/payload
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.
$ npx -y skills add payloadcms/payload --skill payload --agent claude-codeHow it fires
How this skill gets triggered: by you, by Claude, or both.
- Fires itselfAuto-invocation. Claude auto-loads it when your prompt matches the work.Auto-invocation is when the right skill fires by itself at the right moment, driven by a FLOW.md router and a hook, instead of you invoking it by name. It is the difference between a skill being installed and a skill actually getting used.Read the full definition →
- You can call itInvoke it directly when you want it.
- Slash command
/payload
Context preview
The summary Claude sees to decide when to auto-load this skill.
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.
SKILL.md
payload.SKILL.mdname: 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) | | 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: t
Read more
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) | | 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: t
Payload is the open-source, fullstack Next.js framework, giving you instant backend superpowers. Get a full TypeScript backend and admin panel instantly. Use Payload as a headless CMS or for building powerful applications.
Repo: payloadcms/payload
Other skills on payload.
- /audit-dependencies
Use when fixing dependency vulnerabilities, running pnpm audit, or when the audit-dependencies CI check fails
Open skill - /generate-translations
Use when new translation keys are added to packages to generate new translations strings
Open skill - /triage-ci-flake
Use when CI tests fail on main branch after PR merge, when investigating flaky test failures, or when user provides a PR URL/number to aggregate all failing tests
Open skill - /ui4-convert-tests
Use when UI changes are complete and e2e tests need updating. Analyzes what changed in UI components and systematically finds/fixes affected tests.
Open skill - /ui4-review
Review UI4 CSS migrations for proper token usage. Checks that CSS variables are used instead of hardcoded values.
Open skill - /ui4
Manually invoked skill for reskinning Payload UI components. Requires Figma URL. Usage: /ui4
Open skill