# Schema Field Property Reference

Each Schema Field Type in Apostrophe can take a number of different properties for configuration and display settings. Below is a reference of the most commonly used properties. You can also view the reference for each individual field for a complete list of properties used by that field and an explanation of what it does.

# Commonly Used Properties

Property Type Default Description Used By Sub-properties
name string Sets the name of the field in the database universal
label string Sets the label of the field that the user sees universal
required boolean false If true, the field is mandatory universal
type string Specifies the field type universal
readOnly boolean false If true, prevents the user from editing the field universal
help string Help text for the field that will appear with the field's label universal
htmlHelp string Help text with support for HTML markup universal
contextual boolean false If true, it will prevent the field from appearing in the dialog box for a widget universal
permission string Specify the permission level needed to edit this field universal
def depends on field type The default value for the field most fields, excluding areas, singletons, objects, and arrays
sortify boolean false If true, make sort() operations on the field case-insensitive and more intuitive string, email, slug, select
searchable boolean true If false a field will not inform sitewide search string, area, singleton
limit int sets the max number of tags in a tag field, the max number of widgets in an area, and the max number of entries in an array tags, area, array
options object Passed on to apos.area or apos.singleton as appropriate, specifying options for the allowable widgets and so on area, singleton widgets
choices array An array of values that the user can select from with each being an object with value and label properties boolean select, checkbox label, value, showFields