Content Platform Archetype¶
Content platforms are sites where publishing, discovery, and consumption of content are the primary value drivers. GE builds these on Next.js App Router with a custom or integrated headless CMS backend, EU-hosted PostgreSQL, and Hono API.
When This Archetype Applies¶
SCOPE_ITEM: Client's core product is creating, managing, or distributing content SCOPE_ITEM: Revenue model depends on audience reach, engagement, or subscription SCOPE_ITEM: Editorial team needs structured publishing workflows SCOPE_ITEM: SEO and organic discovery are primary acquisition channels
Variants¶
Blog / Magazine¶
INCLUDES: Rich text editor with embedded media INCLUDES: Category and tag taxonomy INCLUDES: Author profiles and bylines INCLUDES: RSS feed generation INCLUDES: Newsletter integration OPTIONAL: Paywall or member-only content OPTIONAL: Guest contributor portal
Knowledge Base¶
INCLUDES: Hierarchical navigation (sections, articles) INCLUDES: Full-text search with instant results INCLUDES: Version history per article INCLUDES: Feedback widget (helpful yes/no) OPTIONAL: AI-assisted search and answer extraction OPTIONAL: API documentation embedding
Documentation Site¶
INCLUDES: Sidebar navigation with collapsible sections INCLUDES: Code block syntax highlighting INCLUDES: Versioned docs (per product release) INCLUDES: Search with section-level granularity OPTIONAL: Interactive API playground OPTIONAL: Community contribution workflow (suggest edits)
News Site¶
INCLUDES: Breaking news and live update feeds INCLUDES: Editorial workflow with fast publish cycle INCLUDES: Category-based sections (politics, sports, tech) INCLUDES: Real-time view counters INCLUDES: Social sharing integration OPTIONAL: Personalized news feed OPTIONAL: Push notification integration
Corporate Website with CMS¶
INCLUDES: Page builder with structured content blocks INCLUDES: Multi-language support INCLUDES: SEO metadata management per page INCLUDES: Media library with brand asset management OPTIONAL: Career page integration OPTIONAL: Investor relations section OPTIONAL: Event calendar
GE Stack Decisions¶
SCOPE_ITEM: Next.js App Router — ISR for content pages, SSG for static pages SCOPE_ITEM: Hono API — content CRUD, publishing workflows, webhooks SCOPE_ITEM: PostgreSQL — structured content storage, full-text search SCOPE_ITEM: EU-hosted infrastructure — GDPR compliance by default
CMS Strategy¶
IF: Client has no existing CMS and content model is custom THEN: Build headless CMS with Hono API + Tiptap editor
IF: Client needs visual editing for non-technical editors THEN: Evaluate Payload CMS (self-hosted, TypeScript-native)
IF: Client already uses an external CMS (Strapi (FR), Payload (self-hosted) preferred. Sanity, Contentful (US) secondary — sovereignty risk.) THEN: Integrate via API, use Next.js ISR with webhook revalidation
Rendering Strategy¶
IF: Content is mostly static with infrequent updates THEN: Use SSG with on-demand ISR revalidation via webhook
IF: Content has personalized elements (recommendations, user state) THEN: Use PPR — static shell with streaming dynamic sections
IF: Content requires real-time updates (live blog, breaking news) THEN: Use SSR with edge caching and short TTL
Subpages¶
| Page | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Feature Tree | Complete feature decomposition |
| CMS Patterns | Headless CMS, content modeling, rich editor, media |
| Publishing | Editorial workflow, scheduling, versioning |
| SEO | Technical SEO with Next.js, structured data, OG |
| Personalization | Segments, A/B testing, recommendations |
| Integrations | Newsletter, analytics, CDN, search, social |
| Checklist | Launch readiness, SEO audit, performance |
Estimation Baseline¶
| Variant | Typical Scope | Sprint Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Blog / Magazine | 40-60 scope items | 3-5 sprints |
| Knowledge Base | 30-50 scope items | 2-4 sprints |
| Documentation Site | 35-55 scope items | 3-4 sprints |
| News Site | 50-80 scope items | 4-7 sprints |
| Corporate + CMS | 45-70 scope items | 3-6 sprints |
CHECK: These are baselines — actual estimates come from Aimee's scoping session CHECK: Add 1-2 sprints for multi-language support CHECK: Add 1 sprint for paywall or subscription integration
Key Risks¶
COMPLIANCE: GDPR — cookie consent, analytics data processing, newsletter opt-in COMPLIANCE: WCAG 2.1 AA — content must be accessible by default COMPLIANCE: Copyright — media library must track licensing metadata
CHECK: Client has content ready or has a content creation plan CHECK: Editorial roles and approval chain are defined before build starts CHECK: SEO goals and target keywords are documented in scope