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Local API

The Payload Local API gives you the ability to execute the same operations that are available through REST and GraphQL within Node, directly on your server. Here, you don't need to deal with server latency or network speed whatsoever and can interact directly with your database.

Here are some common examples of how you can use the Local API:

  • Seeding data via Node seed scripts that you write and maintain
  • Opening custom Express routes which feature additional functionality but still rely on Payload
  • Within access control and hook functions

Accessing payload

You can gain access to the currently running payload object via two ways:

Importing it

You can import or require payload into your own files after it's been initialized, but you need to make sure that your import / require statements come after you call payload.init()—otherwise Payload won't have been initialized yet. That might be obvious. To us, it's usually not.

Example:

import payload from "payload";
import { CollectionAfterChangeHook } from "payload/types";
const afterChangeHook: CollectionAfterChangeHook = async () => {
const posts = await payload.find({
collection: "posts",
});
};
Accessing from the req

Payload is available anywhere you have access to the Express req - including within your access control and hook functions.

Example:

const afterChangeHook: CollectionAfterChangeHook = async ({
req: { payload },
}) => {
const posts = await payload.find({
collection: "posts",
});
};

Local options available

You can specify more options within the Local API vs. REST or GraphQL due to the server-only context that they are executed in.

Local OptionDescription
collectionRequired for Collection operations. Specifies the Collection slug to operate against.
dataThe data to use within the operation. Required for create, update.
depthControl auto-population of nested relationship and upload fields.
localeSpecify locale for any returned documents.
fallbackLocaleSpecify a fallback locale to use for any returned documents.
overrideAccessSkip access control. By default, this property is set to true within all Local API operations.
userIf you set overrideAccess to false, you can pass a user to use against the access control checks.
showHiddenFieldsOpt-in to receiving hidden fields. By default, they are hidden from returned documents in accordance to your config.
paginationSet to false to return all documents and avoid querying for document counts.
contextContext, which will then be passed to context and req.context, which can be read by hooks. Useful if you want to pass additional information to the hooks which shouldn't be necessarily part of the document, for example a triggerBeforeChange option which can be read by the BeforeChange hook to determine if it should run or not.

There are more options available on an operation by operation basis outlined below.

Collections

The following Collection operations are available through the Local API:

Create

// The created Post document is returned
const post = await payload.create({
collection: "posts", // required
data: {
// required
title: "sure",
description: "maybe",
},
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUserDoc,
overrideAccess: true,
showHiddenFields: false,
// If creating verification-enabled auth doc,
// you can optionally disable the email that is auto-sent
disableVerificationEmail: true,
// If your collection supports uploads, you can upload
// a file directly through the Local API by providing
// its full, absolute file path.
filePath: path.resolve(__dirname, "./path-to-image.jpg"),
// Alternatively, you can directly pass a File,
// if file is provided, filePath will be omitted
file: uploadedFile,
});

Find

// Result will be a paginated set of Posts.
// See /docs/queries/pagination for more.
const result = await payload.find({
collection: "posts", // required
depth: 2,
page: 1,
limit: 10,
where: {}, // pass a `where` query here
sort: "-title",
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Find by ID

// Result will be a Post document.
const result = await payload.findByID({
collection: "posts", // required
id: "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011", // required
depth: 2,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Update by ID

// Result will be the updated Post document.
const result = await payload.update({
collection: "posts", // required
id: "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011", // required
data: {
// required
title: "sure",
description: "maybe",
},
depth: 2,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
// If your collection supports uploads, you can upload
// a file directly through the Local API by providing
// its full, absolute file path.
filePath: path.resolve(__dirname, "./path-to-image.jpg"),
// If you are uploading a file and would like to replace
// the existing file instead of generating a new filename,
// you can set the following property to `true`
overwriteExistingFiles: true,
});

Update Many

// Result will be an object with:
// {
// docs: [], // each document that was updated
// errors: [], // each error also includes the id of the document
// }
const result = await payload.update({
collection: "posts", // required
where: {
// required
fieldName: { equals: "value" },
},
data: {
// required
title: "sure",
description: "maybe",
},
depth: 0,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
// If your collection supports uploads, you can upload
// a file directly through the Local API by providing
// its full, absolute file path.
filePath: path.resolve(__dirname, "./path-to-image.jpg"),
// If you are uploading a file and would like to replace
// the existing file instead of generating a new filename,
// you can set the following property to `true`
overwriteExistingFiles: true,
});

Delete

// Result will be the now-deleted Post document.
const result = await payload.delete({
collection: "posts", // required
id: "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011", // required
depth: 2,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Delete Many

// Result will be an object with:
// {
// docs: [], // each document that is now deleted
// errors: [], // any errors that occurred, including the id of the errored on document
// }
const result = await payload.delete({
collection: "posts", // required
where: {
// required
fieldName: { equals: "value" },
},
depth: 0,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Auth Operations

If a collection has Authentication enabled, additional Local API operations will be available:

Login

// result will be formatted as follows:
// {
// token: 'o38jf0q34jfij43f3f...', // JWT used for auth
// user: { ... } // the user document that just logged in
// exp: 1609619861 // the UNIX timestamp when the JWT will expire
// }
const result = await payload.login({
collection: "users", // required
data: {
// required
email: "dev@payloadcms.com",
password: "rip",
},
req: req, // pass an Express `req` which will be provided to all hooks
res: res, // used to automatically set an HTTP-only auth cookie
depth: 2,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Forgot Password

// Returned token will allow for a password reset
const token = await payload.forgotPassword({
collection: "users", // required
data: {
// required
email: "dev@payloadcms.com",
},
req: req, // pass an Express `req` which will be provided to all hooks
});

Reset Password

// Result will be formatted as follows:
// {
// token: 'o38jf0q34jfij43f3f...', // JWT used for auth
// user: { ... } // the user document that just logged in
// }
const result = await payload.forgotPassword({
collection: "users", // required
data: {
// required
token: "afh3o2jf2p3f...", // the token generated from the forgotPassword operation
},
req: req, // pass an Express `req` which will be provided to all hooks
res: res, // used to automatically set an HTTP-only auth cookie
});

Unlock

// Returned result will be a boolean representing success or failure
const result = await payload.unlock({
collection: "users", // required
data: {
// required
email: "dev@payloadcms.com",
},
req: req, // pass an Express `req` which will be provided to all hooks
overrideAccess: true,
});

Verify

// Returned result will be a boolean representing success or failure
const result = await payload.verify({
collection: "users", // required
token: "afh3o2jf2p3f...", // the token saved on the user as `_verificationToken`
});

Globals

The following Global operations are available through the Local API:

Find

// Result will be the Header Global.
const result = await payload.findGlobal({
slug: "header", // required
depth: 2,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Update

// Result will be the updated Header Global.
const result = await payload.updateGlobal({
slug: "header", // required
data: {
// required
nav: [
{
url: "https://google.com",
},
{
url: "https://payloadcms.com",
},
],
},
depth: 2,
locale: "en",
fallbackLocale: false,
user: dummyUser,
overrideAccess: false,
showHiddenFields: true,
});

Example Script using Local API

The Local API is especially useful for running scripts

import payload from "payload";
import path from "path";
import dotenv from "dotenv";
dotenv.config({
path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../.env"),
});
const { PAYLOAD_SECRET, MONGODB_URI } = process.env;
const doAction = async (): Promise<void> => {
await payload.init({
secret: PAYLOAD_SECRET,
mongoURL: MONGODB_URI,
local: true, // Enables local mode, doesn't spin up a server or frontend
});
// Perform any Local API operations here
await payload.find({
collection: "posts",
// where: {} // optional
});
await payload.create({
collection: "posts",
data: {},
});
};
doAction();

TypeScript

Local API calls will automatically infer your generated types.

Here is an example of usage:

// Properly inferred as `Post` type
const post = await payload.create({
collection: "posts",
// Data will now be typed as Post and give you type hints
data: {
title: "my title",
description: "my description",
},
});
Next

Querying your Documents

Related Help Topics