Seven CMS collections sounds like overkill until you have to add a course.

My first version of CreatorLab had five different course card designs and zero database thinking behind them. It looked great on the canvas. Then I asked the only question that actually matters for a template: what happens when the buyer adds their sixth course?

The answer was that they'd be editing five places, in five layouts, because I liked variety 😅

So I threw it out and restarted from the CMS instead of the canvas. The rules I ended up with:

→ If it repeats and the client will add more later — collection.

→ If it repeats but the count is fixed and the content is structural — component.

→ If it's referenced from more than one page — collection, even when it feels small.

→ If a field is optional for the buyer, it needs a designed empty state, or it becomes a support message later.

That's how seven connected collections appeared. Not to look impressive on a feature list, but so adding a course stays a content task instead of turning into another website project.

Curious how others draw this line — do you start from the canvas or from the CMS?

Seven CMS collections sounds like overkill until you have to add a course.

My first version of CreatorLab had five different course card designs and zero database thinking behind them. It looked great on the canvas. Then I asked the only question that actually matters for a template: what happens when the buyer adds their sixth course?

The answer was that they'd be editing five places, in five layouts, because I liked variety 😅

So I threw it out and restarted from the CMS instead of the canvas. The rules I ended up with:

→ If it repeats and the client will add more later — collection.

→ If it repeats but the count is fixed and the content is structural — component.

→ If it's referenced from more than one page — collection, even when it feels small.

→ If a field is optional for the buyer, it needs a designed empty state, or it becomes a support message later.

That's how seven connected collections appeared. Not to look impressive on a feature list, but so adding a course stays a content task instead of turning into another website project.

Curious how others draw this line — do you start from the canvas or from the CMS?