> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://contentful.com/developers/docs/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://contentful.com/_mcp/server.

Similar to cross-space references that allow you to link content across multiple spaces, Native external references allow you to integrate content from external sources using the [Contentful App Framework](/extensibility/app-framework).

To model the data from third-party systems, the following entity types have been introduced:

* `Resource Provider` - a third-party system that provides resources. Each provider can have multiple resource types.
* `Resource Type` - a specific type of resource (not the resource itself) that is provided by a resource provider.
* `Resource` - a representation of real data in an external system.

## Resource Provider

Create, return or delete a `Resource Provider` for a given `App Definition` in a given `Organization`.

[Create a resource provider](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/create-a-resource-provider)

> **Info**
>
> Each app can have only one resource provider. `PUT` will fail if an app already has an associated resource provider.

> **Info**
>
> Each app contains a manifest JSON file that describes the app and its capabilities. It contains a `function` property which is an array of functions the app can run (currently limited to only one function). The `function.sys.id` of the `PUT` request must be identical to the value of `functions[0].id` in the app's manifest file.

[Get a resource provider](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-a-resource-provider)

[Delete a resource provider](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/delete-a-resource-provider)

> **Info**
>
> Each app can have only one resource provider which is a parent entity for resource types. It is not possible to delete a provider if it has associated resource types.

## Resource Type

Create, return or delete a `Resource Type` for a given `App Definition` in a given `Organization`.

[Create a resource type](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/create-a-resource-type)

> **Info**
>
> Resource Providers are parent entities for Resource Types. `PUT` will fail if an app has no associated Resource Provider.

[Get a resource type](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-a-resource-type)

[Delete a resource type](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/delete-a-resource-type)

## Resource Type Collection

Return all `Resource Type`s for a given `App Definition` in a given `Organization`.

[Get all resource types](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-all-resource-types)

## Resource Type Collection In Environment

Return all `Resource Type`s from the most recent app installed in a given `Space` and `Environment`.

[Get all resource types in an environment](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-all-resource-types-in-an-environment)

## Resource

Return all `Resource`s of a `Resource Type` in a given `Space` and `Environment`.

[Get all resources in an environment](/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-all-resources-in-an-environment)

## Update a content type with a Resource Type field

Use this endpoint to add a `Resource Type` field to a content type or update an existing `Resource Type` field.

To update a content type with a Resource Type field, use the [Create a content type with PUT](/references/content-management-api/content-types) endpoint, see example payload:

```
{
  "sys": {
    "type": "ContentType",
    "...": ""
  },
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "myResourceLink",
      "type": "Array",
      "localized": true,
      "disabled": false,
      "omitted": false,
      "validations": [
        {
          "size": {
            "min": "1",
            "max": "3"
          }
        }
      ],
      "allowedResources": [
        {
          "type": [
            "RESOURCE_TYPE /**e.g.",
            "Shopify:Product",
            "TMDB:Person**/"
          ],
          "...": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```


## API Docs

- Native external references [Get a resource provider](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-a-resource-provider.md)
- Native external references [Create a resource provider](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/create-a-resource-provider.md)
- Native external references [Delete a resource provider](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/delete-a-resource-provider.md)
- Native external references [Get a resource type](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-a-resource-type.md)
- Native external references [Create a resource type](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/create-a-resource-type.md)
- Native external references [Delete a resource type](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/delete-a-resource-type.md)
- Native external references [Get all resource types](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-all-resource-types.md)
- Native external references [Get all resource types in an environment](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-all-resource-types-in-an-environment.md)
- Native external references [Get all resources in an environment](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/references/content-management-api/native-external-references/get-all-resources-in-an-environment.md)

## OpenAPI Specification

The raw OpenAPI 3.1 specification for this API is available at:
- [OpenAPI JSON](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/openapi.json)
- [OpenAPI YAML](https://contentful.com/developers/docs/openapi.yaml)