content-management

Content Management Skill

This skill provides tools for managing content in Drupal CMS via JSON:API. Use these commands to list, fetch, update, and create pages and other content entities.

Available Commands

All commands use a single entrypoint:

cd canvas && npm run content -- <command> [args...]

List Content

List content items of a specific type:

cd canvas && npm run content -- list <type>
cd canvas && npm run content -- list --types  # Discover available types

Get Content

Fetch one or more content items and save them locally:

cd canvas && npm run content -- get <type> <uuid> [<uuid>...]
cd canvas && npm run content -- get <type> <uuid> --include <relationships>

Examples:

cd canvas && npm run content -- get page abc-123-def
cd canvas && npm run content -- get page abc-123 def-456 ghi-789
cd canvas && npm run content -- get media--image uuid1 uuid2 uuid3
cd canvas && npm run content -- get page abc-123-def --include image,owner

Saves content to content/<type>/<uuid>.json. For media--image, automatically includes the file relationship and displays the thumbnail URL and target_id.

Create Content

Create a new content item from a local file:

cd canvas && npm run content -- create <file-path>

After creation, the temporary file is removed and the full entity is fetched and saved with the UUID returned by the API.

Update Content

Push changes from a local JSON file back to the API:

cd canvas && npm run content -- update <file-path>

The file must contain valid JSON:API data with data.type and data.id fields.

Delete Content

Delete one or more content items:

cd canvas && npm run content -- delete <type> <uuid> [<uuid>...]

Examples:

cd canvas && npm run content -- delete page abc-123-def
cd canvas && npm run content -- delete media--image uuid1 uuid2 uuid3

Also removes the local JSON file if it exists.

Upload Image

Upload an image and create a media entity:

cd canvas && npm run content -- upload <image-path> [alt-text]

Example:

cd canvas && npm run content -- upload src/stories/assets/photo.jpg "Photo description"

Output includes:

• Media UUID
• File path
• Thumbnail URL
• target_id for use in components

Generate UUID

Generate random UUIDs for new components:

cd canvas && npm run content -- uuid        # Generate 1 UUID
cd canvas && npm run content -- uuid 5      # Generate 5 UUIDs

Local File Storage

Content is stored in the /content directory (gitignored):

content/
  page/
    abc-123-def-456.json
  media--image/
    img-123-456.json

Page Structure

Pages in Drupal CMS contain these key attributes:

• title - Page title
• status - Published status (true/false)
• path - URL path configuration
• components - Array of canvas components
• metatags - SEO metadata
• include_in_search - Whether to index for search

Canvas Component Structure

Components are stored in data.attributes.components as a flat array. Nesting is defined via parent_uuid and slot fields:

{
  "data": {
    "type": "page",
    "attributes": {
      "title": "My Page",
      "status": true,
      "components": [
        {
          "uuid": "comp-001",
          "component_id": "js.section",
          "inputs": { "width": "Normal" },
          "parent_uuid": null,
          "slot": null
        },
        {
          "uuid": "comp-002",
          "component_id": "js.heading",
          "inputs": { "text": "Title", "level": "h2" },
          "parent_uuid": "comp-001",
          "slot": "content"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Note: inputs are automatically parsed to objects when fetched and stringified when sent back to the API.

Component Fields

Field	Description
uuid	Unique identifier for this component instance
component_id	Component type (e.g., js.heading, js.card)
component_version	Version hash of the component definition
inputs	Object containing prop values
parent_uuid	UUID of parent component (null for root-level)
slot	Slot name in parent (null for root-level, e.g., "content")

Media Image Handling

Uploading Images

Images must be uploaded to the media library before referencing in components:

cd canvas && npm run content -- upload image.jpg "Alt text"

Output:

Uploading: image.jpg
Uploaded: image.jpg
  UUID: 98eabd02-c52c-493b-8ca9-cb9d0fe70ceb
  File: /var/www/html/pages/media--image/98eabd02-...json
  Thumbnail: https://...
  target_id: 31

Media vs File Entity IDs (Critical)

When working with images, there are two different internal IDs:

Entity Type	ID Location	Usage
File	drupal_internal__target_id in relationships	Internal file reference
Media	resourceVersion=id%3AXX in self link URL	Use this in components

The target_id shown in command output is the correct media internal ID.

Media Image Field Name

Standard Drupal CMS uses field_media_image (not media_image). The upload script auto-detects the correct field name.

Referencing Images in Components

Components that accept images (like js.card) use a target_id reference:

{
  "component_id": "js.card",
  "inputs": {
    "heading": "My Card",
    "image": { "target_id": "31" },
    "text": { "value": "<p>Content</p>", "format": "canvas_html_block" }
  }
}

Important: The target_id must be the media entity's internal ID, not the file's internal ID.

Text Fields with HTML

Rich text fields use a specific format:

{
  "text": {
    "value": "<p>HTML content with <a href=\"/page\">links</a>.</p>",
    "format": "canvas_html_block"
  }
}

Workflow Examples

Download and Edit a Page

cd canvas && npm run content -- list page
cd canvas && npm run content -- get page abc-123-def
# Edit content/page/abc-123-def.json
cd canvas && npm run content -- update content/page/abc-123-def.json

Create a Page with Images

1. Upload images:

   cd canvas && npm run content -- upload image1.jpg "Description"
   # Note target_id: 31
   

2. Generate UUIDs:

   cd canvas && npm run content -- uuid 3
   

3. Create page JSON at content/page/new-my-page.json:

   {
     "data": {
       "type": "page",
       "attributes": {
         "title": "My Page",
         "status": true,
         "components": [
           {
             "uuid": "generated-uuid",
             "component_id": "js.card",
             "inputs": {
               "heading": "Card",
               "image": { "target_id": "31" }
             },
             "parent_uuid": null,
             "slot": null
           }
         ],
         "path": { "alias": "/my-page" },
         "include_in_search": true
       }
     }
   }
   

4. Create the page:

   cd canvas && npm run content -- create content/page/new-my-page.json
   

Input Format Reference

Always read component.yml before composing inputs. The prop type in component.yml determines how the value must be formatted in the page JSON.

component.yml Type	JSON Input Format	Example
type: string (plain)	Plain string	"heading": "Hello"
type: string with contentMediaType: text/html	Formatted text object	"text": { "value": "<p>Hello</p>", "format": "canvas_html_block" }
type: string with format: uri-reference	Plain string (path or URL)	"link": "/about"
type: object with $ref: .../image	target_id object (string)	"image": { "target_id": "31" }
type: string with enum	Exact enum value string	"layout": "Left aligned"
type: boolean	Boolean	"visible": true
type: integer / type: number	Number	"count": 3

Common Pitfalls

1. JSON:API read-only mode: If all write operations return HTTP 405, JSON:API is in read-only mode. Enable with: ddev drush config:set jsonapi.settings read_only false -y

2. Wrong ID type: Using file's drupal_internal__target_id instead of media's internal ID causes "image.src NULL value found" errors.

3. Missing langcode permission: When creating pages, omit the langcode field as the API may reject it with permission errors.

4. Patching limitations: PATCH requests may not work for all fields. Create a new page with a different alias if updates fail.

5. Link props are plain strings, not objects: Link/URL props (format: uri-reference) must be plain strings like "/about". Do NOT use Drupal's link field format { "uri": "/about", "options": [] } — that is for Drupal entity fields, not Canvas component inputs.

   // ✅ Correct
   "link": "/services"
   
   // ❌ Wrong — will cause errors
   "link": { "uri": "/services", "options": [] }
   

6. Formatted text fields need the wrapper object: Any prop with contentMediaType: text/html in component.yml must use the formatted text object, not a plain string. Omitting the wrapper may cause rendering failures or empty output.

   // ✅ Correct
   "text": { "value": "<p>Content here</p>", "format": "canvas_html_block" }
   
   // ❌ Wrong — plain string for an HTML field
   "text": "Content here"
   

7. target_id must be a string: Image references use "target_id": "31" (a string), not "target_id": 31 (an integer). Using an integer may cause type errors.

Menu Management

Drupal CMS exposes menu items via JSON:API, but the endpoints are read-only. Menu items can be listed but not created, updated, or deleted via JSON:API (POST/PATCH/DELETE return 405 Method Not Allowed, individual GET returns 404).

Available menu types for listing:

• menu_items--main — Main navigation menu
• menu_items--footer — Footer links
• menu_items--social-media — Social media links

Listing Menu Items (read-only)

cd canvas && npm run content -- list menu_items--main
cd canvas && npm run content -- list menu_items--footer
cd canvas && npm run content -- list menu_items--social-media

Creating and Editing Menu Items (admin UI only)

Menu items must be managed through the Drupal admin UI, not the JSON:API. Use browser automation (claude-in-chrome MCP) to navigate the admin pages:

• Add menu item: <CMS_URL>/admin/structure/menu/manage/<menu-name>/add (e.g., .../manage/main/add)
• Edit existing items: <CMS_URL>/admin/structure/menu/manage/<menu-name> then click edit on individual items
• Reorder items: Drag and drop on the menu admin page, then save

Menu names for admin URLs: main, footer, social-media.

Menu item fields in the admin UI:

Field	Description
Menu link title	Display text for the menu link
Link	Target URL (/path for internal, full URL for external)
Weight	Sort order (lower = higher in menu), or drag to reorder
Enabled	Whether the item is visible (checkbox)
Parent link	Parent menu item for nested menus (dropdown)

Page Path Management

When creating pages, set the path alias to control the URL:

{
  "data": {
    "type": "page",
    "attributes": {
      "title": "About",
      "path": { "alias": "/about" },
      "status": true,
      "components": []
    }
  }
}

Important: Ensure page paths match the source site exactly. Use /about not /about-us. Verify aliases at <CMS_URL>/admin/config/search/path. Standard Drupal admin paths apply: use /admin/config/system/site-information for site name, /admin/appearance/settings for theme logo/favicon.

Verifying Content in Canvas Editor

After creating or updating a page, verify the result in the Canvas Page Editor at <CMS_URL>/canvas/editor/canvas_page/<id>. This visual editor shows the component tree and allows you to inspect how components are nested and composed. It is especially useful for debugging slot/parent relationships and verifying that all sections appear in the correct order.

For individual component issues, use the Component Code Editor at <CMS_URL>/canvas/code-editor/component/<name> to verify the deployed component's props, slots, and live preview.

Drupal CMS Documentation

When working with the Drupal CMS content API, consult the official documentation for platform-specific behavior, API capabilities, and known limitations. Use the canvas-docs-explorer skill:

/canvas-docs-explorer JSON API content management menus

Key docs to consult:

• enabling-api and using-api — API setup and usage patterns
• jsonapi-query-builder — query syntax and filtering
• menus and adding-links-menu — menu management (read-only via API, admin UI required for writes)
• content-workflows — publishing states and revision behavior
• fields and field-types — available field types and their API representations

Always check the docs before assuming standard Drupal JSON:API behavior — Drupal CMS may have platform-specific differences.

JSON:API Specification

The JSON:API spec can be regenerated from the live site if the openapi module is installed. Use ddev drush pm:list --type=module --status=enabled --field=name | grep openapi to check availability, then access the spec at <CMS_URL>/openapi/jsonapi?_format=json.

Environment Variables

Required in .env:

• CANVAS_SITE_URL - Base URL of Drupal CMS site
• CANVAS_JSONAPI_PREFIX - API prefix (default: "jsonapi")
• CANVAS_CLIENT_ID - OAuth client ID
• CANVAS_CLIENT_SECRET - OAuth client secret