ContentType

Last updated: 17 Jun 2026

Introduction #

The ContentType model provides read-only access to Django content types. Use it to resolve the content type id for a given model, which is required when working with generic relations (such as document references) and when generating permalinks.

A content type is identified by two stable values — app_label and model — that are the same on every Canvas instance. Its dbid (the content type id) is a per-database auto-increment that is not stable across environments. Always resolve the dbid at runtime from the app_label and model; never hardcode a content type id, or it will point at the wrong model in another environment.

Basic usage #

To get a content type by its database id, use the get method on the ContentType model manager:

from canvas_sdk.v1.data import ContentType

content_type = ContentType.objects.get(dbid=42)

Resolving a content type at runtime #

Because the dbid differs per environment, look the content type up by its stable app_label and model, then read dbid from the result:

from canvas_sdk.v1.data import ContentType

content_type = ContentType.objects.filter(app_label="api", model="note").first()
if content_type:
    # Resolved for this environment — safe to use for a generic relation or permalink.
    content_type_id = content_type.dbid

Filtering #

Content types can be filtered by any attribute that exists on the model.

Filtering for content types is done with the filter method on the ContentType model manager.

By model #

To find the content type for a specific model, filter by app_label and model:

from canvas_sdk.v1.data import ContentType

content_type = ContentType.objects.filter(app_label="api", model="note").first()
if content_type:
    print(f"Content type id: {content_type.dbid}")

app_label and model for data module models #

Use these stable values to resolve a content type with ContentType.objects.filter(app_label=..., model=...). The model value is the lowercased Django model name, and most data module models live under the api app. This list is not exhaustive — any model not shown here can be resolved the same way once you know its app_label and model.

api app #

SDK data model	app_label	model
AllergyIntolerance	api	allergyintolerance
Appointment	api	appointment
Assessment	api	assessment
BannerAlert	api	banneralert
ChartSectionReview	api	chartsectionreview
Condition	api	condition
Coverage	api	coverage
DetectedIssue	api	detectedissue
Device	api	device
DiagnosticReport	api	diagnosticreport
DocumentReference	api	documentreference
Encounter	api	encounter
Facility	api	facility
Goal	api	goal
ImagingOrder	api	imagingorder
ImagingReport	api	imagingreport
ImagingReview	api	imagingreview
Immunization	api	immunization
Instruction	api	instruction
Interview	api	interview
LabOrder	api	laborder
LabReport	api	labreport
LabValue	api	labvalue
Letter	api	letter
Medication	api	medication
MedicationStatement	api	medicationstatement
Message	api	message
Note	api	note
Observation	api	observation
Organization	api	organization
Patient	api	patient
PatientConsent	api	patientconsent
PatientGroup	api	patientgroup
PracticeLocation	api	practicelocation
Prescription	api	prescription
Questionnaire	api	questionnaire
ReasonForVisit	api	reasonforvisit
Referral	api	referral
Staff	api	staff
StopMedicationEvent	api	stopmedicationevent
Task	api	task
Team	api	team
UncategorizedClinicalDocument	api	uncategorizedclinicaldocument
VisualExamFinding	api	visualexamfinding

Other apps #

Some models live in a different Django app, so their app_label is not api:

SDK data model	app_label	model
Command	commands	command
Application	plugin_io	application
PluginCommand	plugin_io	plugincommand
Calendar	calendars	calendar
ExternalEvent	data_integration	externalevent
ServiceProvider	data_integration	serviceprovider
ChargeDescriptionMaster	quality_and_revenue	chargedescriptionmaster
Claim	quality_and_revenue	claim
PayorSpecificCharge	quality_and_revenue	payorspecificcharge

Attributes #

ContentType #

Field Name	Type
dbid	Integer
app_label	String
model	String

• dbid: The internal database primary key, which is the content type id used for generic relations and permalinks. This value is environment-specific — resolve it at runtime rather than hardcoding it.
• app_label: The label of the application the model belongs to (e.g., api).
• model: The lowercased name of the model (e.g., note).