extending content.config.ts

[PhE]

In a nuxt app extending the docus layer, how to extend content.config.ts to add a new collection ?

In my attempt to have a generic layer based on docus, I would like to merge the /content collection of the generic layer with the /content collection of the child app (see #1290).

In other words, how to defineContentConfig() of the docus layer from its child app ?

[hareland]

You can overwrite the collections, simply define the collections you want to override in your project content.config.ts, the root layer will take precedence iirc.

e.g:

export default defineContentConfig({
  collections: {
    docs: defineCollection({
      source:  'docs/**/*.md',
    }),
    another: defineCollection({
      source: 'another/**/*.md', 
    })
  },
})

[PhE]

Then we need defineCollection() which is in @nuxt/content:

import { defineCollection, z } from "@nuxt/content";

export const collections = {
  content2: defineCollection({
    source: "content2/**/*.md",
    type: "page",
    schema: z.object({
      title: z.string().nonempty(),
      description: z.string(),
      date: z.date(),
      image: z.string(),
    }),
  }),
};

But this cause this error:

[11:31:22 AM]  ERROR  It seems you are using Zod version 3 for collection schema, but Zod is not installed, Nuxt Content does not ship with zod, install zod and zod-to-json-schema and it will work.

    at Object.toJSONSchema (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:169:13)
    at defineCollection (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:2360:32)
    at /home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/docus/content.config.ts:55:41
    at async Function.import (node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:158301)
    at async resolveConfig (node_modules/c12/dist/index.mjs:320:20)
    at async loadConfig (node_modules/c12/dist/index.mjs:149:22)
    at async Promise.all (index 0)
    at async loadContentConfig (node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:2650:26)
    at async setup (node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:3108:29)
    at async normalizedModule (node_modules/@nuxt/kit/dist/index.mjs:165:15)

Well, sounds like extending a layer like docus is not a good idea.

[PhE]

Look like this

[hareland]

@PhE it is explained in your message, here:

[11:31:22 AM] ERROR It seems you are using Zod version 3 for collection schema, but Zod is not installed, Nuxt Content does not ship with zod, install zod and zod-to-json-schema and it will work.

Install zod and zod-to-json-schema

pnpm add zod zod-to-json-schema

[hareland]

@PhE did the solution above solve your issue?

[PhE]

npm add zod zod-to-json-schema does not solve the issue:

[8:38:47 PM]  ERROR  It seems you are using Zod version 3 for collection schema, but Zod is not installed, Nuxt Content does not ship with zod, install zod and zod-to-json-schema and it will work.

    at Object.toJSONSchema (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:169:13)
    at defineCollection (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:2360:32)
    at /home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/docus/content.config.ts:55:41
    at async Function.import (node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:158301)
    at async resolveConfig (node_modules/c12/dist/index.mjs:320:20)
    at async loadConfig (node_modules/c12/dist/index.mjs:149:22)
    at async Promise.all (index 0)
    at async loadContentConfig (node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:2650:26)
    at async setup (node_modules/@nuxt/content/dist/module.mjs:3108:29)
    at async normalizedModule (node_modules/@nuxt/kit/dist/index.mjs:165:15)
    at async callModule (node_modules/@nuxt/kit/dist/index.mjs:706:46)
    at async installModules (node_modules/@nuxt/kit/dist/index.mjs:550:3)
    at async initNuxt (node_modules/nuxt/dist/index.mjs:6033:3)
    at async loadNuxt (node_modules/nuxt/dist/index.mjs:6243:5)
    at async loadNuxt (node_modules/@nuxt/kit/dist/index.mjs:886:9)
    at async Object.run (node_modules/@nuxt/cli/dist/prepare-CNPL0HH9.mjs:30:16)
    at async runCommand (node_modules/@nuxt/cli/node_modules/citty/dist/index.mjs:188:47)
    at async runCommand (node_modules/@nuxt/cli/node_modules/citty/dist/index.mjs:185:21)
    at async runMain (node_modules/@nuxt/cli/node_modules/citty/dist/index.mjs:285:10)

Here is my package.json:

{
  "name": "my-site2",
  "type": "module",
  "private": true,
  "scripts": {
    "build": "nuxt build",
    "dev": "nuxt dev",
    "generate": "nuxt generate",
    "preview": "nuxt preview",
    "postinstall": "nuxt prepare"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@nuxt/content": "^3.12.0",
    "nuxt": "^4.3.1",
    "vue": "^3.5.29",
    "vue-router": "^4.6.4",
    "zod": "^4.3.6",
    "zod-to-json-schema": "^3.25.1"
  }
}

[PhE]

I guess layers are not meant for my case.
Probably not a good idea to have a 2 layers deep stack ... especially when they embed complex packages like nuxt-content or docus

[larbish]

The zod issue is often trigger because there are several version installed (ie @nuxt/content, zod ...). You should have a check at your lockfile and ensure only one version remains.

[PhE]

Removed both package-lock.json and also remove @hareland suggestion npm add zod zod-to-json-schema and also removed @nuxt/content from the child app package.json.

npm install on layer my-docs is ok.

npm install on layer my-site2 raises:

❯ npm install

> postinstall
> nuxt prepare


 ERROR  Cannot find module '@nuxt/content'                                                                               10:55:52 AM
Require stack:
- /home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-site2/content.config.ts

    at Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1456:15)
    at require.resolve (node:internal/modules/helpers:163:19)
    at jitiResolve (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:148703)
    at jitiRequire (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:150290)
    at import (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:158307)
    at content.config.ts:1:222
    at eval_evalModule (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:155533)
    at jitiRequire (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:150967)
    at Function.import (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/jiti/dist/jiti.cjs:1:158307)
    at resolveConfig (/home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-docs/node_modules/c12/dist/index.mjs:320:45)


npm error code 1
npm error path /home/philippe/src/docus_in_layer/my-site2
npm error command failed
npm error command sh -c nuxt prepare
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: /home/philippe/.npm/_logs/2026-03-12T09_55_42_771Z-debug-0.log

Here is the reproductible repo (branch 1296) with the proper README to reproduce.

Really lost at this point on how complex a layer can be and which tricks is needed to master it