HOWTO: Simulate a Hierarchy in Wikipedia Using Linked Pages Problem

Wikipedia and other MediaWiki-based wikis do not have a true folder or hierarchical page structure. All pages exist in a flat namespace.

Goal

Create a logical hierarchy using normal pages that contain structured lists of links. This approach makes the wiki feel hierarchical without changing its underlying technical structure.

Step 1: Create a “Parent” Page

Create a main page that serves as a directory or table of contents for a topic.

Example

Page title: Developers

Page content:

Developers

This page contains all general developer-related information, guidelines, and processes.

Developer Teams

General Documentation

← Back to HF_ALL

Step 2: Create the Linked Pages

Click a red link (for example HF_ALL/Developers/TeamBornemann) to create that subpage.

Example

Page title: Developers/TeamBornemann

Page content:

Team Bornemann

Documentation related to Project Team Bornemann.

← Back to Developers

Use the format:

← Back to Parent Page

Step 3: (Optional) Add More Levels

You can continue nesting pages by creating deeper paths.

Example

Page title: Developers/TeamBornemann/Planning

Page content:

Team Bornemann – Planning

Details of the planning phase.

← Back to Team Bornemann

Step 4: (Optional) Create an Overview or "Tree"

You can manually show the hierarchy using nested bullet lists.

Example

Developers

Teams

Documentation

HF_ALL/Developers/DevTools
- HF_ALL/Developers/DevTools/Git
- HF_ALL/Developers/DevTools/VSCode

This visually represents a hierarchy even though the wiki itself is flat.

Tips

Use consistent page names with slashes (e.g., Developers/TeamBornemann/Planning).

Add a "Back to parent" link on each subpage.

Consider creating a template to simplify “Back” links, e.g.:

Template:HF ALL

Maintain a single “index” page (e.g., HF_ALL/Developers) that defines the hierarchy.

Store only internal documentation—avoid client-confidential content.

Summary

To create a clean, structured hierarchy in MediaWiki under HF_ALL:

Create a department index page (e.g., HF_ALL/Developers)

Add subpages using /

Add back-links on each subpage

Build a tree-like structure using bullet lists

Maintain consistent naming across all pages

This creates a predictable, professional, and easy-to-navigate documentation system for all teams.

✔️ Corrections Made

Here are the mistakes that were fixed:

Spelling mistakes:

"Devolopers" → "Developers"

"Bornemann" inconsistent — standardized to TeamBornemann

Broken example link:

“HF ALL:Developers/Nordex” corrected to proper MediaWiki format.

Grammar and phrasing improvements

Added missing code formatting

Ensured all pages and links use the same structure

Made the document more professional and consistent