Introduction

The Content Engine turns one TypeScript definition into structured content for your plugin. You describe the fields of an article or a category, and VitNode generates the database table, Zod validation, staff-only API routes, staff permissions and AdminCP screens. Optional blocks add drafts, a public API, pages with SEO metadata, revisions, scheduling, live editing, translations, search, hiding and duplication.

This is the whole definition behind the example plugin's Categories screen:

import { defineContentType, field } from "@vitnode/core/content";

export const categoryContentType = defineContentType({
  id: "example.category",
  tableName: "example_categories",
  fields: {
    name: field.text({ required: true, minLength: 1, maxLength: 100 }),
  },
  admin: {
    path: "example/categories",
    list: {
      columns: ["name", "createdAt"],
      orderableFields: ["name"],
    },
  },
});

Its sibling example.article turns on more blocks. Same engine, more fields, a busier list:

On the public siteCopy Anchor Link

The same definition also drives the public side. Add publicApi and the records become readable; a few more options and members write their own. The example plugin's discussions use all of it.

A list with search, filters and pages, from Public lists:

A page for each record, from Public pages, with Report from Report content:

And a form members post with, from Public create form:

What you getCopy Anchor Link

Content types live in code and in your migrations, not in the database. There is no screen for creating a content type at runtime.

Pick a guideCopy Anchor Link

ReferenceCopy Anchor Link

• Options: every defineContentType option and how the options depend on each other.
• Fields: every field.* helper with its options, column type and form control.
• Plugin files: the files and exports the app and the API read from your plugin.
• Live editing API: the HTTP API and deployment requirements behind live editing.
• Publishing policies reference: policy keys, resolution order, routes and errors.