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Choose the right field type.

The useful Framer CMS field types are the ones that match how content is authored and queried. Text, rich text, images, dates, links, booleans and references each solve a different problem.

Framer CMS · 8 min read · Updated 2026-06-06

A practical field map

Use the list below as a working checklist. Each item is something you can verify or action directly on your own site.

  • Plain text: titles, labels, names and short descriptions.
  • Rich text: articles, case studies and content that needs formatting.
  • Image: editorial or project media that needs a reliable asset.
  • Date: publish dates, events and expiry dates used for sorting.
  • Link: an external destination or a meaningful call to action.
  • Boolean: a simple yes or no state such as featured.
  • Reference and multi-reference: relationships between records.

Do not use text for relationships

A text field containing an author name will drift when the author changes. A reference points to the author record once, allowing the author page, image and bio to stay consistent across every article.

Test the edge cases

Follow the sequence below from start to finish. The order matters: later steps assume the earlier ones are done.

  1. Create a record with the shortest valid value.
  2. Create one with the longest realistic title and body.
  3. Leave every optional field empty once.
  4. Confirm connected links, images and sorting behave in each case.

Choosing between similar field types

Here are the key things to get right. None of them are complicated on their own, but skipping one tends to undermine the rest.

  • Use a number field for values used in maths or sorting, not a text field with digits.
  • Use a date field for anything compared or sorted chronologically, not a text field with a written date.
  • Use a link field for external URLs rather than pasting the address into rich text.
  • Use a colour field only when the layout genuinely needs editor-controlled colour, not as a workaround for missing design tokens.

Warning signs of the wrong field type

If sorting a list looks wrong, a date or number is probably stored as text. If a filter shows inconsistent spelling, an option or reference field should replace free text. If images sometimes fail to load, a text field is probably standing in for an image field.

Questions

This usually happens when the date is stored as plain text rather than a date field. Text sorts alphabetically, not chronologically, so switch the field type to date and re-enter the values.

Use a boolean for a genuine two-state property such as featured or archived. Use an option or reference field when there are three or more meaningful values, such as a status with draft, review and published.

Yes. A link field validates the URL, can be reused directly on a button, and keeps external destinations separate from editorial copy that might be edited independently.

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