Forms and editorial metadata

Use metadata for properties of a content record, such as a summary, reading time, or card image. Use modules for the content composed inside a layout. This keeps listing data separate from page body structure.

Add properties to an existing type

The following override extends the existing page type. It inherits that type's entity and templates:

# cms/contents/page/config.yaml
content:
    revision: 3
    extra_fields:
        summary:
            type: translation
            type_options:
                type: textarea
        reading_minutes:
            type: integer
            type_options:
                required: false

Values are stored in Content.extraData; adding them does not create separate SQL columns. Use a mapped entity field or association when the domain needs relational integrity, indexing, or efficient database queries.

In a template with a content version:

{% set page = version.content %}
<p>{{ page.extraData.summary|default('')|sfs_cms_trans }}</p>
{% if page.extraData.reading_minutes|default(0) %}
    <p>{{ page.extraData.reading_minutes }} min</p>
{% endif %}

Use the same pattern for a media selection or an application-specific field type. Define media types and output restrictions before adding the selector.

Reuse Symfony form behavior

CMS dynamic fields resolve application form types, CMS types, and Symfony types. A field's type_options are Symfony options; place attr, validation constraints, and choice settings inside that block.

See Dynamic Form Type and the custom rating form. Keep validation in the form and application model, including for generated or imported values.

Customize an admin form

Content definitions expose admin actions such as create, update, version_create, and version_update. Their type selects the Symfony form class and view selects the Twig template. Override the specific action that needs different fields instead of replacing the entire controller.

A new content type needs its own entity mapping and a complete definition with entity_class. An override of an existing type can inherit it. Clear configuration cache after changing definitions and test both creation and update forms with existing content.

Store the value at the right level

Site metadata, content extra data, version metadata, and module data have different lifetimes. Site-wide instructions belong to a site; record-wide properties belong to content; values that must vary with each draft belong to versioned module data or an application version extension. Republishing an old version does not rewind every record-level property.