v1.0.0 to v1.0.0
4 added, 4 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: content-modeling-best-practices
description: General principles for structured content modeling that apply across CMSs, with Sanity-specific guidance. Use when designing content schemas, planning content architecture, or evaluating content reuse strategies.
license: MIT
metadata:
author: sanity
version: "1.0.0"
---
# 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
## Resources
See `resources/` for detailed guidance on specific topics:
- - Separation of content and presentation
- - Reference vs embedding strategies
- - Content reuse patterns
- - Taxonomy and classification
+ - `resources/separation-of-concerns.md` — Separating content from presentation
+ - `resources/reference-vs-embedding.md` — When to use references vs embedded objects
+ - `resources/content-reuse.md` — Content reuse patterns and the reuse spectrum
+ - `resources/taxonomy-classification.md` — Flat, hierarchical, and faceted classification