Content Modeling Best Practices

1---2name: content-modeling-best-practices3description: 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.4---5 6# Content Modeling Best Practices7 8Principles for designing structured content that's flexible, reusable, and maintainable. These concepts apply to any headless CMS but include Sanity-specific implementation notes.9 10## When to Apply11 12Reference these guidelines when:13- Starting a new project and designing the content model14- Evaluating whether content should be structured or free-form15- Deciding between references and embedded content16- Planning for multi-channel content delivery17- Refactoring existing content structures18 19## Core Principles20 211. **Content is data, not pages** — Structure content for meaning, not presentation222. **Single source of truth** — Avoid content duplication233. **Future-proof** — Design for channels that don't exist yet244. **Editor-centric** — Optimize for the people creating content25 26## References27 28Start 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:29- `references/separation-of-concerns.md` — Separating content from presentation30- `references/reference-vs-embedding.md` — When to use references vs embedded objects31- `references/content-reuse.md` — Content reuse patterns and the reuse spectrum32- `references/taxonomy-classification.md` — Flat, hierarchical, and faceted classification