Payload agent skill
The official Payload CMS skill shipped inside the package: collections, fields, hooks, access control, queries and database adapters
Install
pnpx create-payload-app@latestNew projects get the skill configured automatically.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The skill lives inside the payload npm package, so its content matches the installed version. SKILL.md opens with a table of common tasks linking to reference files, and the agent opens only the one it needs. References cover collections with auth, uploads and drafts, all field types, hooks, access control down to row-level security, the Local API, REST and GraphQL, MongoDB, Postgres and SQLite adapters, custom endpoints, plugin development, the jobs queue and localization. The skill also helps debug validation, relationship and transaction errors.
Who it is for. For developers building sites and backends on Payload CMS and Next.js with an agent.
Good fit when
- You need to add collections, fields or hooks to a Payload project
- You need access control that does not leak data through the Local API
- You need to debug a validation error or a relationship query
Not a fit when
- The project uses another CMS
- You need guidance for a Payload version other than the installed one
Example request
Add a Payload posts collection with drafts and edit access limited to the authorLimitations
SKILL.md costs about 8,000 tokens when opened; references load on demand. The Claude Code plugin tracks main rather than the installed version, so do not enable it alongside the node_modules pointer.
How to disable. Remove the skill reference from AGENTS.md or uninstall the payload plugin via /plugin.
Security check
- The skill consists of instructions and references
README in short
Payload is an open Next.js framework with an admin panel and a TypeScript backend that works as a headless CMS. The main README covers starting with create-payload-app and templates, while the AI Tooling docs page explains that the skill ships in the package and is wired through AGENTS.md. The same page covers the Claude Code plugin from the repository's marketplace. MIT licensed.
SKILL.md
---
name: payload
description: Use when working with Payload projects (payload.config.ts, collections, fields, hooks, access control, Payload API). Use when debugging validation errors, security issues, relationship queries, transactions, or hook behavior.
---
# Payload Application Development
Payload is a Next.js native CMS with TypeScript-first architecture, providing admin panel, database management, REST/GraphQL APIs, authentication, and file storage.
## Quick Reference
| Task | Solution | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto-generate slugs | `{ type: 'slug', useAsSlug: 'title' }` | [FIELDS.md#slug-field](reference/FIELDS.md#slug-field) |
| Restrict content by user | Access control with query | [ACCESS-CONTROL.md#row-level-security-with-complex-queries](reference/ACCESS-CONTROL.md#row-level-security-with-complex-queries) |
| Local API user ops | `user` + `overrideAccess: false` | [QUERIES.md#access-control-in-local-api](reference/QUERIES.md#access-control-in-local-api) |
| Draft/publish workflow | `versions: { drafts: true }` | [COLLECTIONS.md#versioning--drafts](reference/COLLECTIONS.md#versioning--drafts) |
| Computed fields | `virtual: true` with **field-level** `hooks.afterRead` returning the value | [FIELDS.md#virtual-fields](reference/FIELDS.md#virtual-fields) |
| Document titles | Stored top-level field in `admin.useAsTitle` | [COLLECTIONS.md#useastitle](reference/COLLECTIONS.md#useastitle) |
| Conditional fields | `admin.condition` | [FIELDS.md#conditional-fields](reference/FIELDS.md#conditional-fields) |
| Custom field validation | `validate` function | [FIELDS.md#validation](reference/FIELDS.md#validation) |
| Filter relationship list | `filterOptions` on field | [FIELDS.md#relationship](reference/FIELDS.md#relationship) |FAQ
Do I need to install anything in a new project?
No, create-payload-app sets up the skill automatically; skip it with --no-agent.
When do I need the plugin?
Only if you contribute to Payload itself or want guidance for unreleased changes.
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