fix(payload-ai): convert server actions to api endpoints, drop @payload-config dependency

packages/payload-ai/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/payload-ai",
-  "version": "1.9.10",
+  "version": "1.9.13",
   "description": "Reusable Payload CMS AI Extensions",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {

packages/payload-ai/src/chatPlugin.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import type { Config, Plugin } from 'payload'
 import { AIChatPermissionsCollection } from './collections/AIChatPermissions.js'
 import type { PayloadChatPluginConfig } from './types.js'
+import { optimizePostEndpoint } from './endpoints/optimizeEndpoint.js'
+import { generateSlugEndpoint, generateThumbnailEndpoint, generateSingleFieldEndpoint } from './endpoints/generateEndpoints.js'
 
 export const payloadChatPlugin =
     (pluginOptions: PayloadChatPluginConfig): Plugin =>
@@ -48,6 +50,26 @@ export const payloadChatPlugin =
                         return Response.json({ message: "Chat endpoint active" })
                     },
                 },
+                {
+                    path: '/api/mintel-ai/optimize',
+                    method: 'post',
+                    handler: optimizePostEndpoint,
+                },
+                {
+                    path: '/api/mintel-ai/generate-slug',
+                    method: 'post',
+                    handler: generateSlugEndpoint,
+                },
+                {
+                    path: '/api/mintel-ai/generate-thumbnail',
+                    method: 'post',
+                    handler: generateThumbnailEndpoint,
+                },
+                {
+                    path: '/api/mintel-ai/generate-single-field',
+                    method: 'post',
+                    handler: generateSingleFieldEndpoint,
+                },
             ]
 
             // 3. Inject Chat React Component into Admin UI

packages/payload-ai/src/components/FieldGenerators/AiFieldButton.tsx

@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 import React, { useState } from "react";
 import { useField, useDocumentInfo, useForm } from "@payloadcms/ui";
-import { generateSingleFieldAction } from "../../actions/generateField.js";
-
 export function AiFieldButton({ path, field }: { path: string; field: any }) {
     const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = useState(false);
     const [instructions, setInstructions] = useState("");
@@ -44,19 +42,26 @@ export function AiFieldButton({ path, field }: { path: string; field: any }) {
                     ? field.admin.description
                     : "";
 
-            const res = await generateSingleFieldAction(
+            const resData = await fetch("/api/api/mintel-ai/generate-single-field", {
-                (title as string) || "",
+                method: "POST",
-                draftContent,
+                headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
-                fieldName,
+                body: JSON.stringify({
-                fieldDescription,
+                    documentTitle: (title as string) || "",
-                instructions,
+                    documentContent: draftContent,
-            );
+                    fieldName,
+                    fieldDescription,
+                    instructions,
+                }),
+            });
+            const res = await resData.json();
+
             if (res.success && res.text) {
                 setValue(res.text);
             } else {
                 alert("Fehler: " + res.error);
             }
-        } catch (e) {
+        } catch (e: any) {
+            console.error(e)
             alert("Fehler bei der Generierung.");
         } finally {
             setIsGenerating(false);

packages/payload-ai/src/components/FieldGenerators/GenerateSlugButton.tsx

@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useForm, useField } from "@payloadcms/ui";
-import { generateSlugAction } from "../../actions/generateField.js";
-
 export function GenerateSlugButton({ path }: { path: string }) {
     const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = useState(false);
     const [instructions, setInstructions] = useState("");
@@ -45,18 +43,24 @@ export function GenerateSlugButton({ path }: { path: string }) {
 
         setIsGenerating(true);
         try {
-            const res = await generateSlugAction(
+            const resData = await fetch("/api/api/mintel-ai/generate-slug", {
-                title,
+                method: "POST",
-                draftContent,
+                headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
-                initialValue as string,
+                body: JSON.stringify({
-                instructions,
+                    title,
-            );
+                    draftContent,
+                    oldSlug: initialValue as string,
+                    instructions,
+                }),
+            });
+            const res = await resData.json();
+
             if (res.success && res.slug) {
                 setValue(res.slug);
             } else {
                 alert("Fehler: " + res.error);
             }
-        } catch (e) {
+        } catch (e: any) {
             console.error(e);
             alert("Unerwarteter Fehler.");
         } finally {

packages/payload-ai/src/components/FieldGenerators/GenerateThumbnailButton.tsx

@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useForm, useField } from "@payloadcms/ui";
-import { generateThumbnailAction } from "../../actions/generateField.js";
-
 export function GenerateThumbnailButton({ path }: { path: string }) {
     const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = useState(false);
     const [instructions, setInstructions] = useState("");
@@ -45,17 +43,23 @@ export function GenerateThumbnailButton({ path }: { path: string }) {
 
         setIsGenerating(true);
         try {
-            const res = await generateThumbnailAction(
+            const resData = await fetch("/api/api/mintel-ai/generate-thumbnail", {
-                draftContent,
+                method: "POST",
-                title,
+                headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
-                instructions,
+                body: JSON.stringify({
-            );
+                    draftContent,
+                    title,
+                    instructions,
+                }),
+            });
+            const res = await resData.json();
+
             if (res.success && res.mediaId) {
                 setValue(res.mediaId);
             } else {
                 alert("Fehler: " + res.error);
             }
-        } catch (e) {
+        } catch (e: any) {
             console.error(e);
             alert("Unerwarteter Fehler.");
         } finally {

packages/payload-ai/src/components/OptimizeButton.tsx

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 import React, { useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useForm, useDocumentInfo } from "@payloadcms/ui";
-import { optimizePostText } from "../actions/optimizePost.js";
 import { Button } from "@payloadcms/ui";
 
 export function OptimizeButton() {
@@ -57,7 +56,12 @@ export function OptimizeButton() {
             // 2. We inject the title so the AI knows what it's writing about
             const payloadText = `---\ntitle: "${title}"\n---\n\n${draftContent}`;
 
-            const response = await optimizePostText(payloadText, instructions);
+            const res = await fetch("/api/api/mintel-ai/optimize", {
+                method: "POST",
+                headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+                body: JSON.stringify({ draftContent: payloadText, instructions }),
+            });
+            const response = await res.json();
 
             if (response.success && response.lexicalAST) {
                 // 3. Inject the new Lexical AST directly into the field form state

packages/payload-ai/src/endpoints/generateEndpoints.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-"use server";
+import { PayloadRequest } from "payload";
-
-import { getPayloadHMR } from "@payloadcms/next/utilities";
-// @ts-ignore - dynamic config resolution from next.js payload plugin
-import configPromise from "@payload-config";
 import * as fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import * as path from "node:path";
 import * as os from "node:os";
@@ -30,13 +26,9 @@ async function getOrchestrator() {
     });
 }
 
-export async function generateSlugAction(
+export const generateSlugEndpoint = async (req: PayloadRequest) => {
-    title: string,
-    draftContent: string,
-    oldSlug?: string,
-    instructions?: string,
-) {
     try {
+        const { title, draftContent, oldSlug, instructions } = (await req.json?.() || {}) as any;
         const orchestrator = await getOrchestrator();
         const newSlug = await orchestrator.generateSlug(
             draftContent,
@@ -45,9 +37,8 @@ export async function generateSlugAction(
         );
 
         if (oldSlug && oldSlug !== newSlug) {
-            const payload = await getPayloadHMR({ config: configPromise as any });
+            await req.payload.create({
-            await payload.create({
+                collection: "redirects" as any,
-                collection: "redirects",
                 data: {
                     from: oldSlug,
                     to: newSlug,
@@ -55,42 +46,25 @@ export async function generateSlugAction(
             });
         }
 
-        return { success: true, slug: newSlug };
+        return Response.json({ success: true, slug: newSlug });
     } catch (e: any) {
-        return { success: false, error: e.message };
+        return Response.json({ success: false, error: e.message }, { status: 500 });
     }
 }
 
-export async function generateThumbnailAction(
+export const generateThumbnailEndpoint = async (req: PayloadRequest) => {
-    draftContent: string,
-    title?: string,
-    instructions?: string,
-) {
     try {
-        const payload = await getPayloadHMR({ config: configPromise as any });
+        const { draftContent, title, instructions } = (await req.json?.() || {}) as any;
         const OPENROUTER_KEY =
             process.env.OPENROUTER_KEY || process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY;
         const REPLICATE_KEY = process.env.REPLICATE_API_KEY;
 
-        if (!OPENROUTER_KEY) {
+        if (!OPENROUTER_KEY) throw new Error("Missing OPENROUTER_API_KEY in .env");
-            throw new Error("Missing OPENROUTER_API_KEY in .env");
+        if (!REPLICATE_KEY) throw new Error("Missing REPLICATE_API_KEY in .env");
-        }
-        if (!REPLICATE_KEY) {
-            throw new Error(
-                "Missing REPLICATE_API_KEY in .env (Required for Thumbnails)",
-            );
-        }
 
-        const importDynamic = new Function(
+        const importDynamic = new Function("modulePath", "return import(modulePath)");
-            "modulePath",
+        const { AiBlogPostOrchestrator } = await importDynamic("@mintel/content-engine");
-            "return import(modulePath)",
+        const { ThumbnailGenerator } = await importDynamic("@mintel/thumbnail-generator");
-        );
-        const { AiBlogPostOrchestrator } = await importDynamic(
-            "@mintel/content-engine",
-        );
-        const { ThumbnailGenerator } = await importDynamic(
-            "@mintel/thumbnail-generator",
-        );
 
         const orchestrator = new AiBlogPostOrchestrator({
             apiKey: OPENROUTER_KEY,
@@ -112,8 +86,8 @@ export async function generateThumbnailAction(
         const stat = await fs.stat(tmpPath);
         const fileName = path.basename(tmpPath);
 
-        const newMedia = await payload.create({
+        const newMedia = await req.payload.create({
-            collection: "media",
+            collection: "media" as any,
             data: {
                 alt: title ? `Thumbnail for ${title}` : "AI Generated Thumbnail",
             },
@@ -125,31 +99,24 @@ export async function generateThumbnailAction(
             },
         });
 
-        // Cleanup temp file
         await fs.unlink(tmpPath).catch(() => { });
 
-        return { success: true, mediaId: newMedia.id };
+        return Response.json({ success: true, mediaId: newMedia.id });
     } catch (e: any) {
-        return { success: false, error: e.message };
+        return Response.json({ success: false, error: e.message }, { status: 500 });
     }
 }
-export async function generateSingleFieldAction(
+
-    documentTitle: string,
+export const generateSingleFieldEndpoint = async (req: PayloadRequest) => {
-    documentContent: string,
-    fieldName: string,
-    fieldDescription: string,
-    instructions?: string,
-) {
     try {
+        const { documentTitle, documentContent, fieldName, fieldDescription, instructions } = (await req.json?.() || {}) as any;
+
         const OPENROUTER_KEY =
             process.env.OPENROUTER_KEY || process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY;
         if (!OPENROUTER_KEY) throw new Error("Missing OPENROUTER_API_KEY");
 
-        const payload = await getPayloadHMR({ config: configPromise as any });
+        const contextDocsData = await req.payload.find({
-
+            collection: "context-files" as any,
-        // Fetch context documents from DB
-        const contextDocsData = await payload.find({
-            collection: "context-files",
             limit: 100,
         });
         const projectContext = contextDocsData.docs
@@ -184,8 +151,8 @@ CRITICAL RULES:
         });
         const data = await res.json();
         const text = data.choices?.[0]?.message?.content?.trim() || "";
-        return { success: true, text };
+        return Response.json({ success: true, text });
     } catch (e: any) {
-        return { success: false, error: e.message };
+        return Response.json({ success: false, error: e.message }, { status: 500 });
     }
 }

packages/payload-ai/src/endpoints/optimizeEndpoint.ts

@@ -1,17 +1,15 @@
-"use server";
+import { PayloadRequest } from 'payload'
+import { parseMarkdownToLexical } from "../utils/lexicalParser.js";
 
-import { parseMarkdownToLexical } from "../utils/lexicalParser";
+export const optimizePostEndpoint = async (req: PayloadRequest) => {
-import { getPayloadHMR } from "@payloadcms/next/utilities";
-// @ts-ignore - dynamic config resolution from next.js payload plugin
-import configPromise from "@payload-config";
-
-export async function optimizePostText(
-    draftContent: string,
-    instructions?: string,
-) {
     try {
-        const payload = await getPayloadHMR({ config: configPromise as any });
+        const { draftContent, instructions } = (await req.json?.() || {}) as { draftContent: string; instructions?: string };
-        const globalAiSettings = (await payload.findGlobal({ slug: "ai-settings" })) as any;
+
+        if (!draftContent) {
+            return Response.json({ error: 'Missing draftContent' }, { status: 400 })
+        }
+
+        const globalAiSettings = (await req.payload.findGlobal({ slug: "ai-settings" })) as any;
         const customSources =
             globalAiSettings?.customSources?.map((s: any) => s.sourceName) || [];
 
@@ -20,18 +18,12 @@ export async function optimizePostText(
         const REPLICATE_KEY = process.env.REPLICATE_API_KEY;
 
         if (!OPENROUTER_KEY) {
-            throw new Error(
+            return Response.json({ error: "OPENROUTER_KEY not found in environment." }, { status: 500 })
-                "OPENROUTER_KEY or OPENROUTER_API_KEY not found in environment.",
-            );
         }
 
-        const importDynamic = new Function(
+        // Dynamically import to avoid bundling it into client components that might accidentally import this file
-            "modulePath",
+        const importDynamic = new Function("modulePath", "return import(modulePath)");
-            "return import(modulePath)",
+        const { AiBlogPostOrchestrator } = await importDynamic("@mintel/content-engine");
-        );
-        const { AiBlogPostOrchestrator } = await importDynamic(
-            "@mintel/content-engine",
-        );
 
         const orchestrator = new AiBlogPostOrchestrator({
             apiKey: OPENROUTER_KEY,
@@ -39,9 +31,8 @@ export async function optimizePostText(
             model: "google/gemini-3-flash-preview",
         });
 
-        // Fetch context documents purely from DB
+        const contextDocsData = await req.payload.find({
-        const contextDocsData = await payload.find({
+            collection: "context-files" as any,
-            collection: "context-files",
             limit: 100,
         });
         const projectContext = contextDocsData.docs.map((doc: any) => doc.content);
@@ -49,19 +40,19 @@ export async function optimizePostText(
         const optimizedMarkdown = await orchestrator.optimizeDocument({
             content: draftContent,
             projectContext,
-            availableComponents: [], // Removed hardcoded config.components dependency
+            availableComponents: [],
             instructions,
             internalLinks: [],
             customSources,
         });
 
         if (!optimizedMarkdown || typeof optimizedMarkdown !== "string") {
-            throw new Error("AI returned invalid markup.");
+            return Response.json({ error: "AI returned invalid markup." }, { status: 500 })
         }
 
         const blocks = parseMarkdownToLexical(optimizedMarkdown);
 
-        return {
+        return Response.json({
             success: true,
             lexicalAST: {
                 root: {
@@ -73,12 +64,12 @@ export async function optimizePostText(
                     direction: "ltr",
                 },
             },
-        };
+        })
     } catch (error: any) {
-        console.error("Failed to optimize post:", error);
+        console.error("Failed to optimize post in endpoint:", error);
-        return {
+        return Response.json({
             success: false,
             error: error.message || "An unknown error occurred during optimization.",
-        };
+        }, { status: 500 })
     }
 }

packages/payload-ai/src/index.ts

@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
  */
 
 export * from './globals/AiSettings';
-export * from './actions/generateField';
-export * from './actions/optimizePost';
 export * from './components/FieldGenerators/AiFieldButton';
 export * from './components/AiMediaButtons';
 export * from './components/OptimizeButton';

packages/payload-ai/src/types.d.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-declare module "@payload-config" {
+export type PayloadChatPluginConfig = {
-    import { Config } from "payload";
+    enabled?: boolean
-    const configPromise: Promise<any>;
+    /** Render the chat bubble on the bottom right? Defaults to true */
-    export default configPromise;
+    renderChatBubble?: boolean
+    allowedCollections?: string[]
+    mcpServers?: any[]
 }
+