content-modeling-best-practices

---
name: content-modeling-best-practices
description: Structured content modeling guidance for schema design, content architecture, content reuse, references versus embedded objects, separation of concerns, and taxonomies across Sanity and other headless CMSes. Use this skill when designing or refactoring content types, deciding field shapes, debating reusable versus nested content, planning omnichannel content models, or reviewing whether a schema is too page-shaped or presentation-driven.
license: MIT
---

# Content Modeling Best Practices

Principles for designing structured content that's flexible, reusable, and maintainable. These concepts apply to any headless CMS but include Sanity-specific implementation notes.

## When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:
- Starting a new project and designing the content model
- Evaluating whether content should be structured or free-form
- Deciding between references and embedded content
- Planning for multi-channel content delivery
- Refactoring existing content structures

## Core Principles

1. **Content is data, not pages** — Structure content for meaning, not presentation
2. **Single source of truth** — Avoid content duplication
3. **Future-proof** — Design for channels that don't exist yet
4. **Editor-centric** — Optimize for the people creating content

## References

Start with the reference that matches the modeling decision in front of you, instead of loading every topic at once. See `references/` for detailed guidance on specific topics:
- `references/separation-of-concerns.md` — Separating content from presentation
- `references/reference-vs-embedding.md` — When to use references vs embedded objects
- `references/content-reuse.md` — Content reuse patterns and the reuse spectrum
- `references/taxonomy-classification.md` — Flat, hierarchical, and faceted classification