Stop generated types from including string for relations

[arctic gale]

Hey, I'm using Payload in a project where our frontend fetches data via the REST API with a high enough depth to ensure all relations are fully populated.

We are importing the generated payload-types.ts file directly into our frontend repo to keep everything in sync. However, this is where the friction starts: the generated types (e.g., author: string | User) always include the ID string as a possibility.

Since we know for a fact that in our web app the object will always be there due to our fetch depth, we’re ending up with a ton of boilerplate:

• Constant if (typeof author !== 'string') checks
• Type guards or manual casting almost every component.
• Logic that feels "cluttered" because TypeScript isn't aware of our fetch depth.

So my question is, is there any config or a plugin for the type generator to emit only the interface/object type and exclude the string union for relations? Or is there any other cleaner way to handle these type checks?

Thanks in advance!

[sharp fulcrum]

New Community-Help Thread Created!

Help is on the way! To mark it as solved, use the /solve command. In the meantime, here are some existing threads that may help you:

Documentation:

• REST API - Method Override for GET Requests - Passing as JSON
• Fields Overview - Admin Options - Conditional Logic
• Join Field - Using the Join field to have full control of your database schema - Specifying additional fields on relationships
• Installation - Adding to an existing app - 4. Create a Payload Config and add it to your TypeScript config

Community-Help:

• ValidationError Understanding Help
• TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'fields')