content-modelling

Content Modelling

Design structured content models for reusable, multi-channel content.

Core Concepts

Concept	Definition
Content Type	Template defining structure for similar content
Field	Single data element within a content type
Relationship	Connection between content types
Instance	Specific piece of content based on a type

Field Types

Type	Use Case	Example
Short text	Titles, labels	"Getting Started"
Long text	Descriptions	Paragraph content
Rich text	Formatted content	Bold, links, lists
Number	Quantities	42
Boolean	Toggles	true
Date	Timestamps	2024-01-15
Media	Images, files	hero.png
Reference	Links to other content	→ Author
Enum	Fixed choices	`draft

Relationship Types

Reference (Linked)

Content exists independently, linked by ID.

Article → Author (reference)
         └─ Author can be edited separately

Embedded

Content nested within parent.

Article ⊃ SEO Metadata (embedded)
          └─ Metadata only exists in this article

Hierarchical

Parent-child relationships.

Documentation
├── Getting Started
│   ├── Installation
│   └── Configuration
└── API Reference

Content Model Template

## Content Type: [Name]

### Overview
| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Purpose** | [what this type represents] |
| **Cardinality** | [expected instance count] |
| **Lifecycle** | [draft → review → published] |

### Fields
| Field | Type | Required | Constraints |
|-------|------|----------|-------------|
| title | Short text | Yes | Max 100 chars |
| slug | Short text | Yes | URL-safe, unique |
| body | Rich text | Yes | - |
| author | Reference | Yes | → Author |
| status | Enum | Yes | draft/published |

### Relationships
| Relation | Type | Target | Cardinality |
|----------|------|--------|-------------|
| author | Reference | Author | 1:1 |
| category | Reference | Category | Many:1 |

### Validation Rules
- `slug` must be unique within parent
- `publishedAt` required when `status = published`

Naming Conventions

Element	Convention	Example
Types	PascalCase	BlogPost
Fields	camelCase	publishedAt
Slugs	kebab-case	getting-started

Design Principles

COPE: Create Once, Publish Everywhere

• Separate content from presentation
• Use semantic fields, not layout fields
• Enable multi-channel delivery

Atomic Content

• Break content into smallest reusable units
• Compose complex content from atoms
• Avoid duplication

Anti-Patterns

• Page-based models: Tying content to specific pages
• HTML in fields: Mixing content with presentation
• Monolithic types: One type for everything
• Redundant fields: Same data in multiple places