Three-rule resolution order in bindAll() (first match wins):
1. USE_DEV_SEED === 'true' → bindAllDevSeed (explicit override)
2. NODE_ENV === 'production' → bindAllProduction
3. otherwise → bindAllDevSeed (developer default)
Rationale: 'pnpm dev' should boot the app without requiring Payload to
be running locally — dev seed is the more useful default for non-
production environments. Production servers explicitly set
NODE_ENV=production and get the real binding. The USE_DEV_SEED override
remains the escape hatch (force seed in any NODE_ENV — e.g. staging
preview, design review).
bind-production.test.ts grows from 3 tests to 8 — covers the dispatcher
matrix:
- USE_DEV_SEED='true' wins even when NODE_ENV='production'
- NODE_ENV='production' (no override) → production
- NODE_ENV='development' → dev seed (default)
- NODE_ENV unset → dev seed (default)
- USE_DEV_SEED='false' treated as not-set (only the literal 'true' triggers)
- Pre-existing 'binds all five repos' test now also asserts bindProductionMedia
di-explainer.html conditions table + mode flag strings updated to match
the new three-rule logic.
Danijel Martinek
6bf19f35c5