Payload
Payload is our choice when a product needs more than a traditional CMS. It gives us content management, APIs, authentication, access control, and database-backed application logic in one TypeScript and Next.js stack that the client fully owns.
Why we use it
- /Content models live directly in the codebase
- /REST, GraphQL, and direct database APIs are available out of the box
- /Built-in authentication and granular access control
- /Strong fit for products where CMS and application logic overlap
- /Open-source and self-hostable, with full ownership of the stack
When we reach for it
- /Content-heavy web platforms that need a flexible CMS
- /Products combining editorial content with application functionality
- /Internal tools and portals with roles and permissions
- /Multilingual websites and platforms
- /Teams already building with Next.js and TypeScript
We model content around the product rather than forcing it into generic page templates. Collections, fields, relationships, roles, and workflows are defined explicitly so the CMS remains understandable as the platform grows.
Because Payload lives directly inside a TypeScript and Next.js application, we can keep the CMS, frontend, APIs, and application logic close together where that simplifies the architecture, while still exposing REST or GraphQL APIs when other clients need access.
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Common questions
What is Payload used for?+
Payload can be used as a headless CMS, application backend, internal-tool foundation, digital asset manager, or content layer inside a Next.js product.
Is Payload a headless CMS?+
Yes, but it can do more than a conventional headless CMS. It includes an admin panel, database layer, authentication, access control, file handling, REST APIs, GraphQL, and direct server-side data access.
Does Payload support TypeScript?+
Yes. Payload is built in TypeScript and provides generated and exported types that can be used throughout the application.
Can Payload support multilingual websites?+
Yes. Payload supports field-level content localization and configurable locales, including fallback behaviour for multilingual content.
Which databases can Payload use?+
Payload currently supports database adapters including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and SQLite. We would normally choose based on the wider product architecture and operational requirements.
Can you migrate an existing website or CMS to Payload?+
Yes. We can map the existing content model, migrate content, rebuild editorial workflows, integrate the frontend, and move the platform incrementally where a full cutover would create unnecessary risk.