Content-Management-Systems

# Content Management Systems

Use this skill when the user is working on a content management system or on software that behaves like one.

This skill focuses on the seams that matter in CMS work:

- themes and templates

- plugins, apps, modules, and extensions

- admin and editor interfaces

- media and upload handling

- content models, taxonomy, and metadata

- render pipelines and static export flows

When to Use This Skill

- The user mentions a CMS platform such as WordPress, Shopify, Drupal, Joomla, Webflow, Squarespace, Wix, WooCommerce, HubSpot CMS Hub, or Adobe Experience Manager.

- The task is about theme development, template changes, or design system work inside a CMS.

- The task is about plugins, modules, apps, or extension points.

- The task touches editor UX, previews, taxonomy, slugs, SEO fields, or publishing behavior.

- The task involves uploads, media libraries, authored assets, markdown rendering, or static export.

First Pass

1. Identify the platform category: self-hosted CMS, SaaS site builder, commerce platform, or hybrid/headless system.

2. Find the owning implementation seam before editing:

- theme or template layer

- plugin, app, module, or extension layer

- admin or editor surface

- content model or storage layer

- media pipeline

- export, deploy, or rendering pipeline

3. Check platform constraints before choosing an approach:

- what is editable locally

- what is authored content versus code

- where media belongs

- whether the final site is server-rendered, static-exported, or hosted remotely

CMS Rules

- Follow the platform's naming and folder conventions for themes, modules, template parts, or sections.

- Keep theme assets separate from user-uploaded media unless the platform explicitly combines them.

- Prefer structured content fields over storing important metadata inside presentation markup.

- Treat previews, slugs, taxonomy, excerpts, meta fields, and publish states as first-class CMS concerns.

- Prefer safe defaults and graceful fallback behavior when config, theme selection, or content input is invalid.

- When changing editor or admin behavior, trace the stored field, validation rules, preview path, and final render path together.

Common Workflows

Themes and Templates

- Start at the template loader or theme runtime, not at a downstream include.

- Preserve the platform's template hierarchy and partial naming conventions.

- Keep presentation changes close to templates and shared theme helpers.

Plugins, Apps, and Modules

- Add behavior at the platform's extension seam instead of scattering logic into templates.

- Keep migrations, seed data, and configuration updates explicit and versioned.

- Document the extension's setup assumptions when the platform requires activation or registration.

Admin and Editor UX

- Keep forms aligned with the stored content model.

- Prefer author-facing previews when content transformations are non-trivial.

- Keep validation, CSRF or equivalent safeguards, and permissions consistent with the surrounding admin code.

Media and Uploads

- Use a dedicated upload path for authored media.

- Keep decorative or theme-owned imagery in the active theme folder.

- Default to conventional locations like `uploads/` for authored media and `img/` for theme assets unless the platform dictates a stronger convention.

- When a CMS supports configurable media directories, expose the setting with a safe fallback.

Content Models and Migrations

- Distinguish content entities clearly: pages, posts, products, entries, collections, taxonomies, and settings.

- Prefer migration files or exportable schema definitions over ad hoc runtime mutations.

- Keep slugs, publish dates, excerpts, canonical metadata, and taxonomy relations structured.

Markdown, HTML, and Static Export

- Decide whether markdown is authored input, intermediate content, or build output before changing the renderer.

- Pair renderer changes with preview o