---
title: Persist IContent instances
slug: cms-11/dev-docs/persisting-icontent-instances
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-22T19:45:18.312Z
---

You can save and load `IContent` instances through `IContentRepository`. The most typical content instance is a type inheriting `PageData`. You can load and save content types other than pages, but those content instances do not display in the editorial interface's page tree.

Each `IContent` stored in the Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) content database must have a corresponding `ContentType` registered. Classes annotated with the `ContentType`attribute are automatically scanned for and registered during initialization.

The following example uses the `Comment` class to define and persist a `Comment` type. You can save each comment as an `IContent` under the commented page. However, the comments do not display in the page tree.

## Define a comment content type

```csharp
[ContentType]
public class CommentUser: BlockData {
  public virtual string Email {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public virtual string UserName {
    get;
    set;
  }
}

[ContentType]
public class Comment: IContent {
  public virtual CommentUser User {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public virtual string Body {
    get;
    set;
  }

  #region IContent
  private PropertyDataCollection _properties = new PropertyDataCollection();

  public string Name {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public ContentReference ContentLink {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public ContentReference ParentLink {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public Guid ContentGuid {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public int ContentTypeID {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public bool IsDeleted {
    get;
    set;
  }
  public PropertyDataCollection Property {
    get {
      return _properties;
    }
  }
  public bool IsNull {
    get {
      return _properties.Count == 0;
    }
  }
  #endregion
}
```

## Save and load comment

The following example creates a `Comment` instance, saves it, and re-loads it. Use `IContentRepository` to create, load, and save content instances.

```csharp
public class CommentHandler {
  private IContentRepository _contentRepository;
  public CommentHandler(IContentRepository contentRepository) {
    _contentRepository = contentRepository;
  }

  public Comment CreateAComment() {
    var comment = _contentRepository.GetDefault < Comment > (PageReference.RootPage, LanguageSelector.AutoDetect());
    comment.Name = "acomment";
    comment.User.Email = "user@test.com";
    comment.Body = "This is a comment";

    var contentLink = _contentRepository.Save(comment, EPiServer.DataAccess.SaveAction.Publish, EPiServer.Security.AccessLevel.NoAccess);
    var loadedComment = _contentRepository.Get < Comment > (contentLink);

    System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(comment.User.Email == loadedComment.User.Email);
    System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(comment.Body == loadedComment.Body);

    return comment;
  }
}
```