{ "version": "2", "generatedAt": "2026-11-03T22:49:39.280Z", "listing": { "slug": "payloadcms--payload", "name": "Payload CMS", "tagline": "Next.js-native headless CMS with an official MCP plugin that exposes every collection to an agent.", "shortTagline": "Next.js-native headless CMS", "description": "Payload is an MIT-licensed CMS and app framework that installs into a Next.js /app folder, with an admin UI, REST and GraphQL APIs, auth, drafts, and localization. Content types are TypeScript in payload.config.ts. The Builder ships @payloadcms/plugin-mcp, which serves an MCP endpoint at /api/mcp with find, create, update, and delete tools per collection and global, gated by API keys.", "capabilities": [ "adaptable", "operable" ], "vertical": "content-publishing", "alternativeTo": [ "Contentful", "Sanity" ], "shape": "business-app", "formFactor": "web-app", "executionModel": "deterministic", "provenance": "human-written", "codeStack": { "languages": [ "TypeScript" ], "frameworks": [ "Next.js", "React", "Lexical" ], "packageManager": "pnpm", "database": [ "MongoDB", "PostgreSQL", "SQLite", "Cloudflare D1" ], "hostingTarget": [ "Vercel one-click", "Cloudflare Workers one-click", "Docker", "any Node host" ] }, "modelStack": null, "repos": [ { "url": "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload", "owner": "payloadcms", "name": "payload", "license": "MIT", "stars": 44549, "lastCommit": "2026-09-03" } ], "interface": { "kind": "mcp", "url": "https://payloadcms.com/docs/plugins/mcp", "official": true, "hosted": "remote" }, "operability": "official", "recommendedWrapper": null, "reach": [ { "job": "Create, read, update, and delete documents in any collection", "reachable": true, "evidence": "plugin docs: find, create, update, delete tools generated per enabled collection" }, { "job": "Read and update globals such as site settings", "reachable": true, "evidence": "plugin docs: find and update tools per enabled global" }, { "job": "Run custom business logic", "reachable": true, "evidence": "plugin docs: developer-defined custom tools" }, { "job": "Manage users and auth", "reachable": true, "evidence": "users are a collection; enable it in mcpPlugin collections config" }, { "job": "Upload media files", "reachable": null, "evidence": "uploads are collections but binary upload over MCP is not documented" }, { "job": "Save drafts and publish versions", "reachable": null, "evidence": "versions and drafts are a core feature; draft status through MCP update not documented" }, { "job": "Localize content per locale", "reachable": null, "evidence": "localization is core; locale parameter on MCP tools not documented" }, { "job": "Define collections, fields, and blocks", "reachable": false, "evidence": "content model is code in payload.config.ts" }, { "job": "Configure access control", "reachable": false, "evidence": "access functions are code in collection configs" }, { "job": "Live preview and on-demand revalidation", "reachable": false, "evidence": "front-end integration, not an MCP operation" } ], "editions": [ { "name": "Free", "price": null, "open": true, "distributions": [ { "kind": "source", "url": "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload" }, { "kind": "installable", "url": "https://payloadcms.com/docs/getting-started/installation", "command": "pnpx create-payload-app@latest" }, { "kind": "one-click", "url": "https://dub.sh/payload-vercel" }, { "kind": "one-click", "url": "https://dub.sh/payload-cloudflare" } ] }, { "name": "Payload Cloud", "price": null, "open": false, "distributions": [ { "kind": "hosted", "url": "https://payloadcms.com/" } ] } ], "skills": { "kind": "bundled", "paths": [ "packages/payload/skills/payload/SKILL.md" ], "install": "/plugin marketplace add payloadcms/payload", "note": "Payload ships a payload skill with a large reference set so an agent can build Payload apps; the repo separately carries contributor-only skills under .claude/skills/." }, "customization": { "summary": "Start from the website template: .env sets database, secret, server URL, cron and preview secrets. Everything you actually adapt is TypeScript: collections and globals in payload.config.ts and src/collections, plus the mcpPlugin block that decides which collections an agent may touch. Expect to edit schema files, not just config.", "envVars": [ "DATABASE_URL", "PAYLOAD_SECRET", "NEXT_PUBLIC_SERVER_URL", "CRON_SECRET", "PREVIEW_SECRET" ], "configFiles": [ "payload.config.ts", "src/collections/*.ts", "src/globals/*.ts", ".env" ], "promptFiles": [], "effort": "light-edit", "editCount": 9 }, "useWhen": [ "I want a CMS inside my Next.js app that my agent can fill and update without me building endpoints", "I need a content backend with auth and drafts that deploys to Vercel or Cloudflare in one click" ], "accounts": [ "database host (MongoDB Atlas, Neon, or self-run)", "Vercel or Cloudflare (optional one-click)" ], "active": true, "lastActivity": "2026-09-03", "gotchas": [ "plugin-mcp is versioned 4.0.0-canary.14 in the monorepo; check whether the release you install is stable", "Each collection must be explicitly enabled in the plugin config before an agent can reach it", "MCP requests need a user API key created in the admin panel; keys inherit that user's access control", "Payload runs inside Next.js; there is no standalone server binary" ], "fit": { "adaptable": 3, "operable": 3 }, "evidence": { "formFactor": "README: installs in your existing /app folder; admin UI and API served by Next.js", "executionModel": "no model at runtime; OPENAI_KEY in root .env.example is for monorepo tests", "operability": "packages/plugin-mcp in the payloadcms/payload monorepo, documented at payloadcms.com/docs/plugins/mcp", "effort": "templates/website/.env.example names five vars; collections are TypeScript per docs", "editions": "README: completely free and open-source, one-click Vercel and Cloudflare; Payload Cloud is the paid hosted offer", "active": "pushedAt 2026-09-03", "provenance": "company-built since 2021 with large contributor base; no vibe-coded claim" }, "confidence": { "formFactor": 0.8, "executionModel": 0.9, "operability": 0.95, "effort": 0.85, "reach": 0.75, "editions": 0.8, "provenance": 0.85 }, "openQuestions": [ "Payload Cloud pricing was not fetched", "Does the MCP plugin handle file uploads, draft status, and locale parameters? Reach items left null", "Is plugin-mcp released as stable on npm, or only canary?" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload", "foundBy": "sourcing:content-publishing:curated" }, { "url": "https://payloadcms.com/docs/plugins/mcp", "foundBy": "analysis:content-publishing" }, { "url": "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/tree/main/templates/website", "foundBy": "analysis:content-publishing" } ], "research": { "stage": "verified", "verdict": "unverified", "reason": "MIT, owner-documented config and schema surface, and an official MCP plugin inside the monorepo covering CRUD on every collection. Strongest business-app in the batch.", "disputed": [] }, "url": "apps/payloadcms--payload.html", "coverage": "partial", "paid": false, "source": "research/verified/payloadcms--payload.json" } }