Payload CMS Development

Payload is a Next.js native CMS with TypeScript-first architecture. This skill transfers expert knowledge for building collections, hooks, access control, and queries the right way.

Mental Model

Think of Payload as three interconnected layers:

1. Config Layer → Collections, globals, fields define your schema
2. Hook Layer → Lifecycle events transform and validate data
3. Access Layer → Functions control who can do what

Every operation flows through: Config → Access Check → Hook Chain → Database → Response Hooks

Quick Reference