Payload CMS + Astro starter

Describe what you want. Your agent builds it.

You describe outcomes in plain language; the agent turns them into real CMS blocks, components and database migrations — following a pipeline that will not let it skip the parts that keep your content safe.

View the GitHub repository

Start here01 / 01

/setup

Copy the prompt and paste it into your coding agent to create a new project with this starter. It handles the secrets, database and dev servers, then asks what you want to build.

View setup prompt

Set up a new project using https://github.com/wayfdigital/payload-astro-starter.

Ask me for the project name and destination folder if I haven't provided them. Create a fresh project from the starter's latest main branch in that folder without overwriting existing work. Give it its own Git repository, with no push remote pointing to the starter.

Read README.md, AGENTS.md and .claude/skills/setup/SKILL.md in the new project, then follow the first-run setup. Check the required Node.js, pnpm and Docker versions. Create missing env files without overwriting existing values. Generate the required secrets, keeping PREVIEW_SECRET and PAYLOAD_API_SECRET consistent between apps, and set PAYLOAD_API_SECRET before creating the first admin. Keep secrets out of Git and your response.

Start the local services, install dependencies, run migrations and start the dev servers. Let me create the first admin in the local admin panel. Verify the site, admin panel and draft preview, then give me the local URLs and report any blockers.

Once setup works, ask what I want to build. Follow the starter's design approval and CMS integration workflow for new sections.

01 / Workflow

How you work with this

01
Describe an outcome
Plain language. "A pricing section", "make the hero say this", "here is my Figma".
02
Approve the design
A new section is built in Storybook first. Nothing reaches the database without your yes.
03
It gets wired up
Block, editable fields, renderer, types and a database migration — in one pass.

02 / Inside the starter

Skills worth knowing about

01vibe-coding
The front door. Turns what you asked for into a spec and picks the rest.
02setup
First run on a new machine: secrets, Docker, migrations, the first admin.
03design-mode
Designs a new section in Storybook and holds the approval gate.
04debug-mode
Something broken? Reproduces it against real logs instead of guessing.
05security-audit
Seven areas against the OWASP Top 10 before you launch.
06+ 10 more
Migrations, SEO, data fetching, design system, CMS migration. You never invoke one — the agent picks.

03 / Stack

Built on

Astro 6.4
Payload CMS 3.81
TypeScript 5.9
PostgreSQL 17
Tailwind CSS 4.1
Storybook 9
Turborepo
Docker Compose
Mailpit

Looking to build on Payload?

Work with WAYF to turn the starter into a production-ready website.

Describe what you want. Your agent builds it.

How you work with this

Describe an outcome

Approve the design

It gets wired up

Skills worth knowing about

Built on

Looking to build on Payload?