> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://buttercms.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fields overview

> Overview of all ButterCMS field types — the data they accept, which content types support them, and basic use cases for each field.

<Note>
  The following article discusses the different field types, the content types they can be used with, and how to choose between them. For more information on configuring and working with fields, you can also see the following articles:
</Note>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configuring and validating fields" icon="gear" href="../../create-content/creating-editing-content/fields-basics/configuring-and-validating-fields">
    How to configure and validate fields, including adding custom validation rules to ensure data integrity in ButterCMS
  </Card>

  <Card title="Adding default values to fields" icon="sliders" href="../../create-content/creating-editing-content/fields-basics/default-field-values">
    How to add default values, including common use-cases, examples, and best practices.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Simple and advanced field types

ButterCMS provides a variety of different field types to allow you to build flexible schemas for your Pages and Collections.

**Simple field types** allow you to restrict data to a specific type, such as short and long text fields, number fields, checkbox fields, media fields, and more.

ButterCMS also has five **advanced field types** that allow you to structure more complex data: references, repeaters, components, component pickers, and form integration fields.

<Tip>
  Select any field type in the left menu to get more information on that field, including: input types, API response examples, field configuration options, common use cases, best practices, and more.
</Tip>

## **Quick reference table**

Here is an at-a-glance reference to the content fields available in ButterCMS, their API response output type, and some examples of use cases.

<Card title="Content fields available in ButterCMS">
  | **Field type**        | **Output type**                                    | **Primary use case**                     |
  | :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------- |
  | **Short Text**        | `string`                                           | Titles, headlines, labels, URLs          |
  | **Long Text**         | `string`                                           | Descriptions, excerpts, markdown content |
  | **WYSIWYG**           | `string` (HTML)                                    | Rich formatted content, blog posts       |
  | **HTML**              | `string` (HTML)                                    | Custom code, embed snippets              |
  | **Number**            | `number`                                           | Prices, quantities, dimensions           |
  | **Date**              | `string` (ISO)                                     | Publish dates, event times               |
  | **Dropdown**          | `string`                                           | Status selection, predefined choices     |
  | **Checkbox**          | `boolean`                                          | Feature flags, visibility toggles        |
  | **Color**             | `string` (hex)                                     | Brand colors, theme customization        |
  | **Media**             | `string` (URL) unless alt\_text parameter provided | Images, documents, files                 |
  | **Reference**         | `object/array`                                     | Categories, authors, related content     |
  | **Component**         | `object`                                           | Fixed structured blocks                  |
  | **Component Picker**  | `array`                                            | Dynamic page sections                    |
  | **Repeater**          | `array`                                            | Lists, carousels, repeated data          |
  | **Form integrations** | Depends on form provider                           | See Form Integration Fields.             |
</Card>

## Pages vs. Collections: field availability

Not all field types are available in both Pages and Collections:

| Feature                                 | Pages | Collections |
| --------------------------------------- | :---: | :---------: |
| Basic Fields (Text, Number, Date, etc.) |   ✅   |      ✅      |
| Media Fields                            |   ✅   |      ✅      |
| Reference Fields                        |   ✅   |      ✅      |
| **Component**                           |   ✅   |      ❌      |
| **Component Picker**                    |   ✅   |      ❌      |
| **Repeater**                            |   ✅   |      ❌      |
| **Form integration fields**             |   ✅   |      ❌      |

## Choosing the right field type

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="I need a simple title or label">
    Use **Short Text**. Configure max length if you need to limit characters for design consistency.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need formatted or rich content like a blog post">
    Use **WYSIWYG** for rich text editing. You can customize the toolbar to control which formatting options are available.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need to add images">
    Use **Media** for single images. For galleries, use a **Repeater** with Media fields inside. Alt text is supported. You can also insert images from your Media Library directly into a WYSIWYG field.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need to categorize or tag content, or link to an author">
    Create a **Collection** (e.g., Categories) and use a **Reference** field to link it. This allows filtering and reuse.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need repeating groups of fields">
    Use a **Repeater** if the content is unique to one page. Use a **Reference** to a Collection if you need to reuse the content across multiple pages.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I need flexible page sections that editors can reorder">
    Use a **Component Picker** to let editors choose from multiple component types and arrange them in any order.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>