Content types provide a means to manage the metadata and behavior of SharePoint list items, making it possible to store different types of content within the same library or list.
Content Type Schemas
Content type schemas are the base definitions of list items in Windows SharePoint Services. Content types provide a structured way to define item behaviors, such as required fields, retention, and workflow. Content types also allow SharePoint lists to be heterogeneous, storing items from different list types within a single list.
When new versions of a content type schema are deployed, the item schemas are installed in their respective galleries.
Possible scopes:
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Farm: No
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Web Application: No
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Site Collection: Yes
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Web Site: No
Activating Content Types
When you enable a Feature that contains content types, those content types are installed in the list of available content types for the respective scope.
Deactivating Content Types
When you deactivate a Feature that contains content types, the content type definition is removed from the list of available content types. This is equivalent to selecting a content type in the respectively scoped store and clicking Remove. In this way, you prevent new instances of those content types from being created. Existing data that was based on that content type continues to function.
When you install Windows SharePoint Services, a ctypes folder is created in the Template\Features directory. This folder contains a feature.xml file and a ctypeswss.xml file. The feature.xml file references the ctypeswss.xml file, which specifies fields for the native content types.
For information about content types and how they function within Windows SharePoint Services, see Content Types. For more information about the file format used in content types, see Content Type Definitions.