---
package: "@payloadcms/richtext-lexical"
version: "^3.14.0"
tier: core
decision: approved
date: 2026-05-14
deciders: [Danijel Martinek]
adr: null
filter-results:
  license: MIT
  types: native
  maintenance: active
  boundary-fit: pass
  shadow-check: pass
  eu-residency: n/a
  cve-scan: clean
  named-consumer: pass
  socketRisk: clean
verification-commands:
  - npm view @payloadcms/richtext-lexical license
  - npm view @payloadcms/richtext-lexical version
  - pnpm audit --audit-level=moderate
accepted-cves: []
---

## Filter: license

<!-- Result: MIT -->

`npm view @payloadcms/richtext-lexical license` returns `MIT`. MIT is on the allowlist.

## Filter: types

<!-- Result: native -->

`@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` is part of the Payload CMS monorepo, authored in TypeScript, and ships its own `.d.ts` declaration files.

## Filter: maintenance

<!-- Result: active -->

Maintained as part of the Payload CMS project. Versioned and released together with the `payload` core package; receives the same release cadence.

## Filter: boundary-fit

<!-- Result: pass -->

`@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` is the rich-text field plugin for Payload CMS, used exclusively in `@repo/core-cms` to configure rich-text fields in Payload collections. Feature packages access rich-text content as plain data through repository interfaces. This is the correct placement for a CMS-layer content plugin.

## Filter: shadow-check

<!-- Result: pass -->

`@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` is the sole rich-text editor plugin in the workspace. The alternative Payload rich-text plugin (`@payloadcms/richtext-slate`) is not present.

## Filter: eu-residency

<!-- Result: n/a -->

`@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` is a server-side content plugin with no network communication to vendor-controlled endpoints. EU residency does not apply.

## Filter: cve-scan

<!-- Result: clean -->

`pnpm audit --audit-level=moderate` reports no advisories against `@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` at the time of this trace.

## Filter: named-consumer

<!-- Result: pass -->

`@repo/core-cms` uses `@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` to define the rich-text editor for content fields in the blog and other content collections. Named, non-hypothetical consumer exists today.

## Prompt: replaces

`@payloadcms/richtext-lexical` replaces `@payloadcms/richtext-slate`, which was deprecated in Payload 3.x. Lexical is the recommended and actively maintained rich-text engine in the Payload 3.x ecosystem.

## Prompt: migration-cost-out

Moderate. Rich-text data stored via Lexical is serialized in Lexical's internal JSON format. Migrating to a different rich-text engine would require a data migration for all existing rich-text content. The plugin is confined to `core-cms`, limiting the surface area.

## Prompt: alternatives-considered

1. **`@payloadcms/richtext-slate`** — Deprecated in Payload 3.x; Lexical is the recommended successor.
2. **Plain textarea fields** — Rejected: insufficient for content that requires formatting, links, and embedded media (blog articles, marketing pages).
