How I’ve been using Payload CMS to build better web apps

When I started working with Payload CMS, its developer-first design and flexibility stood out straight away. It has quickly become an essential tool in how I solve complex problems for our clients. Getting involved in its development has helped me not only deeply understand the platform but also contribute to it.

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Getting involved and contributing as a Payload CMS partner agency

One of the most rewarding aspects of using Payload CMS has been the opportunity to contribute to its development. I’ve contributed features such as only allowing the use of light or dark themes (not both) to allow clients to enforce a single, unified visual identity for all users, ensuring the look and feel aligns with sometimes restrictive brand guidelines.

I’ve also worked on a number of bug fixes, many to do with accessibility and UX. These are areas I care about because they ensure the web is inclusive for everyone.

Recently, I’ve created plugins for the community, including:

• A fullscreen editor
• An image search tool
• Audit fields for better data tracking

Seeing these plugins downloaded and used in real projects has been very satisfying, knowing they are helping other developers as well. 

If you’re a Payload developer and have any questions about the above, (or another of my contributions), you can find me on the Payload server’s Discord under Rommy.

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Learning through the Payload CMS community

Being active in Payload CMS’s GitHub repo and Discord community has been a valuable learning experience. There’s no better way to learn how a platform works than getting directly involved in its development. 

By contributing to the codebase and engaging with the community, I’ve come across new ways to approach challenges. I’ve learned more effective ways to approach problems, often uncovering edge cases or use cases I wouldn’t have considered in isolation.

Helping others in the community has also given me a better understanding of how Payload CMS is used in a wide range of scenarios. Engaging with others’ challenges has broadened my perspective on how Payload CMS can be used in diverse scenarios, from simple content management systems to complex multi-tenant applications.

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Making an impact

The features and bug fixes I’ve worked on have become part of Payload CMS’s core, downloaded over 60k times a week. Knowing that the contributions I’ve made are helping developers solve real-world problems is super rewarding.

The plugins I’ve developed are also making an impact. They’re actively used in Airteam’s projects and have been downloaded hundreds of times by the wider community.

Being a part of their Discord and GitHub community by answering questions for other Payload CMS developers allows me to play a part in the success of many other projects.

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What has stood out to me about Payload CMS so far

Here are some reasons why I’ve found Payload CMS valuable:

1. Developer-centric: Payload CMS is designed with developers in mind. It’s highly customisable and doesn’t restrict you with rigid frameworks.
2. Headless flexibility: Being headless, Payload CMS lets you manage content and serve it through APIs to any frontend framework or platform.
3. Self-hosting: You have full control over where your data lives, as Payload CMS can be self-hosted on platforms such as AWS, Vercel, or even your local server.
4. Extendable: From custom hooks to plugins, Payload CMS provides a way to extend core functionality without fighting against its architecture.
5. Built-in TypeScript support: With TypeScript built-in, you get strong typing for your collections, hooks, and everything in between.
6. Growing community: The Payload CMS community is active, helpful and growing rapidly.

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What I’ve learned along the way

Working with Payload CMS has been a super rewarding experience. Through contributing to its development, engaging with the community, and creating plugins, I’ve gained valuable skills and a deeper understanding of building scalable and accessible solutions.

Payload CMS is a practical tool that has also provided me with some great opportunities for collaboration with other devs. Being part of its open-source community has allowed me to connect with others and contribute to projects. 

If you’re a developer considering Payload CMS, I’d recommend taking a look at its flexibility and how well it supports creating customised solutions. And if you’re a business looking for a Payload CMS agency, feel free to reach out at hello@airteam.com.au or via our contact form, I’d love to help.