Payload CMS 3.0

You have a specialized MCP server that helps Payload CMS 3.0 developers validate code, generate templates, and scaffold projects following established best practices. It streamlines common Payload CMS tasks, speeds up iteration, and ensures consistency across your projects.

How to use

You use the MCP server with an MCP client or IDE integration to perform code validation, generate templates, query validation rules, and scaffold entire Payload CMS projects. Run your prompts to access the available tools such as validate, generate_template, generate_collection, scaffold_project, and more. Each tool produces structured outputs that you can directly integrate into your Payload CMS workflow.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before installing this MCP server are straightforward.

• Node.js 18+ for Payload CMS 3.0
• A Railway account if you plan to deploy via Railway
• A Railway API token if you intend to run MCP commands through Railway

Install the MCP server globally on your development machine and start using it from your terminal.

Configuration and usage notes

To run the MCP server locally and connect it to your Cursor IDE or other MCP clients, you will set up a stdio-based MCP connection that executes the Railway CLI for your service.

An example connection uses the Railway runtime command to launch the MCP server and listen for prompts from your editor or assistant UI.

Security and access considerations

Keep your Railway API token secret. Treat it as you would any API credential used to manage your deployment environment. Limit access to the MCP server to trusted teammates and use role-based prompts to prevent unauthorized actions.

Troubleshooting tips

If prompts fail to connect or you don’t receive expected tool outputs, verify your MCP command configuration, confirm you are using Node.js 18+, and ensure your Railway service ID is correct in the connection command.

Examples and workflow notes

A typical workflow combines generation, validation, and scaffolding: first generate a template for a Payload CMS collection, then validate the generated code for best practices, optionally query for validation rules, and finally scaffold a complete project structure when you are ready.

Available tools

validate

Validate Payload CMS code for syntax and best practices across collections, fields, globals, and config files.

query

Query validation rules and best practices for Payload CMS constructs.

mcp_query

Execute SQL-like queries against Payload CMS structures to inspect or derive schema insights.

generate_template

Generate code templates for collections, fields, globals, access control, hooks, endpoints, plugins, blocks, and migrations.

generate_collection

Create a complete Payload CMS collection definition with configurable options.

generate_field

Generate a Payload CMS field definition with typing and validation options.

scaffold_project

Scaffold an entire Payload CMS project structure with validated options for consistency.

validate_scaffold_options

Check scaffold options to ensure they follow best practices before scaffolding a project.