> ## 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.

# Short Text field

> Detailed explanation of the Short Text field in ButterCMS, including input, output, configuration options, and use cases

The **Short Text** field is best used for short, single-line, alpha-numeric content, like a page title or button label.

<Warning>
  The Short Text field does not support line breaks, which makes it a poor fit for content like Markdown. Use the Long Text field, WYSIWYG field (with code editor), or the HTML field for that kind of content.
</Warning>

![Short Text field configuration](https://cdn.buttercms.com/cdlQZh6Q2GFSuo1xjcHp)

## Field at a glance

### Input and output

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Input type" icon="arrow-right-to-bracket">
    Single line text
  </Card>

  <Card title="API output" icon="arrow-right-from-bracket">
    `string`
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### API response example

```json theme={null}
"headline": "Welcome to Our Site"
```

### Field configuration options

<Tip>
  Use max length validation to ensure headlines don't exceed what your design can accommodate. A typical recommendation is 60-70 characters for page titles to optimize for SEO.
</Tip>

| `Option Name`            | `Type`   | `Function`                                                                                                                                          |
| ------------------------ | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Required?                | boolean  | Make field required to save page                                                                                                                    |
| Help text                | string   | Add help text to describe usage to your team                                                                                                        |
| Min length               | number   | Set a minimum length in characters                                                                                                                  |
| Max length               | number   | Set a maximum length in characters                                                                                                                  |
| Default value            | string   | Set a default value for the field                                                                                                                   |
| Exclude from translation | boolean  | Exclude the field from  translation function                                                                                                        |
| Specific pattern         | Dropdown | Validates field data against your choice of: <ul><li>Email</li><li>URL</li><li>US Phone Number</li><li>US Zip Code</li><li>Custom (Regex)</li></ul> |

## Common use cases

Some of the common use cases for the Short Text field include:

* Page titles and headlines
* Button labels and CTA text
* Meta titles for SEO
* URL slugs
* Author names
* Product names
* Navigation menu items
* Headlines, titles, button text, URLs

## Best practices

1. **Set appropriate max lengths**: Match your design constraints
2. **Use help text**: Guide editors on expected content (e.g., "Enter a headline under 60 characters")
3. **Make required when needed**: Titles and slugs should typically be required
4. **Use for structured short data**: Phone numbers, social media handles, short URLs