{ "upg_version": "0.4.0", "exported_at": "2026-05-11T17:00:00Z", "source": { "tool": "upg-spec", "tool_version": "0.4.0", "workspace_id": "spec_examples" }, "product": { "id": "cms-field-guide", "title": "CMS Editor Paradigms: A Studio PM Field Guide", "description": "Proof-of-spec fixture for the classification model. Models the CMS Field Editor Guide end-to-end using only canonical UPG entities: a single competitive_analysis dimensioned by two classification_axis children, with five classification_value children per axis, two exemplar competitor nodes classified against axis values, three empty_cells covering all rationale_kind values, and a persona with an anti_fit_for edge.", "stage": "mvp" }, "nodes": [ { "id": "comp-analysis-cms", "type": "competitive_analysis", "title": "CMS Field Editor Guide", "description": "Two-axis paradigm matrix: CMS Architecture × Editing Paradigm.", "properties": { "analysis_type": "positioning", "analysis_date": "2026-05-11", "empty_cells": [ { "axis_a_value_ref": "val-composable", "axis_b_value_ref": "val-wysiwyg", "rationale_kind": "structural", "rationale_md": "Composable rejects HTML blobs; WYSIWYG requires them. The two paradigms are structurally incompatible: you can't simultaneously commit to a typed content graph and to a free-form HTML editor." }, { "axis_a_value_ref": "val-git-based", "axis_b_value_ref": "val-structured-text", "rationale_kind": "opportunity", "rationale_md": "No technical reason, only adoption inertia. Watching brief: anyone shipping a starter that drops .md into Structured Text JSON could change the row." }, { "axis_a_value_ref": "val-monolithic", "axis_b_value_ref": "val-structured-text", "rationale_kind": "ideological", "rationale_md": "Monolithic CMSs treat content as page-bound HTML. Structured Text's structured-block model contradicts the page-as-unit assumption that monolithic vendors compete on." } ] } }, { "id": "axis-architecture", "type": "classification_axis", "title": "CMS Architecture", "description": "Axis 1: the structural shape of the content system.", "parent_id": "comp-analysis-cms", "properties": { "axis_kind": "categorical" } }, { "id": "axis-editing", "type": "classification_axis", "title": "Editing Paradigm", "description": "Axis 2: the interaction model offered to content editors.", "parent_id": "comp-analysis-cms", "properties": { "axis_kind": "categorical" } }, { "id": "val-composable", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Composable Structured-Content", "description": "Headless + typed content graph + real-time backend + embeddable studio.", "parent_id": "axis-architecture", "properties": { "rationale": "Composable extends headless with three load-bearing commitments. Remove any one and you have headless, not composable.", "exemplars": ["Nimbus", "Larch", "Prism"], "commitments": [ { "name": "Typed content graph", "description": "Schemas in code; references as edges; content is structured data, not HTML blobs." }, { "name": "Real-time backend", "description": "Live queries, CRDT collaboration, sub-second propagation." }, { "name": "Embeddable studio", "description": "Editor is a library hosted inside the team's app, not an external SaaS portal." } ], "capabilities": [ { "surface": "delivery", "bullets": ["NQL projection-first queries", "Generated GraphQL", "REST patch-based mutations", "Live Sync API push subscriptions", "Asset CDN with URL transforms", "Edge-cached reads"] }, { "surface": "extensibility", "bullets": ["Custom input components", "editor plugins", "Action hooks", "Reference filters"] }, { "surface": "collaboration", "bullets": ["CRDT multiplayer", "Presence", "Inline comments", "Workflow states"] }, { "surface": "preview", "bullets": ["Visual editing overlays", "Click-to-edit deep links", "Branch-aware preview"] }, { "surface": "localization", "bullets": ["Document-level translations", "Field-level translations", "Releases (scheduled atomic publishes)"] }, { "surface": "developer_experience", "bullets": ["Schema-as-code", "Typegen from schemas", "Cli-first project setup"] } ] } }, { "id": "val-headless", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Headless API-First", "description": "Decouples content storage from presentation; serves content via an API.", "parent_id": "axis-architecture", "properties": { "rationale": "Headless without the composable extensions: APIs over content but no typed graph guarantee, often without real-time, often with hosted-only editor.", "exemplars": ["Contentstack", "Storyblok", "Forge"], "commitments": [ { "name": "API-only delivery", "description": "No coupled rendering layer; consumers pull content via REST/GraphQL." }, { "name": "Hosted editor", "description": "Studio is the vendor's SaaS surface, not an embeddable library." } ], "capabilities": [ { "surface": "delivery", "bullets": ["REST", "GraphQL", "Webhook events"] }, { "surface": "developer_experience", "bullets": ["SDKs per language", "Web UI for schema authoring"] } ] } }, { "id": "val-hybrid", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Hybrid Architecture (DXP-flavored)", "description": "API delivery plus optional coupled rendering; vendor-managed personalization layer.", "parent_id": "axis-architecture", "properties": { "rationale": "Splits the difference between headless and monolithic, typically enterprise DXP vendors layering API delivery on top of their incumbent page-bound stack.", "exemplars": ["Optimizely", "Sitecore XM Cloud"] } }, { "id": "val-monolithic", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Monolithic Coupled", "description": "Content authoring, storage, and presentation live in one runtime.", "parent_id": "axis-architecture", "properties": { "rationale": "The legacy CMS shape: WordPress, Drupal, Joomla. One stack owns everything from DB to theme.", "exemplars": ["WordPress", "Drupal"] } }, { "id": "val-git-based", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Git-Based Repo-as-Database", "description": "Content lives in a git repository as flat files; the repo is the source of truth.", "parent_id": "axis-architecture", "properties": { "rationale": "Treats content edits as commits. Optimizes for developer audit, branching, and code-style review at the cost of editor ergonomics.", "exemplars": ["Keystatic", "TinaCMS", "Decap CMS"] } }, { "id": "val-wysiwyg", "type": "classification_value", "title": "WYSIWYG Page-Document Editors", "description": "Editors manipulate a rendered page directly; output is HTML.", "parent_id": "axis-editing", "properties": { "rationale": "Optimizes for marketing-team self-service; ships HTML as the source of truth.", "exemplars": ["WordPress Classic Editor"] } }, { "id": "val-block", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Block-Based Editors", "description": "Pages composed from discrete blocks; each block is structured but pages remain page-shaped.", "parent_id": "axis-editing", "properties": { "rationale": "Bridges WYSIWYG and structured editing. Each block has a typed schema but the assembly is still a page.", "exemplars": ["WordPress Gutenberg", "Notion"] } }, { "id": "val-form", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Form-Based Structured Editors", "description": "Schema-driven forms; editors fill typed fields, never see rendered output inline.", "parent_id": "axis-editing", "properties": { "rationale": "Trades preview fidelity for structure guarantees. The form is the source of truth; preview is downstream.", "exemplars": ["Forge", "Larch classic"] } }, { "id": "val-structured-text", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Structured Content + Structured Text", "description": "Long-form content as a typed array of typed blocks; rich text without HTML.", "parent_id": "axis-editing", "properties": { "rationale": "Nimbus's signature shape: long-form authoring without surrendering type guarantees. Each paragraph/heading/quote is a typed block; embedded references are first-class.", "exemplars": ["Nimbus Studio"], "commitments": [ { "name": "Typed blocks", "description": "Every paragraph, heading, list, quote is a typed JSON block with stable schema." }, { "name": "References as blocks", "description": "Embedded entities (images, products, callouts) are typed references, not HTML." } ], "capabilities": [ { "surface": "extensibility", "bullets": ["Custom block types", "Custom marks", "Custom annotations"] }, { "surface": "preview", "bullets": ["Schema-aware Structured Text renderer per platform"] } ] } }, { "id": "val-visual-builder", "type": "classification_value", "title": "Visual Page-Builder", "description": "Drag-and-drop page assembly with live rendered canvas.", "parent_id": "axis-editing", "properties": { "rationale": "Marketing-led; prioritizes visual control. Output is typically component-tree JSON or HTML.", "exemplars": ["Webflow CMS", "Framer"] } }, { "id": "competitor-nimbus", "type": "competitor", "title": "Nimbus", "description": "The reference implementation of composable + Structured Text editing.", "properties": { "positioning": "Composable content platform with embeddable studio and real-time backend.", "pricing_model": "Usage-based + per-seat", "website": "https://nimbus.example", "strengths": [ "Typed content graph with NQL query language", "Real-time CRDT collaboration out of the box", "Embeddable studio, owned inside the team's repo" ], "weaknesses": [ "Steeper learning curve than form-based headless CMSs", "Structured Text renderers must be authored per output platform" ] } }, { "id": "competitor-wordpress", "type": "competitor", "title": "WordPress", "description": "The reference monolithic + page-document CMS.", "properties": { "positioning": "Open-source CMS powering ~40% of the web; monolithic by default, plugin-extensible.", "pricing_model": "Free + paid hosting (WP Engine, Pressable, …)", "website": "https://wordpress.org", "strengths": [ "Ubiquitous plugin and theme ecosystem", "Familiar to marketing teams worldwide" ], "weaknesses": [ "HTML-blob content model resists structured reuse", "Coupled architecture complicates omnichannel delivery" ] } }, { "id": "persona-small-marketing-team", "type": "persona", "title": "Small marketing team with no engineering capacity", "description": "A 2-3 person marketing org running a brochure site. Wants a single vendor, single throat to choke, fast onboarding." } ], "edges": [ { "id": "e-axis-arch", "type": "competitive_analysis_dimensioned_by_classification_axis", "source": "comp-analysis-cms", "target": "axis-architecture" }, { "id": "e-axis-edit", "type": "competitive_analysis_dimensioned_by_classification_axis", "source": "comp-analysis-cms", "target": "axis-editing" }, { "id": "e-v-composable", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-architecture", "target": "val-composable" }, { "id": "e-v-headless", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-architecture", "target": "val-headless" }, { "id": "e-v-hybrid", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-architecture", "target": "val-hybrid" }, { "id": "e-v-monolithic", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-architecture", "target": "val-monolithic" }, { "id": "e-v-git", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-architecture", "target": "val-git-based" }, { "id": "e-v-wysiwyg", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-editing", "target": "val-wysiwyg" }, { "id": "e-v-block", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-editing", "target": "val-block" }, { "id": "e-v-form", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-editing", "target": "val-form" }, { "id": "e-v-pt", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-editing", "target": "val-structured-text" }, { "id": "e-v-builder", "type": "classification_axis_includes_classification_value", "source": "axis-editing", "target": "val-visual-builder" }, { "id": "e-nimbus-composable", "type": "competitor_classified_as_classification_value", "source": "competitor-nimbus", "target": "val-composable" }, { "id": "e-nimbus-pt", "type": "competitor_classified_as_classification_value", "source": "competitor-nimbus", "target": "val-structured-text" }, { "id": "e-wp-monolithic", "type": "competitor_classified_as_classification_value", "source": "competitor-wordpress", "target": "val-monolithic" }, { "id": "e-wp-wysiwyg", "type": "competitor_classified_as_classification_value", "source": "competitor-wordpress", "target": "val-wysiwyg" }, { "id": "e-anti-fit-composable", "type": "persona_anti_fit_for_classification_value", "source": "persona-small-marketing-team", "target": "val-composable" }, { "id": "e-anti-fit-pt", "type": "persona_anti_fit_for_classification_value", "source": "persona-small-marketing-team", "target": "val-structured-text" } ] }