# Payload transition implementation plan

Status: revised pre-implementation plan. Work stops at the Milestone 0 host-runtime approval gate.

## Milestone 0 — complete reproducible application environment

1. **Accepted architecture record**
   - Preserve baseline `4884b5d`, dedicated Payload service, PostgreSQL, exact dependency matrix, mixed ID preservation, and committed-migration workflow.
   - Review `architecture-proposal.md`, `environment-parity.md`, and host prerequisites.

2. **Host runtime gate — requires human approval/provisioning**
   - Provision the dedicated `le_payload_dev` account and a rootless Docker context owned only by it.
   - Restrict production environment files currently readable to `sol6_vi`; verify the development account cannot traverse production paths.
   - Use deterministic CPU BGBye initially; defer optional rootless GPU provisioning.
   - Approve browser-profile-scoped local CA trust for HTTPS testing.
   - Confirm nonproduction storage/capacity locations.
   - Verify forbidden production paths and sockets are inaccessible.
   - Execute every positive and negative preflight in `host-runtime-plan.md` before application work.

3. **Repository/environment structure**
   - Add common Compose core, mode overlays/profiles, environment schemas/examples, proxy configuration, health contracts, and safe defaults.
   - Complete Docker/build-context exclusions for every context.
   - Add one-command wrappers with context/path/project safety checks.
   - Add automated external-SMTP denial and forbidden-mount/context tests; make snapshot startup fail closed.

4. **Fixture stack**
   - Build exact pinned images under Node 24.18.0.
   - Bring up proxy, frontend, Payload shell, PostgreSQL, Mailpit, deterministic CPU BGBye profile, and fixtures.
   - Prove HTTPS cookies, forwarded headers, uploads, mail capture, health, logs, reset, and teardown.

5. **Snapshot/rehearsal stack**
   - Mount only authorized scrubbed source and uploads read-only on finite jobs.
   - Add disposable destination media/PostgreSQL and detailed-report exclusions.
   - Add isolated legacy Directus reference profile using a writable clone and local-only credentials.
   - Prove no production SMTP/OAuth/webhook/token configuration or outbound delivery.
   - Keep authoritative source and `.migration.env` mounted only on finite inventory/import/validation jobs.

6. **Milestone 0 acceptance**
   - Clean-checkout fixture startup and smoke test require no undocumented steps.
   - Snapshot startup passes mount/secret/egress safety assertions.
   - Same image digests run in fixture and snapshot modes.
   - Rootless user can control only its nonproduction project resources.

## Milestone 1 — structural inventory and mapping

- Generate structural-only collections, fields, relationships, indexes, policies, permissions, flows, operations, row counts, and application-consumer inventory.
- Commit reviewed field-by-field MariaDB-to-PostgreSQL mapping without record samples.
- Classify all files and Directus metadata; retain unresolved files.
- Record only genuine product decisions.

## Milestone 2 — Payload schema and security model

- Implement collections, custom IDs, indexes, relationships, media, users, roles, access functions, hooks, and jobs.
- Prototype with schema push only on disposable development PostgreSQL.
- Replace push with committed deterministic migrations before authoritative rehearsal.
- Implement captured email recovery/verification and shared cookie/session contract.

## Milestone 3 — deterministic migration pipeline

- Implement separate reset, schema, import, and validation jobs.
- Import in dependency order with preserved IDs/timestamps/ownership and repaired sequences.
- Preserve password hashes for compatibility research without logging them.
- Copy referenced media and retain/classify all unreferenced files.
- Make imports restartable/idempotent or fail safely with explicit checkpoints.

## Milestone 4 — application compatibility and end-to-end behavior

- Move each Directus consumer behind shared Payload/compatibility clients.
- Rebuild Ko-fi, claims, memberships, flows, and backfill behavior.
- Implement API contract comparisons and the full fixture/snapshot test matrix.
- Validate password-hash transitional login and forced rehash strategy.

## Milestone 5 — full rehearsals and staging candidate

- Run repeated clean destination rehearsals.
- Verify counts, IDs, relationships, timestamps, ownership, permissions, files, checksums, API behavior, and browser workflows.
- Produce aggregate/non-personal validation summaries and unresolved product decisions.
- Build immutable release images and promote their digests to staging.

## Production boundary

Stop for explicit authorization before production deployment, reverse-proxy/DNS changes, production secrets or SMTP use, email to real users, final write freeze/cutover, Directus restart/retirement, production database mutation, or archive destruction.