To extend item types in a repository by creating subtypes or adding properties to existing types, you typically need to do the following:
Add new tables or columns to the database schema for the repository.
Modify the repository XML definition file to map the new types and properties to the new tables and columns that store their data.
Restart your servers for the changes to become available.
To simplify the creation of item types and properties, the Oracle Commerce Platform provides an alternative mechanism for creating them dynamically. Using this mechanism, you can add item subtypes and properties without having to create new tables or repository definitions, or restart your servers. Instead, you create item subtypes and properties in your Content Administration environment using an import script, and deploy them to your staging and production environments without restarting.
This chapter includes the following sections:
Note: Multivalue properties (such as arrays) and properties that reference other repository items cannot be created dynamically.