Store and serve media files from your Payload CMS using Bunny's fast global CDN.
Built on top of @payloadcms/plugin-cloud-storage for seamless Payload CMS integration.
- Features
- Installation
- Quick Start
- Configuration
- CDN Cache Management
- Getting API Keys
- Storage Regions
- Basic Usage Example
- Examples
- Bunny Storage - Upload files, images, and documents to Bunny's global CDN
- Bunny Stream - Handle videos with HLS/MP4 streaming, adaptive bitrates, and thumbnails
- TUS Resumable Uploads - Reliable uploads for large video files with auto-resume on interruption
- Thumbnail Generation - Automatic thumbnails for admin panel and API responses with customizable transformations
- Signed URLs - Secure file access with time limits and geo-restrictions
- Custom URL Transformations - Apply query parameters or custom logic to file URLs
- Access Control - Use Payload's access rules or direct CDN delivery
- Automatic CDN Cache Purging - Invalidate cache on file upload/delete for instant updates
- Per-Collection Configuration - Override global settings for specific collections
Tip
⚡ Performance: Set disablePayloadAccessControl: true for best performance. This lets users download files directly from Bunny's CDN servers instead of through your Payload server, making content delivery much faster.
Requires Payload CMS 3.53.0 or higher.
Important
Migration from v1.x: Version 2.0.0+ requires Payload CMS 3.53.0+. For older Payload versions (3.0.0 - 3.52.x), use version 1.x with the optional experimental replaceSaveButtonComponent feature to fix the field update bug. See Migration Guide for detailed upgrade instructions.
# npm
npm install @seshuk/payload-storage-bunny
# yarn
yarn add @seshuk/payload-storage-bunny
# pnpm
pnpm add @seshuk/payload-storage-bunnyCreate a .env file in your project root:
BUNNY_STORAGE_API_KEY=your-storage-api-key
BUNNY_HOSTNAME=example.b-cdn.net
BUNNY_ZONE_NAME=your-storage-zoneAdd the plugin to your Payload config:
import { buildConfig } from 'payload'
import { bunnyStorage } from '@seshuk/payload-storage-bunny'
export default buildConfig({
plugins: [
bunnyStorage({
collections: {
media: {
prefix: 'media',
disablePayloadAccessControl: true, // Use direct CDN access
},
},
storage: {
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_STORAGE_API_KEY,
hostname: process.env.BUNNY_HOSTNAME,
zoneName: process.env.BUNNY_ZONE_NAME,
},
}),
],
})Define a collection that uses the plugin:
import { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'
export const Media: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'media',
upload: {
disableLocalStorage: true, // Required - handled by Bunny.net
},
fields: [
{
name: 'alt',
type: 'text',
},
],
}Important
When you use this plugin, disableLocalStorage is automatically set to true for each collection. Files won't be stored on your server.
Warning
Service Requirement: You must configure at least one service - either storage (Bunny Storage) or stream (Bunny Stream). You can configure both for full functionality.
Note
Use enabled: false to disable the plugin entirely. When disabled, collections will fall back to Payload's default storage behavior.
Main plugin configuration options:
| Option | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
enabled |
boolean |
❌ | Enable or disable the plugin (default: true) |
apiKey |
string |
Bunny Account API key (required for purge feature) |
|
collections |
object |
✅ | Which collections should use Bunny Storage |
storage |
object |
Bunny Storage configuration (required if stream not provided) |
|
stream |
object |
Bunny Stream configuration (required if storage not provided) |
|
purge |
boolean | object |
❌ | CDN cache purging configuration (optional) |
thumbnail |
boolean | object |
❌ | Global thumbnail settings (optional) |
signedUrls |
boolean | object |
❌ | Global signed URLs configuration (optional) |
urlTransform |
object |
❌ | Global URL transformation config (optional) |
mediaPreview |
boolean | object |
❌ | Global media preview settings for all collections (optional) |
i18n |
object |
❌ | Internationalization settings (optional) |
experimental |
object |
❌ | Experimental features (optional) |
Define which collections will use Bunny Storage:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
[collectionSlug] |
boolean | object |
- | Enable Bunny Storage for collection (true) or with options |
prefix |
string |
Collection slug | Folder prefix within Bunny Storage |
disablePayloadAccessControl |
boolean |
false |
Use direct CDN access (bypasses Payload auth) |
purge |
boolean | object |
Global setting | Override global cache purging config (false to disable) |
storage |
false | object |
Global setting | Disable storage for this collection (false) or override settings |
storage.uploadTimeout |
number |
Global setting | Override storage upload timeout in milliseconds |
stream |
false | object |
Global setting | Disable stream for this collection (false) or override settings |
stream.mp4Fallback |
boolean |
Global setting | Override MP4 fallback setting for videos |
stream.thumbnailTime |
number |
Global setting | Override default thumbnail time for videos (in milliseconds) |
stream.tus.uploadTimeout |
number |
Global setting | Override TUS upload timeout in seconds |
stream.uploadTimeout |
number |
Global setting | Override stream upload timeout in milliseconds |
thumbnail |
boolean | object |
Global setting | Override global thumbnail config |
signedUrls |
boolean | object |
Global setting | Override global signed URLs config |
urlTransform |
object |
Global setting | Override global URL transform config |
mediaPreview |
boolean | object |
Global setting | Override global media preview config (false to disable) |
Examples:
Simple usage:
collections: {
media: true, // Enable with defaults
videos: {
prefix: 'video-uploads',
disablePayloadAccessControl: true
},
largeVideos: {
prefix: 'large-videos',
stream: {
mp4Fallback: true,
tus: {
uploadTimeout: 7200 // 2 hours for large files
}
}
}
}Disable specific services per collection:
collections: {
// Only use Bunny Storage (disable stream for this collection)
images: {
stream: false // Videos won't be uploaded to Bunny Stream
},
// Only use Bunny Stream (disable storage for this collection)
videos: {
storage: false // Only video files will be uploaded to Bunny Stream, others will fail
},
}Note
At least one service (storage or stream) must be enabled per collection. You cannot disable both.
The prefix option organizes files in folders within your Bunny Storage. For example, prefix: 'images' stores uploads in an "images" folder.
Connect to Bunny Storage:
| Option | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
apiKey |
string |
✅ | Your Bunny Storage API key |
hostname |
string |
✅ | Your CDN domain from Pull Zone (e.g., 'example.b-cdn.net') |
zoneName |
string |
✅ | Your storage zone name |
region |
string |
❌ | Storage region code ('uk', 'ny', 'la', 'sg', 'se', 'br', 'jh', 'syd') |
tokenSecurityKey |
string |
❌ | Security key for signing storage URLs |
uploadTimeout |
number |
❌ | Upload timeout in milliseconds (default: 120000) |
Important
Bunny Storage requires a Pull Zone to be configured for your Storage Zone. Files will not be accessible without a properly configured Pull Zone. The hostname should be your Pull Zone hostname, not the Storage API endpoint. See Bunny's documentation on accessing and delivering files from Bunny Storage.
Optional settings for video handling:
| Option | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
apiKey |
string |
✅ | Your Bunny Stream API key |
hostname |
string |
✅ | Stream CDN domain (e.g., 'vz-abc123def-456.b-cdn.net') |
libraryId |
number |
✅ | Your video library ID (e.g., 123456) |
mimeTypes |
string[] |
❌ | File types that should use Bunny Stream (defaults to video/audio types) |
mp4Fallback |
boolean |
❌ | Enable MP4 downloads (required with access control unless using signed URLs with redirect) |
thumbnailTime |
number |
❌ | Default thumbnail time in milliseconds (specifies moment in video to capture) |
tokenSecurityKey |
string |
❌ | Security key for signing stream URLs |
uploadTimeout |
number |
❌ | Upload timeout in milliseconds (default: 300000) |
tus |
boolean | object |
❌ | Enable TUS resumable uploads (see options below) |
cleanup |
boolean | object |
❌ | Automatic cleanup of incomplete uploads (requires Jobs Queue setup, see options below) |
Important
The stream.mimeTypes setting works together with your collection's mimeTypes setting. If a file type is allowed in stream config but blocked in your collection config, the collection setting takes priority and the file will be rejected.
TUS upload options:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
autoMode |
boolean |
true |
Auto-enable TUS for supported MIME types |
checkAccess |
function |
Built-in check | Custom authorization function |
uploadTimeout |
number |
3600 |
Upload timeout in seconds |
Cleanup options:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
maxAge |
number |
86400 |
Time in seconds after which incomplete uploads are considered dead |
schedule |
object |
{ cron: '0 2 * * *', queue: 'storage-bunny' } |
Cron schedule for cleanup task |
Note
Cleanup feature requires Jobs Queue to be configured in your Payload setup. See Payload Jobs Queue documentation for setup instructions.
Warning
If you use Payload's access control without signed URLs, you must enable MP4 fallback both here and in your Bunny Stream settings. However, if you use signed URLs with staticHandler.useRedirect: true, MP4 fallback is not required as users are redirected directly to Bunny's HLS streams.
Note
Video support works even without Bunny Stream configured. If Bunny Stream is disabled, video files upload to Bunny Storage like any other file. Bunny Stream adds enhanced video features (streaming, adaptive bitrates, thumbnails).
Enable automatic CDN cache purging for storage files (not applicable to Stream).
Configuration options:
purge: true- Enable with default settingspurge: false- Disable cache purgingpurge: { ... }- Enable with custom settings (see options below)
| Option | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
async |
boolean |
❌ | Wait for purge to complete (default: false) |
Important
Cache purging requires a global apiKey to be configured at the plugin level. See Bunny API Key section for setup instructions.
When enabled, the plugin automatically purges CDN cache after:
- File uploads
- File deletions
This ensures visitors always see the most up-to-date files, especially important when replacing existing files (like during image cropping).
Examples:
// Simple enable with defaults
purge: true
// Disable
purge: false
// Custom configuration
purge: {
async: true // Don't wait for purge to complete
}Enable thumbnail generation for upload collections. When enabled, the plugin provides a function to Payload's adminThumbnail configuration that generates thumbnail URLs for your files.
For Bunny Stream videos: Uses the thumbnail generated at stream.thumbnailTime moment.
For images: Uses the original file or a specific size if sizeName is configured.
Use thumbnail: true to enable with defaults, thumbnail: false to disable, or provide an object to customize:
Note
This configures Payload's upload.adminThumbnail function which populates the thumbnailURL field in API responses.
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
appendTimestamp |
boolean |
false |
Add timestamp to bust cache |
streamAnimated |
boolean |
false |
Use animated preview (WebP) instead of static thumbnail for Bunny Stream videos |
queryParams |
object |
{} |
Custom query parameters appended to URLs (optimized for Bunny Optimizer) |
sizeName |
string |
- | Use specific size from upload collection's sizes instead of original file |
Examples:
// Enable animated preview for Bunny Stream videos
thumbnail: {
streamAnimated: true,
appendTimestamp: true
}
// Custom query parameters for image optimization
thumbnail: {
queryParams: {
width: '300',
height: '300',
quality: '90'
}
}
// Use specific size from upload collection sizes
thumbnail: {
sizeName: 'thumbnail', // Uses 'thumbnail' size from collection's sizes config
appendTimestamp: true // Can be combined with other options
}When appendTimestamp is enabled, the plugin automatically adds a timestamp parameter to image URLs in the admin panel and API responses. This ensures updated files show the latest version without browser caching issues. Additionally, when appendTimestamp is enabled, Payload's cache tags are automatically disabled for thumbnails to prevent caching conflicts.
The streamAnimated option enables animated WebP previews for Bunny Stream videos instead of static JPEG thumbnails. This option only works when stream configuration is enabled for the collection. When enabled, the plugin uses preview.webp URLs instead of thumbnail.jpg for video thumbnails.
The queryParams option adds custom query parameters to URLs. It works great with Bunny's Image Optimizer service for resizing, cropping, and optimizing images on-the-fly, but you can add any query parameters you need.
The sizeName option allows you to use a specific size variant from your upload collection's sizes configuration instead of the original file for admin thumbnails. This works only with image uploads that have sizes configured in your Payload collection. If the specified size doesn't exist in the document, it falls back to the original file.
Enable signed URLs for secure file access:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
expiresIn |
number |
7200 |
Link expiration time in seconds |
allowedCountries |
string[] |
[] |
Allowed countries (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes) |
blockedCountries |
string[] |
[] |
Blocked countries (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes) |
shouldUseSignedUrl |
function |
Always sign | Custom function to determine when to use signed URLs |
staticHandler |
object |
{} |
Static handler behavior (see below) |
Static handler options:
When Payload access control is enabled, files can be served in two ways:
- Proxying (default): Payload downloads the file from Bunny and serves it to the user
- Redirect: Payload generates a signed URL and redirects the user to download directly from Bunny
Tip
Redirect is recommended as it reduces server load and improves performance by avoiding file proxying.
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
useRedirect |
boolean |
false |
Redirect instead of proxying content (recommended for better performance) |
redirectStatus |
number |
302 |
HTTP status code for redirects (301, 302, 307, 308) |
expiresIn |
number |
Uses main expiresIn |
Override expiration time for redirects |
Note
Signed URLs work with both Storage and Stream when tokenSecurityKey is configured.
Custom URL transformations for complete control over file URLs.
Simple transform options:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
appendTimestamp |
boolean |
false |
Add timestamp parameter to URLs |
queryParams |
object |
{} |
Static query parameters appended to URLs |
Advanced transform function:
| Option | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
transformUrl |
function |
Custom function for complete URL control |
Function signature:
;(args: {
baseUrl: string
collection: CollectionConfig
data?: Record<string, unknown>
filename: string
prefix?: string
}) => stringWarning
URL transforms don't work when disablePayloadAccessControl is true for the collection.
TUS (resumable uploads) enables reliable uploads of large video files by breaking them into chunks and allowing resume if the connection is interrupted.
Why use TUS uploads:
- Large files: Essential for video files over 100MB
- Unreliable connections: Automatically resumes interrupted uploads
- Serverless environments: Perfect for platforms like Vercel with request timeout and file size limits
- Better UX: Users don't lose progress if something goes wrong
Upload modes:
- Auto mode (
autoMode: true): TUS is automatically enabled for supported video/audio files - Manual mode (
autoMode: false): Admin UI shows a toggle button to switch between standard and TUS uploads
Configuration:
- Simple enable:
tus: true(uses auto mode by default) - Detailed configuration: See Stream Configuration section for all TUS options
Add preview capability in admin panels to view media files directly in the UI. Works in both table cells and document views. Supports images, videos, audio, and documents.
Examples:
Global configuration (all collections):
bunnyStorage({
mediaPreview: true, // Enable with defaults for all collections
// OR with custom settings
mediaPreview: {
mode: 'fullscreen',
contentMode: {
video: 'inline',
audio: 'inline',
},
},
collections: {
media: true,
videos: true,
},
// ... storage/stream config
})Per-collection configuration:
bunnyStorage({
collections: {
media: {
mediaPreview: true, // Enable with defaults
},
videos: {
mediaPreview: {
mode: 'fullscreen',
contentMode: {
video: 'inline',
audio: 'inline',
image: 'newTab',
document: 'newTab',
},
position: { after: 'filename' },
},
},
documents: {
mediaPreview: false, // Disable for this collection
},
},
// ... storage/stream config
})Manual field addition:
import { mediaPreviewField } from '@seshuk/payload-storage-bunny'
export const Media: CollectionConfig = {
slug: 'media',
upload: true,
fields: [
mediaPreviewField({
mode: 'fullscreen',
contentMode: {
video: 'inline',
image: 'newTab',
},
}),
],
}Configuration options:
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
mode |
string |
auto |
auto (smart) or fullscreen (always modal) |
contentMode |
object |
- | Configure how each file type opens |
contentMode.video |
string |
inline |
inline (popup/modal) or newTab (new browser tab) |
contentMode.audio |
string |
inline |
inline (popup/modal) or newTab (new browser tab) |
contentMode.image |
string |
inline |
inline (popup/modal) or newTab (new browser tab) |
contentMode.document |
string |
inline |
inline (popup/modal) or newTab (new browser tab) |
position |
string/object |
last |
Where to insert field (see position options below) |
overrides |
object |
- | Override field properties |
Mode options:
auto- Table cells show popup, field shows fullscreen modal, mobile always uses fullscreenfullscreen- Always shows fullscreen modal everywhere
Position options:
'first'- Insert at the beginning of fields array'last'- Insert at the end of fields array (default){ after: 'fieldName' }- Insert after specific field (e.g.,{ after: 'alt' }){ before: 'fieldName' }- Insert before specific field (e.g.,{ before: 'alt' })- Supports dot notation for nested fields (e.g.,
{ after: 'meta.title' })
Supported file formats:
- Videos - All video formats (MP4, WebM, MOV, AVI, etc.) - Uses Bunny Stream player if configured, otherwise native HTML5
- Audio - All audio formats (MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, etc.) - Uses Bunny Stream player if configured, otherwise native HTML5
- Images - All image formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG, etc.)
- Documents - PDF, Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), text files (TXT, HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, C, C++), Adobe files (AI, PSD), CAD files (DXF), Pages, PostScript, XPS, and more (max 25MB)
Example:
collections: {
media: {
prefix: 'media',
disablePayloadAccessControl: true
}
}When disablePayloadAccessControl is false (default):
- Files go through Payload's API
- Your access rules work
- Videos need MP4 fallback enabled OR signed URLs with redirect
- MP4s are served instead of HLS (unless using signed URLs with redirect)
- Good for files that need protection
Tip
Use signed URLs with redirect to serve HLS streams directly and reduce server load
When disablePayloadAccessControl: true:
- Files go directly from Bunny CDN
- No access rules
- Videos use HLS streams (
playlist.m3u8) - Faster delivery but open access
- No need for MP4 fallback
There are two approaches to managing CDN cache for your Bunny Storage files:
Enable automatic cache purging when files are uploaded or deleted:
Example:
// At plugin level
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_API_KEY, // Required for purge
purge: true, // Simple enable with defaults
// OR with custom settings
purge: {
async: false // Wait for purge to complete (default: false)
}This is the most comprehensive approach as it ensures CDN cache is immediately purged when files change, making updated content available to all visitors.
Per-collection override:
collections: {
images: {
purge: false // Disable cache purging for this collection
},
documents: {
purge: {
async: true // Override async setting for this collection
}
},
videos: true // Uses global purge config
}Append timestamps to file URLs to force browser cache updates without purging CDN cache.
Configuration:
For thumbnail URLs (thumbnailURL field):
thumbnail: {
appendTimestamp: true
}For all file URLs (url field):
urlTransform: {
appendTimestamp: true
}Bunny CDN configuration:
To make this work, configure your Pull Zone:
- Go to your Pull Zone settings
- Navigate to the "Caching" section
- Enable "Vary Cache" for "URL Query String"
- Add "t" to the "Query String Vary Parameters" list
How it works:
This approach appends a timestamp parameter (?t=1234567890) to file URLs. When a file is updated, the timestamp changes, causing browsers and Bunny CDN to treat it as a new file and fetch the latest version.
Comparison:
- Automatic cache purging - Immediate updates everywhere, requires global
apiKey - Timestamp-based cache busting - Simpler setup, works without
apiKey, updates only when files are re-uploaded
Tip
New to Bunny.net? Sign up here to get started with fast global CDN and streaming services.
To get your Bunny Storage API key:
- Go to your Bunny Storage dashboard
- Click on your Storage Zone
- Navigate to FTP & API Access section
- Copy the Password field as your API key
[!IMPORTANT] Use the full Password, not the Read-only password (it won't work for uploads)
- Note your Username (this is your
zoneNameparameter) - Note the Hostname value to determine your
region(e.g.,ny.storage.bunnycdn.com= regionny)
Note
The hostname parameter in plugin configuration comes from your Pull Zone, not from this section.
To get your Bunny Stream API key:
- Go to your Bunny Stream dashboard
- Select your Video Library
- Click on API in the sidebar
- Copy the Video Library ID (use for
libraryIdsetting, e.g., "123456") - Copy the CDN Hostname (use for
hostnamesetting, e.g., "vz-abc123def-456.b-cdn.net") - Copy the API Key (found at the bottom of the page)
To get your Bunny API key:
- Go to your Bunny.net dashboard
- Click on your account in the top-right corner
- Select Account settings from the dropdown menu
- Click on API in the sidebar menu
- Copy the API key displayed on the page
Token security keys are used for signed URLs to provide secure access to files.
To get your Storage token security key:
- Go to your Bunny.net dashboard
- Navigate to Delivery → CDN
- Select your Pull Zone
- Click on Security in the sidebar
- Click on Token Authentication
- Enable Token authentication
- Copy the URL token authentication Key
To get your Stream token security key:
- Go to your Bunny.net dashboard
- Navigate to Delivery → Stream
- Select your Video Library
- Click on API in the sidebar
- Find CDN zone management section
- Click Manage button
- Click on Security in the sidebar
- Click on Token Authentication
- Enable Token authentication
- Copy the URL token authentication Key
Choose where to store your files. If you don't pick a region, the default storage location is used.
Use only the region code in the region setting:
- Default: leave empty
uk- London, UKny- New York, USla- Los Angeles, USsg- Singaporese- Stockholm, SEbr- São Paulo, BRjh- Johannesburg, SAsyd- Sydney, AU
To determine your region, check your Bunny Storage Zone settings. Pick a region closest to your users for best performance. The region code is found in your Storage Zone's hostname (e.g., if your endpoint is ny.storage.bunnycdn.com, use ny as the region).
Example:
storage: {
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_STORAGE_API_KEY,
hostname: 'example.b-cdn.net',
region: 'ny', // Just 'ny', not 'ny.storage.bunnycdn.com'
zoneName: 'my-zone'
}import { buildConfig } from 'payload'
import { bunnyStorage } from '@seshuk/payload-storage-bunny'
export default buildConfig({
plugins: [
bunnyStorage({
// Bunny Account API key for account-level operations
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_API_KEY,
collections: {
media: {
prefix: 'media',
disablePayloadAccessControl: true,
},
},
storage: {
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_STORAGE_API_KEY,
hostname: 'example.b-cdn.net',
zoneName: 'your-storage-zone',
},
stream: {
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_STREAM_API_KEY,
hostname: 'vz-abc123def-456.b-cdn.net',
libraryId: 123456,
tus: true, // Enable resumable uploads
},
// Optional: Auto-purge CDN cache (requires apiKey)
purge: true,
}),
],
})export default buildConfig({
plugins: [
bunnyStorage({
collections: {
media: { prefix: 'uploads', disablePayloadAccessControl: true },
},
storage: {
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_STORAGE_API_KEY,
hostname: 'example.b-cdn.net',
zoneName: 'your-storage-zone',
},
}),
],
})export default buildConfig({
plugins: [
bunnyStorage({
collections: {
videos: { prefix: 'videos' },
},
stream: {
apiKey: process.env.BUNNY_STREAM_API_KEY,
hostname: 'vz-abc123def-456.b-cdn.net',
libraryId: 123456,
mp4Fallback: true,
tus: true,
},
}),
],
})For detailed configuration examples and advanced use cases, see docs/examples.md.
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Need help? Here are some resources:
- Documentation: Bunny.net Documentation
- Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
- Community Support: Payload CMS Discord
- Questions: Join the discussion in our GitHub Issues or Payload Discord
Built with ❤️ for the Payload CMS community.
Disclosure: Links to bunny.net in this documentation are referral links.
