diff --git a/docs/email/overview.mdx b/docs/email/overview.mdx
index 5dff8bcf458..cde743128cd 100644
--- a/docs/email/overview.mdx
+++ b/docs/email/overview.mdx
@@ -158,6 +158,77 @@ const email = await payload.sendEmail({
 })
 ```
 
+## Sending email with attachments
+
+**Nodemailer adapter (SMTP/SendGrid/etc.)**
+
+Works with `@payloadcms/email-nodemailer` and any Nodemailer transport.
+
+```ts
+await payload.sendEmail({
+  to: 'user@example.com',
+  subject: 'Your report',
+  html: '<p>See attached.</p>',
+  attachments: [
+    // From a file path (local disk, mounted volume, etc.)
+    {
+      filename: 'invoice.pdf',
+      path: '/var/data/invoice.pdf',
+      contentType: 'application/pdf',
+    },
+    // From a Buffer you generated at runtime
+    {
+      filename: 'report.csv',
+      content: Buffer.from('col1,col2\nA,B\n'),
+      contentType: 'text/csv',
+    },
+  ],
+})
+```
+
+Anything supported by Nodemailer’s attachments—streams, Buffers, URLs, content IDs for inline images (cid), etc.—will work here.
+
+**Resend adapter**
+
+Works with @payloadcms/email-resend.
+
+For attachments from remote URLs
+
+```ts
+await payload.sendEmail({
+  to: 'user@example.com',
+  subject: 'Your invoice',
+  html: '<p>Thanks! Invoice attached.</p>',
+  attachments: [
+    {
+      // Resend will fetch this URL
+      path: 'https://example.com/invoices/1234.pdf',
+      filename: 'invoice-1234.pdf',
+    },
+  ],
+})
+```
+
+For a local file
+
+```ts
+import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
+
+const pdf = await readFile('/var/data/invoice.pdf')
+await payload.sendEmail({
+  to: 'user@example.com',
+  subject: 'Your invoice',
+  html: '<p>Thanks! Invoice attached.</p>',
+  attachments: [
+    {
+      filename: 'invoice.pdf',
+      // Resend expects Base64 here
+      content: pdf.toString('base64'),
+    },
+  ],
+})
+```
+
 ## Using multiple mail providers
 
 Payload supports the use of a single transporter of email, but there is nothing stopping you from having more. Consider a use case where sending bulk email is handled differently than transactional email and could be done using a [hook](/docs/hooks/overview).
diff --git a/docs/fields/select.mdx b/docs/fields/select.mdx
index b2fbfca3e7e..02be919e134 100644
--- a/docs/fields/select.mdx
+++ b/docs/fields/select.mdx
@@ -68,6 +68,47 @@ _\* An asterisk denotes that a property is required._
   used as a GraphQL enum.
 </Banner>
 
+### Limitations for Arrays / Nested Fields (especially on MongoDB)
+
+<Banner type="warning">
+  Avoid unique: true on fields nested inside an array or blocks.
+</Banner>
+In MongoDB this creates a collection-wide unique multikey index; missing values
+are treated like null and will collide, causing duplicate-key errors on
+insert/update. If you need uniqueness within a parent document’s array (or
+conditional uniqueness), use a custom validate function or a hook.
+
+If you need collection-wide uniqueness for values that currently live in an array, consider
+normalizing those values into a top-level field or a separate collection where a
+standard unique index makes sense.
+
+Example:
+
+```ts
+import type { Field } from 'payload'
+
+export const ItemsArray: Field = {
+  name: 'items',
+  type: 'array',
+  fields: [
+    {
+      name: 'code',
+      type: 'text',
+      // DO NOT use unique: true here; see note above
+      validate: async (value, { data }) => {
+        // value is the current 'code'; data.items is the full array
+        if (!value || !Array.isArray(data?.items)) return true
+        const codes = data.items.map((i) => i?.code ?? '').filter(Boolean)
+        const duplicates = new Set(
+          codes.filter((c, i) => codes.indexOf(c) !== i),
+        )
+        return duplicates.size === 0 || 'Codes in this array must be unique.'
+      },
+    },
+  ],
+}
+```
+
 ### filterOptions
 
 Used to dynamically filter which options are available based on the current user, document data, or other criteria.
diff --git a/docs/production/deployment.mdx b/docs/production/deployment.mdx
index 1865133eced..ac2f06e4dd4 100644
--- a/docs/production/deployment.mdx
+++ b/docs/production/deployment.mdx
@@ -154,10 +154,10 @@ const nextConfig = {
 Dockerfile
 
 ```dockerfile
-# Dockerfile
+# To use this Dockerfile, you have to set `output: 'standalone'` in your next.config.js file.
 # From https://github.com/vercel/next.js/blob/canary/examples/with-docker/Dockerfile
 
-FROM node:18-alpine AS base
+FROM node:22-alpine AS base
 
 # Install dependencies only when needed
 FROM base AS deps
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ ENV NODE_ENV production
 RUN addgroup --system --gid 1001 nodejs
 RUN adduser --system --uid 1001 nextjs
 
+# Remove this line if you do not have this folder
 COPY --from=builder /app/public ./public
 
 # Set the correct permission for prerender cache
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ version: '3'
 
 services:
   payload:
-    image: node:18-alpine
+    image: node:22-alpine
     ports:
       - '3000:3000'
     volumes:
diff --git a/docs/upload/overview.mdx b/docs/upload/overview.mdx
index 1167c957bf2..bb954ae57e4 100644
--- a/docs/upload/overview.mdx
+++ b/docs/upload/overview.mdx
@@ -305,6 +305,53 @@ export const Media: CollectionConfig = {
 }
 ```
 
+3. Dynamic thumbnails via hooks
+
+```ts
+import type { CollectionConfig, AfterChangeHook, AfterReadHook } from 'payload'
+
+// Example helper that builds a CDN URL (your logic here)
+const buildThumbURL = ({ filename }: { filename?: string }) =>
+  filename ? `https://cdn.example.com/thumbs/${filename}.jpg` : undefined
+
+const setThumbURL: AfterChangeHook = async ({ doc, operation }) => {
+  // compute a thumbnail URL (first frame, resized, etc.)
+  const thumbnailURL = buildThumbURL({ filename: doc?.filename })
+  // persist to the same doc so the Admin can reuse it
+  return { ...doc, thumbnailURL }
+}
+
+const exposeThumbURL: AfterReadHook = async ({ doc }) => {
+  // ensure the field is always present on reads
+  return {
+    ...doc,
+    thumbnailURL:
+      doc.thumbnailURL ?? buildThumbURL({ filename: doc?.filename }),
+  }
+}
+
+export const Media: CollectionConfig = {
+  slug: 'media',
+  upload: true,
+  admin: {
+    // Use the field value for the Admin thumbnail
+    adminThumbnail: ({ doc }) => doc?.thumbnailURL,
+  },
+  hooks: {
+    afterChange: [setThumbURL],
+    afterRead: [exposeThumbURL],
+  },
+  fields: [
+    // store the dynamic URL (hidden from editors if you like)
+    {
+      name: 'thumbnailURL',
+      type: 'text',
+      admin: { hidden: true },
+    },
+  ],
+}
+```
+
 ## Restricted File Types
 
 Possibly problematic file types are automatically restricted from being uploaded to your application.
diff --git a/templates/website/src/components/Media/ImageMedia/index.tsx b/templates/website/src/components/Media/ImageMedia/index.tsx
index 8a1dc106471..e4e7b78a4c2 100644
--- a/templates/website/src/components/Media/ImageMedia/index.tsx
+++ b/templates/website/src/components/Media/ImageMedia/index.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,27 @@ const { breakpoints } = cssVariables
 const placeholderBlur =
   'data:image/png;base64,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'
 
+/**
+ * ImageMedia
+ *
+ * This component intentionally passes a **relative** `src` (e.g. `/media/...`),
+ * so Next.js uses its **built-in image optimization** — no custom `loader` needed.
+ *
+ * If your storage/plugin returns **absolute** URLs (e.g. `https://cdn.example.com/...`),
+ * choose ONE of the following:
+ *   A) Allow the remote host in next.config.js:
+ *      images: { remotePatterns: [{ protocol: 'https', hostname: 'cdn.example.com' }] }
+ *   B) Provide a per-instance **custom loader** for CDN transforms:
+ *      const imageLoader: ImageLoader = ({ src, width, quality }) =>
+ *        `https://cdn.example.com${src}?w=${width}&q=${quality ?? 75}`
+ *      <Image loader={imageLoader} src="/media/hero.jpg" width={1200} height={600} alt="" />
+ *   C) Skip optimization for that image:
+ *      <Image unoptimized src="https://cdn.example.com/hero.jpg" width={1200} height={600} alt="" />
+ *
+ * TL;DR: Template defaults = relative src → no loader prop required.
+ * Only add `loader` if you’re deliberately using remote/CDN URLs or custom transforms.
+ */
+
 export const ImageMedia: React.FC<MediaProps> = (props) => {
   const {
     alt: altFromProps,