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 technical structure.

Step 1: Create a “Parent” Page

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

Example:

Page title: Projects

Page content

= Projects =
This page lists all ongoing projects.

== Active Projects ==
* [[Projects/Project A]]
* [[Projects/Project B]]

== Completed Projects ==
* [[Projects/Old Project 1]]
* [[Projects/Old Project 2]]

Step 2: Create the Linked Pages

Click a red link (for example Projects/Project A) to create that subpage.

Example:

Page title: Projects/Project A

Page content

= Project A =
This is Project A.

[[Projects|← Back to Projects]]

Each page links back to its parent using:

[[ParentPageName|← Back to Parent Page]]

Step 3: (Optional) Add More Levels

You can continue nesting pages by creating deeper paths.

Example:

Page title: Projects/Project A/Planning

Page content

= Project A – Planning =
Details of the planning phase.

[[Projects/Project A|← Back to Project A]]

Step 4: (Optional) Create an Overview or “Tree”

You can manually display a hierarchy by nesting lists:

= Projects =
* [[Projects/Project A]]
** [[Projects/Project A/Planning]]
** [[Projects/Project A/Results]]
* [[Projects/Project B]]
** [[Projects/Project B/Planning]]
** [[Projects/Project B/Results]]

This structure visually represents a hierarchy even though the wiki pages are flat.

Tips

Use consistent page names with slashes, such as Projects/ProjectA/Planning.
Add a “Back to parent” link on each subpage.
You can create a small template to simplify the “Back” link, for example:

{{Parent|Projects/ProjectA}}

Maintain a single “index” page (like Projects) that defines the hierarchy.

Summary