Nested Field Editing

Real-world data is rarely flat. An address has a street, city, postal code, and country. A contact might have multiple phone numbers, each with a type and a value. A product has a set of variant configurations, each with its own attributes. These nested structures need editing support that matches their complexity.

The visual schema editor now handles nested field editing with the same clean interface as top-level fields.

Drilling Into Structures

A structure field is a named group of sub-fields. When you select a structure field in the schema editor, the panel transitions to show the sub-fields of that structure. Add, edit, and remove sub-fields within the structure using the same controls as top-level fields. Navigate back to the parent level using the breadcrumb at the top of the panel.

The interface reflects the structure of the data: you're always editing one level at a time, with clear navigation showing where you are in the hierarchy.

Collection Fields

A collection field is a repeating structure — each item in the collection has the same set of sub-fields. The collection field editor shows the item template: the set of sub-fields that each item will have. Edit the template and the change applies to every item in every collection.

Adding a new sub-field to a collection item template makes that field available in the repeater component that displays the collection. Remove a sub-field and it stops appearing in new items (existing data in that field is preserved until explicitly cleared).

Type Changes in Nested Fields

Type changes for nested fields follow the same rules as top-level fields. Non-destructive changes (increasing max length, adding options to a select field) apply immediately. Changes that might affect existing data are flagged.

Because structures and collections can contain many sub-fields, the schema editor groups related settings clearly and separates advanced options into expandable sections. Common settings are immediately visible; specialized settings are available without cluttering the default view.

Why Nested Editing Matters

Without visual nested field editing, managing complex data structures requires either code or navigating abstract configuration files. The visual editor makes the structure of your data model tangible — you can see it, navigate it, and modify it without needing to know its underlying representation.

This matters for teams where the person designing the data model isn't necessarily the same person who will write code. Product managers, operations leads, and power users can contribute to data model decisions when the tooling makes the structure legible and editable for everyone.