Page tree instead of folders: why we did not build a file cabinet
Folders force one decision per document. A tree of pages does not. The design decision behind Atlas.
Every knowledge platform starts with the same question: where does what live? The classic answer is folders. We decided against them.
The problem with folders
A folder is a container. A document sits in exactly one of them. That forces a decision at creation time that later turns out to be wrong – and moving things is work nobody does.
Pages that contain pages
In Atlas every page is a potential container. A concept paper can have subpages for research, decisions and minutes. When it grows too big, a branch moves into its own area – and every link stays valid.
What that means for search
Because structure and content are the same thing, search can show context: not just “hit in file X” but “hit in Research › Competitors › Pricing”.
The cost
Trees get deep. We do display more than three levels, but from there on search beats clicking. That is a deliberate limit, not a technical one.