In our Content modeling basics topic, we saw how content types are defined to support content. We learned that content types create a uniform structure and purpose. Content types enable us to reuse content. We also saw how the content is broken down and grouped. Each content section is associated with a content block type. Now let's see how to create those content types in Content.

Start building your content type

Admins and managers are responsible for creating and managing content types.

1. From Developer > Content types, click Create content type.
2. Enter a meaningful name for your content type and click Create. The content type is created and opens as an empty canvas in the drag and drop editor.
3. From Details tab configure some basic and advanced settings. The settings determine how the content type will function.

   Basic settings

   Include in the create content menu

   This field is checked and enabled by default. When checked, the content type displays as an option when composers create content.

   Give your content type a unique identity

   The content type image thumbnail helps visually identify content types in lists and searches. You can set the thumbnail settings for the content items using this content type.
   • Select the checkbox Use this thumbnail for content items if no image is selected to use the same image. This option sets the image uploaded here as the default content item thumbnail.
   • You can also select an image that is part of the content item as the content item thumbnail. Enable the Select an element for content item thumbnail checkbox. Then, a list of image elements added to the content type will display. You can select one image element. When your composer adds an image to this image element, that image becomes the thumbnail.

   Tags

   Tags help organize, filter search, and retrieve this content type.

   Categories

   Add a category element to content types, and composers can use it to classify content.

   Advanced settings

   Content types come in different flavors. They can be used to create content, pages, and custom elements. You can define how to use your content type on the Details > Advanced tab of the content type form.

   Use the content type for webpages

   You can set this content type as a page type. Page types are a specialized form of content types. They are used to define what pieces of content a composer will use when composing pages. You can use any page type you create in any of your websites or website templates. Page types are displayed in the site manager when adding new pages to a site. Your developer must have mapped your content type to a layout before defining a content type as a page type.

   Use the content type as a custom element

   You can reuse this content type within another content type as a custom element.
   • Select the Add to custom elements palette checkbox.
   • Then select an icon for the custom element. The content type is then displayed as a custom element on the Design > Custom tab.

   Provide a custom user interface extension

   Custom user interface extensions provide a tailored experience for the composers. You can configure elements to display content from external systems. For example, you can present content from commerce as a drop-down option in a content form. Enabling the custom user interface extension applies it to the entire content type. The content type becomes the data model for UI. Check out Custom user interfaces.
   
   • Switch the toggle for Provide a custom user interface extension to Yes.
   • Add the URL for the custom user interface .../index.html file path. Contact your developer to get the index.html file path.
4. Add element blocks to design the structure you want content composers to use.
   1. From the Design tab, drag and drop an element block to the form.
   2. The element settings panels open to the left of the editor.
   3. On the Basic tab, enter a label and a key name. The key is saved as part of the content and used by developers. They can use the key to target the content created using this element in this content type.

      Note: Changing the key name will break the applications that use this element.

   4. Define mandatory fields, add help text, enable multiple entries, and more. And click Apply.
   5. Keep adding more element blocks to build out your content type. You can choose between Basic and Custom blocks. You can create your custom blocks. Check out the Elements topic to learn about creating custom blocks.

      Tip: You can click and drag each element block to reposition it on the page.

      Each element includes a set of configuration options. To learn more about configuring the individual element block, check out Add element blocks.
5. Set up defaults for your content type to control how and who can access this content type.

   Content language

   The language that you associate with a content type serves as meta-data. The metadata can be used for search and filtering content types.

   Tip: Developers can use language data to filter and retrieve content.

   You can choose a language from the options your admin added. The list of these languages is available in the Content language drop-down menu. The default language set by your admin is shown in the drop-down menu as selected. You can leave the default language as the option or choose a different one.

   Note: These settings are used only as search filters. They don't restrict what text you enter in the content fields.

   Set authentication requirement for content type

   You can set a security layer at a more granular level. You can control access to the content type by requiring authentication. For Standard editions, your admin can enable the Pages and content authentication setting. The Users must authenticate checkbox is visible. If you select this checkbox, then users will need to log in to access the content.

   Use elements for settings

   Not all the elements you add to a content type need to store information that will be displayed in an app or on a website. You can also use them as a way of storing configuration options for a content item. For example, a number element can specify the maximum number of items in a list. To add a configuration element
   1. Switch the toggle to Settings on the content type form.
   2. Drag and drop element blocks from the Design tab and configure them.
   3. You can also add elements to the settings area from the element. Select the Use for settings option from the element's Advanced settings tab.
   When you add elements to the Settings form, the Use for settings option is selected. The element will then appear in the configuration tab of the content form. The configuration elements are editable from the preview.

Edit content types

If you edit a content type, your changes affect all content items created from your content type. Your changes are applied to a content item only after a composer opens and edits a content item. Content composers are notified of your updates when they update a content item.

Delete content types

You can delete a content type only if the content items created with it are already retired or deleted.