2.3. Identifying data structures

Data design process

• Define data structure (e.g., fields, field types, etc.) for each data object (e.g., news, products).
• Define relationships between your data objects (e.g., related articles).
• Identify functional requirements of data objects (e.g., workflow, versioning, security).
• Identify which data objects to use (e.g., page type, custom tables, custom modules).

Structured vs Unstructured Content

Structured

Structured content is basically the content model in MVC. Use structured content when you have data that can be expressed as a discrete set of fields. These fields make it easier for content editors to enter content reliably. They also allow developers to digest the content more easily and reuse it throughout the web site. 

Unstructured

Use unstructured content when the data cannot be expressed as a discrete set of fields. This kind of content is generally entered as formatted text in a rich text field either in a field on a page type or in the page tab as content of a text editing widget.

Storing data in Kentico

Kentico allows you to store data in: 

• Built-in page types in the content tree
• Custom page types in the content tree 
• Custom tables
• Custom modules
• System objects (e.g. user)

We highly recommend reading the Planning your data structure article and reviewing the comparison of data storage options to better understand the limitations.