Page Tree Structure
Why the page tree matters
Section titled “Why the page tree matters”Every page in the CMS lives inside a hierarchical tree. This tree determines three things visitors care about: the URL they type, the navigation they see, and the content they can access. Understanding the tree structure helps you plan a site that is easy to browse, easy to find in search engines, and easy to manage as it grows.
How the content tree works
Section titled “How the content tree works”The content tree is a parent-child hierarchy that starts from a root node. Every page sits under a parent page, creating a branching structure similar to folders on a computer.
- Root node — The top-level container. You typically do not see this in the editor, but it holds everything else.
- Start page — The homepage of your site. It sits directly under the root and serves as the parent for all top-level sections.
- Section pages — First-level children of the start page. They represent your main navigation items (Products, About Us, Blog).
- Detail pages — Children of section pages. They hold the actual content visitors read.
You can nest pages as deep as you need, but most sites stay within three to four levels for usability.
URL generation from tree position
Section titled “URL generation from tree position”The CMS builds page URLs automatically based on each page’s position in the tree. The page name at each level becomes a URL segment.
Example tree and resulting URLs:
| Tree position | Generated URL |
|---|---|
| Start Page | / |
| Start Page > Products | /products/ |
| Start Page > Products > Widget Pro | /products/widget-pro/ |
| Start Page > Blog > 2026 > March Update | /blog/2026/march-update/ |
When you move a page to a different location in the tree, its URL changes automatically. The CMS can create redirects from the old URL to the new one so visitors and search engines find the content at its new address.
Move, copy, and sort pages
Section titled “Move, copy, and sort pages”You can reorganize the tree at any time.
- Move — Drag a page from one parent to another. The page and all its children move together. URLs update to reflect the new position.
- Copy — Right-click a page and select Copy. Navigate to the target location and paste. The copy gets a new URL and a new identity; edits to the copy do not affect the original.
- Sort — Drag pages up or down within the same parent to change their display order. Sort order controls how pages appear in navigation menus and listing components.
Tree icons and their meanings
Section titled “Tree icons and their meanings”The content tree displays icons next to each page to communicate status at a glance.
| Icon appearance | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Solid/filled | Page is published and live |
| Outlined/hollow | Page is a draft, not yet published |
| Clock/timer | Page is scheduled for future publishing |
| Lock | You do not have edit access to this page |
| Globe | Page has translations in multiple languages |
| Warning/exclamation | Page has validation errors or broken references |
Icon styles may vary slightly between CMS SaaS and CMS PaaS, but the meanings remain consistent.
Structure the tree for navigation
Section titled “Structure the tree for navigation”The content tree often drives your site navigation automatically. Pages in the tree become menu items unless you explicitly hide them.
Best practices for tree structure:
- Keep top-level sections to seven or fewer. More than seven main navigation items overwhelms visitors.
- Group related content under common parents. A “Resources” section page can hold case studies, whitepapers, and webinar recordings.
- Use container pages for organization. Create section pages that exist only to group children, even if the section page itself has minimal content.
- Hide utility pages from navigation. Pages like “Thank You” or “404 Error” should sit in the tree but be marked as hidden from menus.
Permissions inheritance through the tree
Section titled “Permissions inheritance through the tree”Access rights flow down the tree from parent to child. When you set permissions on a section page, every child page inherits those permissions unless you explicitly override them.
- Set permissions high in the tree to control large sections with a single rule.
- Override at lower levels when a specific page needs different access. For example, an “Internal News” page under “About Us” might restrict access to staff only.
- Permissions affect editing, not viewing by default. Visitor access is controlled separately through content visibility settings.
For detailed configuration of access rights, see the access control concept page.
1. A content architect moves the 'Case Studies' page from under 'About Us' to under 'Resources.' What happens to the URLs of the case study child pages?
The CMS generates URLs from the tree position. When you move a page, its URL and the URLs of all its children update automatically to reflect the new location in the hierarchy.
The CMS generates URLs from the tree position. When you move a page, its URL and the URLs of all its children update automatically to reflect the new location in the hierarchy.
Review this topic →2. An administrator sets 'Editors Only' access on the 'Marketing' section page. A content author creates a new campaign page under Marketing. Who can edit the campaign page?
Access rights cascade down the tree. New child pages inherit the permissions of their parent. Since Marketing is restricted to editors, the new campaign page also restricts editing to editors unless someone explicitly overrides the inherited permissions.
Access rights cascade down the tree. New child pages inherit the permissions of their parent. Since Marketing is restricted to editors, the new campaign page also restricts editing to editors unless someone explicitly overrides the inherited permissions.
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