Payload

Payload is an open-source headless content management system and application framework written in TypeScript. Developers define content structures in code, and Payload generates an admin panel, database schema, authentication and APIs for managing and delivering that content to websites, apps and other channels. Its defining choice is that it installs directly into a Next.js application. Rather than running a separate CMS service and connecting to it over the network, Payload lives in the same codebase as the front end, so content can be queried directly on the server with full type safety, and the admin panel is just another part of the app. That makes development and deployment simpler and keeps everything in one repository. The code-first approach appeals to developers who want control. Collections and fields are defined in TypeScript configuration, with access control expressed as functions, hooks to run logic on changes, and support for Postgres, SQLite and MongoDB databases. Features expected of a serious CMS are included: a rich-text editor, drafts and versions, live preview, localisation, file uploads with image resizing, and REST, GraphQL and a local API. Because it handles authentication and arbitrary data, teams also use it as a backend for applications beyond content websites. Being open source and self-hosted means no per-seat or per-entry licence fees and no lock-in to a hosted content service. Teams deploy it anywhere Next.js runs, including serverless platforms. The trade-off is that Payload is developer-first: non-technical teams wanting a no-code CMS with visual page building and a hosted service out of the box may prefer other tools, and content modelling requires engineering work up front. Alternatives include Sanity, a hosted headless CMS with real-time collaboration; Strapi, a popular open-source headless CMS; Contentful for enterprise headless content; Directus for an open-source data platform over any SQL database; Keystatic and TinaCMS for Git-based content; and WordPress for a traditional CMS. Choose Payload when you build with Next.js and want a fully typed, code-defined CMS inside your own app.