How Do You Get Started With Payload CMS?

Start with npx create-payload-app to scaffold a project, then use the official docs, examples, and templates to build out your first collections. Payload is an open-source, code-first headless CMS and app framework built with TypeScript and React on Next.js, so the fastest path is the CLI plus the documentation. If you're evaluating it for a team or enterprise rollout, the demo and enterprise feature pages are the right entry points instead.

The fastest path: scaffold a project

Payload's homepage surfaces a single command as the primary getting-started action:

npx create-payload-app

Running this from your terminal creates a new Payload project. The expected result is a working local codebase you can run and extend — from there you define your collections, fields, and access rules in code rather than through a hosted admin UI you don't control.

Because Payload is code-first, expect to work in your editor and version control from day one. That's the intended workflow, not a workaround.

Learn the framework: docs, examples, templates

The site organizes developer resources into distinct buckets, and each serves a different purpose:

A practical sequence: read the docs to understand how collections and config work, clone an example that resembles your use case, then adapt a template rather than starting from a blank file.

Get help and stay current

Payload lists several ongoing channels:

• Discord Community — real-time questions and discussion
• GitHub — releases and code-level issues
• Roadmap — what's planned next
• Help Resources — a consolidated starting point for developers

If you get stuck, the roadmap and releases pages tell you whether a feature already exists or is coming, which saves time before you build a workaround.

For teams and enterprises

If you're assessing Payload beyond a solo build, the site provides:

• Schedule a Demo — a direct way to talk to the team
• Enterprise Features — SSO, AI auto-embedding, publishing workflows, visual editor, static A/B testing, and AI features
• Customer Stories — case studies including Microsoft, ASICS, Blue Origin, Hello Bello, and Tekton
• Find a Partner / Become a Partner — for agencies and consultancies

These are the right entry points when the question is "should we adopt this across a team" rather than "how do I run the CLI."

Who each starting point is for

The site frames Payload for developers, marketing teams, enterprise companies, and agencies/consultancies. Match your entry point accordingly:

• Solo developer or indie project → npx create-payload-app, then docs and templates
• Developer evaluating fit → examples, GitHub, and the comparison pages (vs WordPress, Contentful, Sanity, Strapi, Directus)
• Marketing or content team → the content-first framing and demo
• Enterprise or agency → Schedule a Demo, Enterprise Features, and Partner programs

Payload describes itself as the answer to "build vs. buy," used from Fortune 500 companies to indie devs — so the same product scales from a quick scaffold to an enterprise deployment, with different on-ramps for each.

What to verify before you commit

The homepage does not publish pricing details, so don't assume the hosted or enterprise tiers are free — check the pricing and demo paths directly. Likewise, confirm current feature availability (SSO, AI features, workflows) on the Enterprise Features page rather than relying on a general description, since these are positioned as enterprise capabilities.