ref: 5c0d10045d639ee844535de62866e0a955e89f3d
dir: /docs/content/en/content-management/sections.md/
--- title: Content Sections linktitle: Sections description: "Hugo generates a **section tree** that matches your content." date: 2017-02-01 publishdate: 2017-02-01 lastmod: 2017-02-01 categories: [content management] keywords: [lists,sections,content types,organization] menu: docs: parent: "content-management" weight: 50 weight: 50 #rem draft: false aliases: [/content/sections/] toc: true --- A **Section** is a collection of pages that gets defined based on the organization structure under the `content/` directory. By default, all the **first-level** directories under `content/` form their own sections (**root sections**). If a user needs to define a section `foo` at a deeper level, they need to create a directory named `foo` with an `_index.md` file (see [Branch Bundles][branch bundles] for more information). {{% note %}} A **section** cannot be defined or overridden by a front matter parameter -- it is strictly derived from the content organization structure. {{% /note %}} ## Nested Sections The sections can be nested as deeply as you need. ```bash content └── blog <-- Section, because first-level dir under content/ ├── funny-cats │ ├── mypost.md │ └── kittens <-- Section, because contains _index.md │ └── _index.md └── tech <-- Section, because contains _index.md └── _index.md ``` **The important part to understand is, that to make the section tree fully navigational, at least the lower-most section needs a content file. (e.g. `_index.md`).** {{% note %}} When we talk about a **section** in correlation with template selection, it is currently always the *root section* only (`/blog/funny-cats/mypost/ => blog`). If you need a specific template for a sub-section, you need to adjust either the `type` or `layout` in front matter. {{% /note %}} ## Example: Breadcrumb Navigation With the available [section variables and methods](#section-page-variables-and-methods) you can build powerful navigation. One common example would be a partial to show Breadcrumb navigation: {{< code file="layouts/partials/breadcrumb.html" download="breadcrumb.html" >}} <ol class="nav navbar-nav"> {{ template "breadcrumbnav" (dict "p1" . "p2" .) }} </ol> {{ define "breadcrumbnav" }} {{ if .p1.Parent }} {{ template "breadcrumbnav" (dict "p1" .p1.Parent "p2" .p2 ) }} {{ else if not .p1.IsHome }} {{ template "breadcrumbnav" (dict "p1" .p1.Site.Home "p2" .p2 ) }} {{ end }} <li{{ if eq .p1 .p2 }} class="active"{{ end }}> <a href="{{ .p1.Permalink }}">{{ .p1.Title }}</a> </li> {{ end }} {{< /code >}} ## Section Page Variables and Methods Also see [Page Variables](/variables/page/). {{< readfile file="/content/en/readfiles/sectionvars.md" markdown="true" >}} ## Content Section Lists Hugo will automatically create pages for each *root section* that list all of the content in that section. See the documentation on [section templates][] for details on customizing the way these pages are rendered. ## Content *Section* vs Content *Type* By default, everything created within a section will use the [content `type`][content type] that matches the *root section* name. For example, Hugo will assume that `posts/post-1.md` has a `posts` content `type`. If you are using an [archetype][] for your `posts` section, Hugo will generate front matter according to what it finds in `archetypes/posts.md`. [archetype]: /content-management/archetypes/ [content type]: /content-management/types/ [directory structure]: /getting-started/directory-structure/ [section templates]: /templates/section-templates/ [branch bundles]: /content-management/page-bundles/#branch-bundles