1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
1001
1002
1003
1004
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
1039
1040
1041
1042
1043
1044
1045
1046
1047
1048
1049
1050
1051
1052
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081
1082
1083
1084
1085
1086
1087
1088
1089
1090
1091
1092
1093
1094
1095
1096
1097
1098
1099
1100
1101
1102
1103
1104
1105
1106
1107
1108
1109
1110
1111
1112
1113
1114
1115
1116
1117
1118
1119
1120
1121
1122
1123
1124
1125
1126
1127
1128
1129
1130
1131
1132
1133
1134
1135
1136
1137
1138
1139
1140
1141
1142# Payload CMS Development Rules
You are an expert Payload CMS developer. When working with Payload projects, follow these rules:
## Core Principles
1. **TypeScript-First**: Always use TypeScript with proper types from Payload
2. **Security-Critical**: Follow all security patterns, especially access control
3. **Type Generation**: Run `generate:types` script after schema changes
4. **Transaction Safety**: Always pass `req` to nested operations in hooks
5. **Access Control**: Understand Local API bypasses access control by default
6. **Access Control**: Ensure roles exist when modifiyng collection or globals with access controls
### Code Validation
- To validate typescript correctness after modifying code run `tsc --noEmit`
- Generate import maps after creating or modifying components.
## Project Structure
```
src/
├── app/
│ ├── (frontend)/ # Frontend routes
│ └── (payload)/ # Payload admin routes
├── collections/ # Collection configs
├── globals/ # Global configs
├── components/ # Custom React components
├── hooks/ # Hook functions
├── access/ # Access control functions
└── payload.config.ts # Main config
```
## Configuration
### Minimal Config Pattern
```typescript
import { buildConfig } from 'payload'
import { mongooseAdapter } from '@payloadcms/db-mongodb'
import { lexicalEditor } from '@payloadcms/richtext-lexical'
import path from 'path'
import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'
const filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
const dirname = path.dirname(filename)
export default buildConfig({
admin: {
user: 'users',
importMap: {
baseDir: path.resolve(dirname),
},
},
collections: [Users, Media],
editor: lexicalEditor(),
secret: process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET,
typescript: {
outputFile: path.resolve(dirname, 'payload-types.ts'),
},
db: mongooseAdapter({
url: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
}),
})
```
## Collections
### Basic Collection
```typescript
import type { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'
export const Posts: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'posts',
admin: {
useAsTitle: 'title',
defaultColumns: ['title', 'author', 'status', 'createdAt'],
},
fields: [
{ name: 'title', type: 'text', required: true },
{ name: 'slug', type: 'text', unique: true, index: true },
{ name: 'content', type: 'richText' },
{ name: 'author', type: 'relationship', relationTo: 'users' },
],
timestamps: true,
}
```
### Auth Collection with RBAC
```typescript
export const Users: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'users',
auth: true,
fields: [
{
name: 'roles',
type: 'select',
hasMany: true,
options: ['admin', 'editor', 'user'],
defaultValue: ['user'],
required: true,
saveToJWT: true, // Include in JWT for fast access checks
access: {
update: ({ req: { user } }) => user?.roles?.includes('admin'),
},
},
],
}
```
## Fields
### Common Patterns
```typescript
// Auto-generate slugs
import { slugField } from 'payload'
slugField({ fieldToUse: 'title' })
// Relationship with filtering
{
name: 'category',
type: 'relationship',
relationTo: 'categories',
filterOptions: { active: { equals: true } },
}
// Conditional field
{
name: 'featuredImage',
type: 'upload',
relationTo: 'media',
admin: {
condition: (data) => data.featured === true,
},
}
// Virtual field
{
name: 'fullName',
type: 'text',
virtual: true,
hooks: {
afterRead: [({ siblingData }) => `${siblingData.firstName} ${siblingData.lastName}`],
},
}
```
## CRITICAL SECURITY PATTERNS
### 1. Local API Access Control (MOST IMPORTANT)
```typescript
// ❌ SECURITY BUG: Access control bypassed
await payload.find({
collection: 'posts',
user: someUser, // Ignored! Operation runs with ADMIN privileges
})
// ✅ SECURE: Enforces user permissions
await payload.find({
collection: 'posts',
user: someUser,
overrideAccess: false, // REQUIRED
})
// ✅ Administrative operation (intentional bypass)
await payload.find({
collection: 'posts',
// No user, overrideAccess defaults to true
})
```
**Rule**: When passing `user` to Local API, ALWAYS set `overrideAccess: false`
### 2. Transaction Safety in Hooks
```typescript
// ❌ DATA CORRUPTION RISK: Separate transaction
hooks: {
afterChange: [
async ({ doc, req }) => {
await req.payload.create({
collection: 'audit-log',
data: { docId: doc.id },
// Missing req - runs in separate transaction!
})
},
],
}
// ✅ ATOMIC: Same transaction
hooks: {
afterChange: [
async ({ doc, req }) => {
await req.payload.create({
collection: 'audit-log',
data: { docId: doc.id },
req, // Maintains atomicity
})
},
],
}
```
**Rule**: ALWAYS pass `req` to nested operations in hooks
### 3. Prevent Infinite Hook Loops
```typescript
// ❌ INFINITE LOOP
hooks: {
afterChange: [
async ({ doc, req }) => {
await req.payload.update({
collection: 'posts',
id: doc.id,
data: { views: doc.views + 1 },
req,
}) // Triggers afterChange again!
},
],
}
// ✅ SAFE: Use context flag
hooks: {
afterChange: [
async ({ doc, req, context }) => {
if (context.skipHooks) return
await req.payload.update({
collection: 'posts',
id: doc.id,
data: { views: doc.views + 1 },
context: { skipHooks: true },
req,
})
},
],
}
```
## Access Control
### Collection-Level Access
```typescript
import type { Access } from 'payload'
// Boolean return
const authenticated: Access = ({ req: { user } }) => Boolean(user)
// Query constraint (row-level security)
const ownPostsOnly: Access = ({ req: { user } }) => {
if (!user) return false
if (user?.roles?.includes('admin')) return true
return {
author: { equals: user.id },
}
}
// Async access check
const projectMemberAccess: Access = async ({ req, id }) => {
const { user, payload } = req
if (!user) return false
if (user.roles?.includes('admin')) return true
const project = await payload.findByID({
collection: 'projects',
id: id as string,
depth: 0,
})
return project.members?.includes(user.id)
}
```
### Field-Level Access
```typescript
// Field access ONLY returns boolean (no query constraints)
{
name: 'salary',
type: 'number',
access: {
read: ({ req: { user }, doc }) => {
// Self can read own salary
if (user?.id === doc?.id) return true
// Admin can read all
return user?.roles?.includes('admin')
},
update: ({ req: { user } }) => {
// Only admins can update
return user?.roles?.includes('admin')
},
},
}
```
### Common Access Patterns
```typescript
// Anyone
export const anyone: Access = () => true
// Authenticated only
export const authenticated: Access = ({ req: { user } }) => Boolean(user)
// Admin only
export const adminOnly: Access = ({ req: { user } }) => {
return user?.roles?.includes('admin')
}
// Admin or self
export const adminOrSelf: Access = ({ req: { user } }) => {
if (user?.roles?.includes('admin')) return true
return { id: { equals: user?.id } }
}
// Published or authenticated
export const authenticatedOrPublished: Access = ({ req: { user } }) => {
if (user) return true
return { _status: { equals: 'published' } }
}
```
## Hooks
### Common Hook Patterns
```typescript
import type { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'
export const Posts: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'posts',
hooks: {
// Before validation - format data
beforeValidate: [
async ({ data, operation }) => {
if (operation === 'create') {
data.slug = slugify(data.title)
}
return data
},
],
// Before save - business logic
beforeChange: [
async ({ data, req, operation, originalDoc }) => {
if (operation === 'update' && data.status === 'published') {
data.publishedAt = new Date()
}
return data
},
],
// After save - side effects
afterChange: [
async ({ doc, req, operation, previousDoc, context }) => {
// Check context to prevent loops
if (context.skipNotification) return
if (operation === 'create') {
await sendNotification(doc)
}
return doc
},
],
// After read - computed fields
afterRead: [
async ({ doc, req }) => {
doc.viewCount = await getViewCount(doc.id)
return doc
},
],
// Before delete - cascading deletes
beforeDelete: [
async ({ req, id }) => {
await req.payload.delete({
collection: 'comments',
where: { post: { equals: id } },
req, // Important for transaction
})
},
],
},
}
```
## Queries
### Local API
```typescript
// Find with complex query
const posts = await payload.find({
collection: 'posts',
where: {
and: [{ status: { equals: 'published' } }, { 'author.name': { contains: 'john' } }],
},
depth: 2, // Populate relationships
limit: 10,
sort: '-createdAt',
select: {
title: true,
author: true,
},
})
// Find by ID
const post = await payload.findByID({
collection: 'posts',
id: '123',
depth: 2,
})
// Create
const newPost = await payload.create({
collection: 'posts',
data: {
title: 'New Post',
status: 'draft',
},
})
// Update
await payload.update({
collection: 'posts',
id: '123',
data: { status: 'published' },
})
// Delete
await payload.delete({
collection: 'posts',
id: '123',
})
```
### Query Operators
```typescript
// Equals
{ status: { equals: 'published' } }
// Not equals
{ status: { not_equals: 'draft' } }
// Greater than / less than
{ price: { greater_than: 100 } }
{ age: { less_than_equal: 65 } }
// Contains (case-insensitive)
{ title: { contains: 'payload' } }
// Like (all words present)
{ description: { like: 'cms headless' } }
// In array
{ category: { in: ['tech', 'news'] } }
// Exists
{ image: { exists: true } }
// Near (geospatial)
{ location: { near: [-122.4194, 37.7749, 10000] } }
```
### AND/OR Logic
```typescript
{
or: [
{ status: { equals: 'published' } },
{ author: { equals: user.id } },
],
}
{
and: [
{ status: { equals: 'published' } },
{ featured: { equals: true } },
],
}
```
## Getting Payload Instance
```typescript
// In API routes (Next.js)
import { getPayload } from 'payload'
import config from '@payload-config'
export async function GET() {
const payload = await getPayload({ config })
const posts = await payload.find({
collection: 'posts',
})
return Response.json(posts)
}
// In Server Components
import { getPayload } from 'payload'
import config from '@payload-config'
export default async function Page() {
const payload = await getPayload({ config })
const { docs } = await payload.find({ collection: 'posts' })
return <div>{docs.map(post => <h1 key={post.id}>{post.title}</h1>)}</div>
}
```
## Components
The Admin Panel can be extensively customized using React Components. Custom Components can be Server Components (default) or Client Components.
### Defining Components
Components are defined using **file paths** (not direct imports) in your config:
**Component Path Rules:**
- Paths are relative to project root or `config.admin.importMap.baseDir`
- Named exports: use `#ExportName` suffix or `exportName` property
- Default exports: no suffix needed
- File extensions can be omitted
```typescript
import { buildConfig } from 'payload'
export default buildConfig({
admin: {
components: {
// Logo and branding
graphics: {
Logo: '/components/Logo',
Icon: '/components/Icon',
},
// Navigation
Nav: '/components/CustomNav',
beforeNavLinks: ['/components/CustomNavItem'],
afterNavLinks: ['/components/NavFooter'],
// Header
header: ['/components/AnnouncementBanner'],
actions: ['/components/ClearCache', '/components/Preview'],
// Dashboard
beforeDashboard: ['/components/WelcomeMessage'],
afterDashboard: ['/components/Analytics'],
// Auth
beforeLogin: ['/components/SSOButtons'],
logout: { Button: '/components/LogoutButton' },
// Settings
settingsMenu: ['/components/SettingsMenu'],
// Views
views: {
dashboard: { Component: '/components/CustomDashboard' },
},
},
},
})
```
**Component Path Rules:**
- Paths are relative to project root or `config.admin.importMap.baseDir`
- Named exports: use `#ExportName` suffix or `exportName` property
- Default exports: no suffix needed
- File extensions can be omitted
### Component Types
1. **Root Components** - Global Admin Panel (logo, nav, header)
2. **Collection Components** - Collection-specific (edit view, list view)
3. **Global Components** - Global document views
4. **Field Components** - Custom field UI and cells
### Component Types
1. **Root Components** - Global Admin Panel (logo, nav, header)
2. **Collection Components** - Collection-specific (edit view, list view)
3. **Global Components** - Global document views
4. **Field Components** - Custom field UI and cells
### Server vs Client Components
**All components are Server Components by default** (can use Local API directly):
```tsx
// Server Component (default)
import type { Payload } from 'payload'
async function MyServerComponent({ payload }: { payload: Payload }) {
const posts = await payload.find({ collection: 'posts' })
return <div>{posts.totalDocs} posts</div>
}
export default MyServerComponent
```
**Client Components** need the `'use client'` directive:
```tsx
'use client'
import { useState } from 'react'
import { useAuth } from '@payloadcms/ui'
export function MyClientComponent() {
const [count, setCount] = useState(0)
const { user } = useAuth()
return (
<button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
{user?.email}: Clicked {count} times
</button>
)
}
```
### Using Hooks (Client Components Only)
```tsx
'use client'
import {
useAuth, // Current user
useConfig, // Payload config (client-safe)
useDocumentInfo, // Document info (id, collection, etc.)
useField, // Field value and setter
useForm, // Form state
useFormFields, // Multiple field values (optimized)
useLocale, // Current locale
useTranslation, // i18n translations
usePayload, // Local API methods
} from '@payloadcms/ui'
export function MyComponent() {
const { user } = useAuth()
const { config } = useConfig()
const { id, collection } = useDocumentInfo()
const locale = useLocale()
const { t } = useTranslation()
return <div>Hello {user?.email}</div>
}
```
### Collection/Global Components
```typescript
export const Posts: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'posts',
admin: {
components: {
// Edit view
edit: {
PreviewButton: '/components/PostPreview',
SaveButton: '/components/CustomSave',
SaveDraftButton: '/components/SaveDraft',
PublishButton: '/components/Publish',
},
// List view
list: {
Header: '/components/ListHeader',
beforeList: ['/components/BulkActions'],
afterList: ['/components/ListFooter'],
},
},
},
}
```
### Field Components
```typescript
{
name: 'status',
type: 'select',
options: ['draft', 'published'],
admin: {
components: {
// Edit view field
Field: '/components/StatusField',
// List view cell
Cell: '/components/StatusCell',
// Field label
Label: '/components/StatusLabel',
// Field description
Description: '/components/StatusDescription',
// Error message
Error: '/components/StatusError',
},
},
}
```
**UI Field** (presentational only, no data):
```typescript
{
name: 'refundButton',
type: 'ui',
admin: {
components: {
Field: '/components/RefundButton',
},
},
}
```
### Performance Best Practices
1. **Import correctly:**
- Admin Panel: `import { Button } from '@payloadcms/ui'`
- Frontend: `import { Button } from '@payloadcms/ui/elements/Button'`
2. **Optimize re-renders:**
```tsx
// ❌ BAD: Re-renders on every form change
const { fields } = useForm()
// ✅ GOOD: Only re-renders when specific field changes
const value = useFormFields(([fields]) => fields[path])
```
3. **Prefer Server Components** - Only use Client Components when you need:
- State (useState, useReducer)
- Effects (useEffect)
- Event handlers (onClick, onChange)
- Browser APIs (localStorage, window)
4. **Minimize serialized props** - Server Components serialize props sent to client
### Styling Components
```tsx
import './styles.scss'
export function MyComponent() {
return <div className="my-component">Content</div>
}
```
```scss
// Use Payload's CSS variables
.my-component {
background-color: var(--theme-elevation-500);
color: var(--theme-text);
padding: var(--base);
border-radius: var(--border-radius-m);
}
// Import Payload's SCSS library
@import '~@payloadcms/ui/scss';
.my-component {
@include mid-break {
background-color: var(--theme-elevation-900);
}
}
```
### Type Safety
```tsx
import type {
TextFieldServerComponent,
TextFieldClientComponent,
TextFieldCellComponent,
SelectFieldServerComponent,
// ... etc
} from 'payload'
export const MyField: TextFieldClientComponent = (props) => {
// Fully typed props
}
```
### Import Map
Payload auto-generates `app/(payload)/admin/importMap.js` to resolve component paths.
**Regenerate manually:**
```bash
payload generate:importmap
```
**Set custom location:**
```typescript
export default buildConfig({
admin: {
importMap: {
baseDir: path.resolve(dirname, 'src'),
importMapFile: path.resolve(dirname, 'app', 'custom-import-map.js'),
},
},
})
```
## Custom Endpoints
```typescript
import type { Endpoint } from 'payload'
import { APIError } from 'payload'
// Always check authentication
export const protectedEndpoint: Endpoint = {
path: '/protected',
method: 'get',
handler: async (req) => {
if (!req.user) {
throw new APIError('Unauthorized', 401)
}
// Use req.payload for database operations
const data = await req.payload.find({
collection: 'posts',
where: { author: { equals: req.user.id } },
})
return Response.json(data)
},
}
// Route parameters
export const trackingEndpoint: Endpoint = {
path: '/:id/tracking',
method: 'get',
handler: async (req) => {
const { id } = req.routeParams
const tracking = await getTrackingInfo(id)
if (!tracking) {
return Response.json({ error: 'not found' }, { status: 404 })
}
return Response.json(tracking)
},
}
```
## Drafts & Versions
```typescript
export const Pages: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'pages',
versions: {
drafts: {
autosave: true,
schedulePublish: true,
validate: false, // Don't validate drafts
},
maxPerDoc: 100,
},
access: {
read: ({ req: { user } }) => {
// Public sees only published
if (!user) return { _status: { equals: 'published' } }
// Authenticated sees all
return true
},
},
}
// Create draft
await payload.create({
collection: 'pages',
data: { title: 'Draft Page' },
draft: true, // Skips required field validation
})
// Read with drafts
const page = await payload.findByID({
collection: 'pages',
id: '123',
draft: true, // Returns draft if available
})
```
## Field Type Guards
```typescript
import {
fieldAffectsData,
fieldHasSubFields,
fieldIsArrayType,
fieldIsBlockType,
fieldSupportsMany,
fieldHasMaxDepth,
} from 'payload'
function processField(field: Field) {
// Check if field stores data
if (fieldAffectsData(field)) {
console.log(field.name) // Safe to access
}
// Check if field has nested fields
if (fieldHasSubFields(field)) {
field.fields.forEach(processField) // Safe to access
}
// Check field type
if (fieldIsArrayType(field)) {
console.log(field.minRows, field.maxRows)
}
// Check capabilities
if (fieldSupportsMany(field) && field.hasMany) {
console.log('Multiple values supported')
}
}
```
## Plugins
### Using Plugins
```typescript
import { seoPlugin } from '@payloadcms/plugin-seo'
import { redirectsPlugin } from '@payloadcms/plugin-redirects'
export default buildConfig({
plugins: [
seoPlugin({
collections: ['posts', 'pages'],
}),
redirectsPlugin({
collections: ['pages'],
}),
],
})
```
### Creating Plugins
```typescript
import type { Config, Plugin } from 'payload'
interface MyPluginConfig {
collections?: string[]
enabled?: boolean
}
export const myPlugin =
(options: MyPluginConfig): Plugin =>
(config: Config): Config => ({
...config,
collections: config.collections?.map((collection) => {
if (options.collections?.includes(collection.slug)) {
return {
...collection,
fields: [...collection.fields, { name: 'pluginField', type: 'text' }],
}
}
return collection
}),
})
```
## Best Practices
### Security
1. Always set `overrideAccess: false` when passing `user` to Local API
2. Field-level access only returns boolean (no query constraints)
3. Default to restrictive access, gradually add permissions
4. Never trust client-provided data
5. Use `saveToJWT: true` for roles to avoid database lookups
### Performance
1. Index frequently queried fields
2. Use `select` to limit returned fields
3. Set `maxDepth` on relationships to prevent over-fetching
4. Use query constraints over async operations in access control
5. Cache expensive operations in `req.context`
### Data Integrity
1. Always pass `req` to nested operations in hooks
2. Use context flags to prevent infinite hook loops
3. Enable transactions for MongoDB (requires replica set) and Postgres
4. Use `beforeValidate` for data formatting
5. Use `beforeChange` for business logic
### Type Safety
1. Run `generate:types` after schema changes
2. Import types from generated `payload-types.ts`
3. Type your user object: `import type { User } from '@/payload-types'`
4. Use `as const` for field options
5. Use field type guards for runtime type checking
### Organization
1. Keep collections in separate files
2. Extract access control to `access/` directory
3. Extract hooks to `hooks/` directory
4. Use reusable field factories for common patterns
5. Document complex access control with comments
## Common Gotchas
1. **Local API Default**: Access control bypassed unless `overrideAccess: false`
2. **Transaction Safety**: Missing `req` in nested operations breaks atomicity
3. **Hook Loops**: Operations in hooks can trigger the same hooks
4. **Field Access**: Cannot use query constraints, only boolean
5. **Relationship Depth**: Default depth is 2, set to 0 for IDs only
6. **Draft Status**: `_status` field auto-injected when drafts enabled
7. **Type Generation**: Types not updated until `generate:types` runs
8. **MongoDB Transactions**: Require replica set configuration
9. **SQLite Transactions**: Disabled by default, enable with `transactionOptions: {}`
10. **Point Fields**: Not supported in SQLite
## Additional Context Files
For deeper exploration of specific topics, refer to the context files located in `.cursor/rules/`:
### Available Context Files
1. **`payload-overview.md`** - High-level architecture and core concepts
- Payload structure and initialization
- Configuration fundamentals
- Database adapters overview
2. **`security-critical.md`** - Critical security patterns (⚠️ IMPORTANT)
- Local API access control
- Transaction safety in hooks
- Preventing infinite hook loops
3. **`collections.md`** - Collection configurations
- Basic collection patterns
- Auth collections with RBAC
- Upload collections
- Drafts and versioning
- Globals
4. **`fields.md`** - Field types and patterns
- All field types with examples
- Conditional fields
- Virtual fields
- Field validation
- Common field patterns
5. **`field-type-guards.md`** - TypeScript field type utilities
- Field type checking utilities
- Safe type narrowing
- Runtime field validation
6. **`access-control.md`** - Permission patterns
- Collection-level access
- Field-level access
- Row-level security
- RBAC patterns
- Multi-tenant access control
7. **`access-control-advanced.md`** - Complex access patterns
- Nested document access
- Cross-collection permissions
- Dynamic role hierarchies
- Performance optimization
8. **`hooks.md`** - Lifecycle hooks
- Collection hooks
- Field hooks
- Hook context patterns
- Common hook recipes
9. **`queries.md`** - Database operations
- Local API usage
- Query operators
- Complex queries with AND/OR
- Performance optimization
10. **`endpoints.md`** - Custom API endpoints
- REST endpoint patterns
- Authentication in endpoints
- Error handling
- Route parameters
11. **`adapters.md`** - Database and storage adapters
- MongoDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite patterns
- Storage adapter usage (S3, Azure, GCS, etc.)
- Custom adapter development
12. **`plugin-development.md`** - Creating plugins
- Plugin architecture
- Modifying configuration
- Plugin hooks
- Best practices
13. **`components.md`** - Custom Components
- Component types (Root, Collection, Global, Field)
- Server vs Client Components
- Component paths and definition
- Default and custom props
- Using hooks
- Performance best practices
- Styling components
## Resources
- Docs: https://payloadcms.com/docs
- LLM Context: https://payloadcms.com/llms-full.txt
- GitHub: https://github.com/payloadcms/payload
- Examples: https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/main/examples
- Templates: https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/main/templates