payload 4.0.0-internal.4cbdd50 → 4.0.0-internal.4e1f822

package/skills/payload/SKILL.md

@@ -0,0 +1,526 @@
+---
+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)                                                                       |
+| Select specific fields   | `select` parameter                                                         | [QUERIES.md#field-selection](reference/QUERIES.md#field-selection)                                                               |
+| Auto-set author/dates    | beforeChange hook                                                          | [HOOKS.md#collection-hooks](reference/HOOKS.md#collection-hooks)                                                                 |
+| Prevent hook loops       | `req.context` check                                                        | [HOOKS.md#context](reference/HOOKS.md#context)                                                                                   |
+| Cascading deletes        | beforeDelete hook                                                          | [HOOKS.md#collection-hooks](reference/HOOKS.md#collection-hooks)                                                                 |
+| Geospatial queries       | `point` field with `near`/`within`                                         | [FIELDS.md#point-geolocation](reference/FIELDS.md#point-geolocation)                                                             |
+| Reverse relationships    | `join` field type                                                          | [FIELDS.md#join-fields](reference/FIELDS.md#join-fields)                                                                         |
+| Next.js revalidation     | Context control in afterChange                                             | [HOOKS.md#nextjs-revalidation-with-context-control](reference/HOOKS.md#nextjs-revalidation-with-context-control)                 |
+| Query by relationship    | Nested property syntax                                                     | [QUERIES.md#nested-properties](reference/QUERIES.md#nested-properties)                                                           |
+| Complex queries          | AND/OR logic                                                               | [QUERIES.md#andor-logic](reference/QUERIES.md#andor-logic)                                                                       |
+| Transactions             | Pass `req` to operations                                                   | [ADAPTERS.md#threading-req-through-operations](reference/ADAPTERS.md#threading-req-through-operations)                           |
+| Background jobs          | Jobs queue with tasks                                                      | [ADVANCED.md#jobs-queue](reference/ADVANCED.md#jobs-queue)                                                                       |
+| Custom API routes        | Collection custom endpoints                                                | [ADVANCED.md#custom-endpoints](reference/ADVANCED.md#custom-endpoints)                                                           |
+| Cloud storage            | Storage adapter plugins                                                    | [ADAPTERS.md#storage-adapters](reference/ADAPTERS.md#storage-adapters)                                                           |
+| Multi-language           | `localization` config + `localized: true`                                  | [ADVANCED.md#localization](reference/ADVANCED.md#localization)                                                                   |
+| Create plugin            | `(options) => (config) => Config`                                          | [PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#plugin-architecture](reference/PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#plugin-architecture)                                 |
+| Plugin package setup     | Package structure with SWC                                                 | [PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#plugin-package-structure](reference/PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#plugin-package-structure)                       |
+| Add fields to collection | Map collections, spread fields                                             | [PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#adding-fields-to-collections](reference/PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#adding-fields-to-collections)               |
+| Plugin hooks             | Preserve existing hooks in array                                           | [PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#adding-hooks](reference/PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md#adding-hooks)                                               |
+| Check field type         | Type guard functions                                                       | [FIELD-TYPE-GUARDS.md](reference/FIELD-TYPE-GUARDS.md)                                                                           |
+
+## Quick Start
+
+```bash
+npx create-payload-app@latest my-app
+cd my-app
+pnpm dev
+```
+
+### Minimal Config
+
+```ts
+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,
+  }),
+})
+```
+
+## Essential Patterns
+
+### Defaults & Conventions
+
+Apply these defaults when modeling content unless there's a clear reason not to:
+
+- **Enable drafts/versions by default:** `versions: { drafts: true }`. This is the
+  recommended starting point for any content collection. It auto-injects a
+  `_status` field (`draft` / `published` / `changed`) — **don't add your own
+  `status` field**, it's redundant. Only skip versions for collections that have
+  no publish/draft lifecycle (e.g. internal join tables, settings).
+- **Use the native `slug` field type for all slugs** instead of hand-rolling
+  `{ name: 'slug', type: 'text', unique: true }`. It auto-generates the slug from
+  a source field, adds a regenerate toggle, and defaults to `required`, `unique`,
+  `index`, and `position: 'sidebar'`. `useAsSlug` is **required** — name the
+  source field to generate from: `{ name: 'slug', type: 'slug', useAsSlug: 'title' }`.
+- **`position: 'sidebar'` is for short, at-a-glance fields** — status, category,
+  author, publish date. Avoid it for long fields that need horizontal space to be
+  usable (description, rich text content, long text). Those belong in the main
+  document area.
+- **Use a stored top-level field for `admin.useAsTitle`.** Never set
+  `admin.useAsTitle` to a computed field configured with `virtual: true`; these
+  fields are not queryable and Payload rejects the configuration. A
+  relationship-path virtual such as `virtual: 'author.name'` is supported, but
+  use it only when the title must come from a related document.
+
+### Basic Collection
+
+```ts
+import type { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'
+
+export const Posts: CollectionConfig = {
+  slug: 'posts',
+  admin: {
+    useAsTitle: 'title',
+    // _status (from versions.drafts) shows the draft/published state — no custom status field needed
+    defaultColumns: ['title', 'author', '_status', 'createdAt'],
+  },
+  versions: {
+    drafts: true,
+  },
+  fields: [
+    { name: 'title', type: 'text', required: true },
+    { name: 'slug', type: 'slug', useAsSlug: 'title' }, // auto-generates from `title`, unique + indexed, sidebar position
+    { name: 'content', type: 'richText' }, // long field — stays in the main area, not the sidebar
+    // short, at-a-glance field — good sidebar candidate
+    { name: 'author', type: 'relationship', relationTo: 'users', admin: { position: 'sidebar' } },
+  ],
+  timestamps: true,
+}
+```
+
+For more collection patterns (auth, upload, drafts, live preview), see [COLLECTIONS.md](reference/COLLECTIONS.md).
+
+### Common Fields
+
+```ts
+// Text field
+{ name: 'title', type: 'text', required: true }
+
+// Relationship
+{ name: 'author', type: 'relationship', relationTo: 'users', required: true }
+
+// Rich text
+{ name: 'content', type: 'richText', required: true }
+
+// Slug — use the native field type instead of a hand-rolled text field
+{ name: 'slug', type: 'slug', useAsSlug: 'title' }
+
+// Select (for genuine taxonomy — NOT publish state; use versions.drafts + _status for that)
+{ name: 'category', type: 'select', options: ['news', 'tutorial', 'opinion'] }
+
+// Upload
+{ name: 'image', type: 'upload', relationTo: 'media' }
+```
+
+For all field types (array, blocks, point, join, virtual, conditional, etc.), see [FIELDS.md](reference/FIELDS.md).
+
+### Hook Example
+
+Hooks live at one of two levels and they are not interchangeable. **Collection hooks** receive `{ doc, data, req, operation, ... }` and act on the whole document. **Field hooks** live inside an individual field's `hooks` object, receive `{ value, siblingData, ... }`, and **return the new value** for that field. Computed/virtual fields, per-field formatters, and per-field access masking are field hooks; cross-field business logic is a collection hook.
+
+```ts
+// Collection-level: business logic across the document
+export const Posts: CollectionConfig = {
+  slug: 'posts',
+  hooks: {
+    beforeChange: [
+      async ({ data, operation }) => {
+        if (operation === 'create') {
+          data.slug = slugify(data.title)
+        }
+        return data
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  fields: [{ name: 'title', type: 'text' }],
+}
+
+// Field-level: compute / format a single field's value (virtual fields use this)
+export const Users: CollectionConfig = {
+  slug: 'users',
+  fields: [
+    { name: 'firstName', type: 'text' },
+    { name: 'lastName', type: 'text' },
+    {
+      name: 'fullName',
+      type: 'text',
+      virtual: true,
+      hooks: {
+        afterRead: [({ siblingData }) => `${siblingData.firstName} ${siblingData.lastName}`],
+      },
+    },
+  ],
+}
+```
+
+When asked to "compute a field" or "populate a field's value in a hook", use a **field-level** hook on that field — never a collection-level `afterRead` that mutates `doc`.
+
+For all hook patterns, see [HOOKS.md](reference/HOOKS.md). For access control, see [ACCESS-CONTROL.md](reference/ACCESS-CONTROL.md).
+
+### Access Control with Type Safety
+
+```ts
+import type { Access } from 'payload'
+import type { User } from '@/payload-types'
+
+// Type-safe access control
+export const adminOnly: Access = ({ req }) => {
+  const user = req.user as User
+  return user?.roles?.includes('admin') || false
+}
+
+// Row-level access control
+export const ownPostsOnly: Access = ({ req }) => {
+  const user = req.user as User
+  if (!user) return false
+  if (user.roles?.includes('admin')) return true
+
+  return {
+    author: { equals: user.id },
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Query Example
+
+```ts
+// Local API
+const posts = await payload.find({
+  collection: 'posts',
+  where: {
+    status: { equals: 'published' },
+    'author.name': { contains: 'john' },
+  },
+  depth: 2,
+  limit: 10,
+  sort: '-createdAt',
+})
+
+// Query with populated relationships
+const post = await payload.findByID({
+  collection: 'posts',
+  id: '123',
+  depth: 2, // Populates relationships (default is 2)
+})
+// Returns: { author: { id: "user123", name: "John" } }
+
+// Without depth, relationships return IDs only
+const post = await payload.findByID({
+  collection: 'posts',
+  id: '123',
+  depth: 0,
+})
+// Returns: { author: "user123" }
+```
+
+For all query operators and REST/GraphQL examples, see [QUERIES.md](reference/QUERIES.md).
+
+### Getting Payload Instance
+
+```ts
+// 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>
+}
+```
+
+## Security Pitfalls
+
+### 1. Local API Access Control (CRITICAL)
+
+**By default, Local API operations bypass ALL access control**, even when passing a user.
+
+```ts
+// ❌ SECURITY BUG: Passes user but ignores their permissions
+await payload.find({
+  collection: 'posts',
+  user: someUser, // Access control is BYPASSED!
+})
+
+// ✅ SECURE: Actually enforces the user's permissions
+await payload.find({
+  collection: 'posts',
+  user: someUser,
+  overrideAccess: false, // REQUIRED for access control
+})
+```
+
+**When to use each:**
+
+- `overrideAccess: true` (default) - Server-side operations you trust (cron jobs, system tasks)
+- `overrideAccess: false` - When operating on behalf of a user (API routes, webhooks)
+
+See [QUERIES.md#access-control-in-local-api](reference/QUERIES.md#access-control-in-local-api).
+
+### 2. Transaction Failures in Hooks
+
+**Nested operations in hooks without `req` break transaction atomicity.**
+
+```ts
+// ❌ 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
+      })
+    },
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+See [ADAPTERS.md#threading-req-through-operations](reference/ADAPTERS.md#threading-req-through-operations).
+
+### 3. Infinite Hook Loops
+
+**Hooks triggering operations that trigger the same hooks create infinite loops.**
+
+```ts
+// ❌ 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,
+      })
+    },
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+See [HOOKS.md#context](reference/HOOKS.md#context).
+
+## Project Structure
+
+```txt
+src/
+├── app/
+│   ├── (frontend)/
+│   │   └── page.tsx
+│   └── (payload)/
+│       └── admin/[[...segments]]/page.tsx
+├── collections/
+│   ├── Posts.ts
+│   ├── Media.ts
+│   └── Users.ts
+├── globals/
+│   └── Header.ts
+├── components/
+│   └── CustomField.tsx
+├── hooks/
+│   └── slugify.ts
+└── payload.config.ts
+```
+
+## Building & Type Generation
+
+Payload generates `payload-types.ts` for you — you rarely need to run `generate:types` by hand.
+
+- **During development:** `typescript.autoGenerate` defaults to `true`, so the dev
+  server regenerates types automatically whenever your config changes. Don't run
+  `generate:types` manually while the dev server is running — it's redundant.
+- **During builds:** `payload build` generates the import map and types before
+  running `next build`. Prefer it over calling `next build` directly so neither is
+  ever stale. Pass `--no-types` to skip type generation.
+- **Manual generation** (`payload generate:types`) is an escape hatch — only when
+  neither the dev server nor a build is in the loop (e.g. a one-off script, or CI
+  before a step that doesn't run `payload build`).
+
+```ts
+// payload.config.ts
+export default buildConfig({
+  typescript: {
+    outputFile: path.resolve(dirname, 'payload-types.ts'),
+    // autoGenerate defaults to true — types regenerate in dev automatically
+  },
+})
+
+// Usage
+import type { Post, User } from '@/payload-types'
+```
+
+## Common Gotchas
+
+1. **Local API bypasses access control** unless you pass `overrideAccess: false`
+2. **Missing `req` in nested operations** breaks transaction atomicity
+3. **Hook loops** — operations in hooks can re-trigger the same hooks; use `req.context` flags
+4. **Field-level access** returns boolean only, no query constraints
+5. **Relationship depth** defaults to 2; set `depth: 0` for IDs only
+6. **Draft status** — `_status` field is auto-injected when drafts are enabled
+7. **Types regenerate automatically** in dev (`autoGenerate`) and during `payload build` — avoid running `generate:types` manually
+8. **MongoDB transactions** require replica set configuration
+9. **SQLite transactions** are disabled by default; enable with `transactionOptions: {}`
+10. **Point fields** are not supported in SQLite
+11. **Computed virtual titles** — fields configured with `virtual: true` cannot be used in `admin.useAsTitle`; use a stored top-level field
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### Content Modeling
+
+- Enable `versions: { drafts: true }` by default on content collections; rely on the
+  auto-injected `_status` field rather than adding a custom `status` field
+- Use the native `slug` field type for slugs instead of hand-rolling a unique text field
+- Use a stored top-level field for `admin.useAsTitle`; never use a computed
+  `virtual: true` field as the title
+- Reserve `position: 'sidebar'` for short, at-a-glance fields (status, category,
+  author, date); keep long fields (description, rich text) in the main area
+
+### Security
+
+- Default to restrictive access, gradually add permissions
+- Use `overrideAccess: false` when passing `user` to Local API
+- Field-level access only returns boolean (no query constraints)
+- Never trust client-provided data
+- Use `saveToJWT: true` for roles to avoid database lookups
+
+### Performance
+
+- Index frequently queried fields
+- Use `select` to limit returned fields
+- Set `maxDepth` on relationships to prevent over-fetching
+- Prefer query constraints over async operations in access control
+- Cache expensive operations in `req.context`
+
+### Data Integrity
+
+- Always pass `req` to nested operations in hooks
+- Use context flags to prevent infinite hook loops
+- Enable transactions for MongoDB (requires replica set) and Postgres
+- Use `beforeValidate` for data formatting
+- Use `beforeChange` for business logic
+
+### Type Safety
+
+- Let dev (`autoGenerate`) and `payload build` generate types; run `generate:types` manually only when neither is running
+- Import types from generated `payload-types.ts`
+- Type your user object: `import type { User } from '@/payload-types'`
+- Use field type guards for runtime type checking
+- When extracting any Payload value into a named constant — a collection, field, hook, access function, plugin, etc. — annotate it with the matching Payload type (`CollectionConfig`, `Field`, `CollectionBeforeChangeHook`, `Access`, `Plugin`, …) or use `satisfies <Type>`. Without an annotation, string properties like `type: 'text'` widen to `string` and discriminated unions (`Field`, `CollectionConfig`) fail to resolve. Inline literals get this for free via contextual typing; extracted constants do not.
+
+### Organization
+
+- Keep collections in separate files
+- Extract access control to `access/` directory
+- Extract hooks to `hooks/` directory
+- Use reusable field factories for common patterns
+- Document complex access control with comments
+
+## Reference Documentation
+
+- **[FIELDS.md](reference/FIELDS.md)** - All field types, validation, admin options
+- **[FIELD-TYPE-GUARDS.md](reference/FIELD-TYPE-GUARDS.md)** - Type guards for runtime field type checking and narrowing
+- **[COLLECTIONS.md](reference/COLLECTIONS.md)** - Collection configs, auth, upload, drafts, live preview
+- **[HOOKS.md](reference/HOOKS.md)** - Collection hooks, field hooks, context patterns
+- **[ACCESS-CONTROL.md](reference/ACCESS-CONTROL.md)** - Collection, field, global access control, RBAC, multi-tenant
+- **[ACCESS-CONTROL-ADVANCED.md](reference/ACCESS-CONTROL-ADVANCED.md)** - Context-aware, time-based, subscription-based access, factory functions, templates
+- **[QUERIES.md](reference/QUERIES.md)** - Query operators, Local/REST/GraphQL APIs
+- **[ENDPOINTS.md](reference/ENDPOINTS.md)** - Custom API endpoints: authentication, helpers, request/response patterns
+- **[ADAPTERS.md](reference/ADAPTERS.md)** - Database, storage, email adapters, transactions
+- **[ADVANCED.md](reference/ADVANCED.md)** - Authentication, jobs, endpoints, components, plugins, localization
+- **[PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md](reference/PLUGIN-DEVELOPMENT.md)** - Plugin architecture, monorepo structure, patterns, best practices
+
+## Resources
+
+- llms-full.txt: <https://payloadcms.com/llms-full.txt>
+- Docs: <https://payloadcms.com/docs>
+- GitHub: <https://github.com/payloadcms/payload>
+- Examples: <https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/main/examples>
+- Templates: <https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/main/templates>