Support React Multi Date Picker (Multi-calendar & Localization) as an alternative to the default Date Picker

[hamzehparsi]

Summary

I'd like to suggest using React Multi Date Picker for the Admin UI date field, or at least providing it as an optional implementation.

Why?

The current date picker is limited to the Gregorian calendar, which creates a less intuitive experience for users in many parts of the world.

React Multi Date Picker offers several advantages:

• 🌍 Multiple calendar systems (Gregorian, Persian/Jalali, Arabic, Indian, etc.)
• 🌐 Built-in localization for many languages
• 📅 Flexible date formatting
• 🎨 Highly customizable UI
• ♿ Good accessibility support
• 🧩 Easy integration with React applications
• 🔧 Actively maintained

Supporting a multi-calendar date picker would make Payload CMS more accessible to international users without changing existing workflows for those who prefer the Gregorian calendar.

This could be implemented either by:

1. Replacing the current date picker, or
2. Providing an adapter/configuration option so developers can choose their preferred date picker.

I believe this would significantly improve the developer and editor experience for a global audience.

Thank you for considering this feature!

[DanRibbens]

@paulpopus you were looking into which datepicker to use for the v4 redesign. Did you look into React Multi Date Picker?

[paulpopus]

Yeah I replied in discord previously around this conversation. The React Multi Date Picker package is far less used and therefore could be a vector for bugs or exploits. End users can still override the default component to support the additional calendars.

In addition we made a decision for 4.0 to not also break any of the underlying libraries as part of the migration as to avoid potential migration whiplash if we migrate to a different set of UI libraries in 5.0