Say goodbye to separate CMS setups. Get a full backend seamlessly built into your Next.js app—complete with Auth, Admin UI, Database, File Storage, and Access Control.

npx create-payload-app line terminal animation

Full React Server Component support

Use the Payload’s local API in server components to hit your database directly—like a (super-powered) ORM.

Local API

1import config from '@payload-config'
2import { getPayloadHMR } from '@payloadcms/next/utilities'
3
4export default async function Page({ params }) {
5  const payload = await getPayloadHMR({ config })
6
7  const data = await payload.find({
8    collection: 'pages',
9    where: {
10      slug: { equals: params.slug },
11    },
12  })
13
14  const page = data.docs[0]
15
16  return (
17    <main>
18      <Hero {...page.hero} />
19      <RenderBlocks {...page.layout} />
20    </main>
21  )
22}
23                  

One repo, less chaos

Deploy everything from a single repo—no more juggling multiple repos.

Manage complex relational data

Easily customize, filter, and edit bi-directional relationships through a powerful, elegant UI.

authors further related reading relationship

Bidirectional relationships ui, nested relationships ui

If you know Next.js, you know Payload

Meet your new best friend. Here's what's new in 3.0.

01

Server Components

Extend your admin UI with React server components, reducing client-side load.

02

SQLite support

Spin up projects instantly, with minimal configuration and significant flexibility.

03

Turbopack

Get faster updates and a smoother dev experience with Turbopack out of the box.

04

Postgres

Reliable, secure, and customizable database support through Drizzle ORM.

05

Lexical

Get a powerful, Notion-style rich text editor that's completely extensible.

06

Bi-directional

Manage complex relational data from both sides with bi-directional relationships.

07

Fully ESM

Speed up your apps with cleaner, more efficient code.

08

Server-side HMR

Get instant updates during development with server-side HMR.

No black magic. Just code the way it’s meant to be.

Magic should come not from obscuring the hard parts, but instead, watching the code you write become a project you’re proud of.

Payload is built on transparency, offering you full control with the safety net of conventions and best practices. To say another way, if you ever have to “learn” Payload, we’ve failed. There are no closed doors here, only open paths to explore and innovate.

If we've done our job, Payload will make you a better developer.

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Payload on GitHub