Content & Context Apps

UNA's modular architecture utilizes different types of apps (modules) to handle either the creation and sharing of information (Content) or the organization and environment where that information lives (Context).

This guide clarifies these two core concepts, explains their interplay, and provides examples of common UNA apps belonging to each category, helping Operators make informed decisions when configuring their site in Studio.

Understanding Content Apps

Purpose: Content Apps are modules primarily designed to enable users to publish and share specific types of information or media. They provide the tools and structures for creating individual pieces of content.

Think of them as: The tools for creating different types of documents or posts – the text editor, the photo uploader, the video player submission form, the classified ad form.

Key Characteristics:

• Focus on Creation: Their main function is to allow users (or admins) to create distinct entries (e.g., a single post, a single video, a single discussion topic).
• Define Content Structure: They define the specific fields and attributes associated with a particular content type (e.g., a 'Video' app entry has fields for title, description, video file, tags).
• Provide Publishing Interface: They offer the forms and interfaces needed to submit this specific type of content.
• Examples: Posts, Timeline Updates, Videos, Photos (often within Albums), Files, Market Listings, Classified Ads, Discussions (Topics).

Operator Configuration Focus: When configuring Content Apps in Studio, Operators often focus on:

• Defining the fields for each content type (Studio > Forms).
• Setting default visibility and permissions for creating content (Studio > Permissions).
• Adjusting module-specific settings like transcoding options for videos, category management for ads, etc. (Studio > Settings > [App Name]).

Understanding Context Apps

Purpose: Context Apps are modules primarily designed to provide organizational structure, define boundaries, and create specific environments or containers where content can be placed and interactions can occur.

Think of them as: The folders, rooms, event halls, or profile pages where documents or posts are placed or discussed.

Key Characteristics:

• Act as Containers: They group content and members around a specific theme, purpose, or entity (e.g., an interest group, a project space, an event).
• Define Boundaries: They often establish visibility and access rules. Content posted within a specific Group context might only be visible to members of that Group.
• Facilitate Group Interaction: They often include features for membership management, internal discussions, and activity feeds specific to that context.
• Profile Modules as Context: A crucial point in UNA is that Profile modules (like People and Organizations) also function as Context modules. Users post content to their own profile, making the profile itself a primary context.
• Examples: Groups, Events, Spaces, Courses, People (Profiles), Organizations (Profiles).

Operator Configuration Focus: When configuring Context Apps in Studio, Operators often focus on:

• Setting permissions for who can create, join, or post within these contexts (Studio > Permissions).
• Configuring context-specific features like membership approval workflows, visibility settings for the context itself, etc. (Studio > Settings > [App Name]).
• Defining any specific fields associated with the context itself (e.g., Group description, Event location) via (Studio > Forms).

The Interplay Between Content and Context

Content and Context work hand-in-hand in UNA:

• Content Lives Within Context: Users typically don't just create content in a vacuum; they publish content within a specific context. For example:
  • A user writes a Post (Content) on their own Profile (Context).
  • A user uploads a Video (Content) into a specific Group (Context).
  • A user starts a Discussion topic (Content) within an Event (Context).
• Visibility and Permissions: The context often dictates who can see or interact with the content published within it. Group privacy settings, for example, control access to posts made inside that group.
• Organization and Discovery: Contexts provide the primary way to organize the potentially vast amount of content generated on a site, allowing users to navigate to specific areas of interest.
• Timeline Aggregation: Modules like Timeline often aggregate Content from various Contexts the user follows or has access to, providing a unified view.

Content vs. Context Apps: Comparison Table

This table categorizes common UNA apps based on their primary function. Note that some apps might have elements of both, but this focuses on their core purpose.

* Note: Profile apps (People, Organizations) are unique as they represent the user and serve as a primary context for their own content and interactions.

Configuration Implications for Operators

Understanding this distinction helps Operators configure their site logically in Studio:

• To change the fields available when someone writes a post, you'd typically edit the "Post" form display in Studio > Forms.
• To change who can create a new group, you'd configure the "Create Group" action for different Membership Levels in Studio > Permissions.
• To add a "Location" field to Events, you'd edit the "Event" form display in Studio > Forms.
• To control whether videos require approval before appearing, you'd look in Studio > Settings > Videos.
• To determine if only group members can see content posted within a group, you'd configure the Group's privacy/visibility settings (often managed via frontend group settings by admins/mods, but the ability to set such privacy is enabled by Operator permissions).

Conclusion

Separating functionality into Content Apps (for publishing) and Context Apps (for organization and environment) is a core design principle of UNA CMS. Content provides the substance, while Context provides the structure and boundaries. As an Operator using Studio, recognizing which app serves which primary purpose allows for more intuitive and effective configuration of forms, permissions, and module settings, ultimately leading to a better-organized and more functional community website.