payloadcms

    payloadcms/payload

    Payload is the open-source, fullstack Next.js framework, giving you instant backend superpowers. Get a full TypeScript backend and admin panel instantly. Use Payload as a headless CMS or for building powerful applications.

    45.7K stars
    4.4K forks
    162 GitHub watchers
    Updated Nov 10, 2026
    View on GitHub

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    Where it stands

    Rank, growth pace and release cadence relative to everything GStars tracks.

    5 releases in the last 90 days, the latest 5 days ago, with 435 contributors on GitHub.

    Peaked at #41 in the weekly ranking the week of Nov 23, its best in the past year.

    Use Cases & Benefits

    • Provides a fullstack Next.js framework with an instant TypeScript backend and admin panel for building headless CMS or powerful applications.
    • Enables seamless integration of frontend and backend in the same Next.js /app folder with full extensibility and no vendor lock-in.
    • Use for building type-safe, customizable headless CMS solutions that deploy serverless on platforms like Vercel.
    • Use for creating enterprise-grade websites or blogs with React Server Components and Tailwind CSS in a unified codebase.
    • Use for developing secure, scalable applications requiring granular access control, versioning, localization, and rich text editing.

    Should you depend on it?

    License terms, project hygiene and risks, from GitHub metadata and GStars' snapshots.

    License

    MIT

    Permissive: commercial use, modification and redistribution are allowed with attribution.

    Community files

    • README: present
    • Contributing guide: present

    Watch-outs

    No watch-outs from GStars' checks.

    General guidance from repository metadata, not legal advice. How we score

    From the README

    Payload is the first-ever Next.js native CMS that can install directly in your existing /app folder. It's the start of a new era for headless CMS.

    Benefits over a regular CMS

    Before beginning to work with Payload, make sure you have all of the required software.

    If you're new to Payload, you should start with the website template (pnpx create-payload-app@latest -t website). It shows how to do everything - including custom Rich Text blocks, on-demand revalidation, live preview, and more. It comes with a frontend built with Tailwind all in one /app folder.

    Jumpstart your next project by starting with a pre-made template. These are production-ready, end-to-end solutions designed to get you to market as fast as possible.

    Excerpt from the payloadcms/payload README on GitHub (MIT license). © its authors.Read the full README on GitHub

    Daily snapshots

    Stars gained per day, and how forks and open issues moved, from GStars' daily snapshots

    Sep 26: +25Sep 27: +7

    +1,457 stars over 82 days across 10 snapshot days; best day +25 on Sep 26.

    Forks

    4.4K+343

    Open issues

    1.6K+494

    Compared with peers in Backend

    Fastest-growing repositories GStars tracks in this cohort for the week of Nov 8, by 7-day star growth

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    payloadcms/payload45.7K—605 days ago
    Category median94.7K+2.0K75—

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