stage changes before publishing, with autosave and live preview showing changes in the real frontend. Localization supports multiple locales with field-level translation and fallback chains. The platform now includes vector embedding generation for RAG applications, visual editing integration, and serverless deployment support. Now part of Figma, Payload serves over forty-three thousand GitHub stars and is used in production by the United States Air Force, Microsoft, Bugatti, Fanatics, and Hello Bello.