Some of the item types supported in the content management repository are similar to item types in the product category repository. For example, both repositories support folders, and both have media item types that store URLs for accessing binary files. The repository you use to store a specific media item depends on how the media item is referenced by other items.

A media item referenced by the largeImage, smallImage, thumbnailImage, or auxiliaryMedia property of a category, product, or SKU must be stored in the product catalog repository. Similarly, a media item referenced by the relatedMedia property of an article or mediaContent item must be stored in the content management repository. These properties cannot be set to items in a different repository.

Cross-repository references are possible, however, using the following properties:

Standalone media items (ones that are not referenced by other repository items) can be stored in either repository. For new media items you create, it is recommended that you use the item types in the content management repository rather than their counterparts in the product catalog. However, if you already have standalone media items in the catalog repository, you do not need to move them to the content management repository.