# Collections and sub-pages

Pages can be grouped in two ways: a **collection** holds pages of one topic, and a **sub-page** nests one page under another.

![The Pages panel showing collections that contain pages, with some pages nested inside others](https://thenotemaker.com/help/collections.webp)

## Collections

A collection is a folder for related pages, such as _Product_, _HR_ or _Clients_. Collections appear in the Pages panel with their pages underneath. Collections can also hold other collections.

### Create one

1.  Click **Pages** in the rail.
2.  In the Pages panel choose the **+** next to **Collections**, or use **New collection**.
3.  Give it a name and an icon, then create it.

Add a page to a collection with the **+** on the collection's row, or **New page here** from its menu.

### What a collection can do

-   **Share** all its pages at once. See [🤝 Share a page or a collection](https://docs.thenotemaker.com/organise-and-share/share-a-page-or-a-collection).
-   **Publish** as a small website. See [🌐 Publish to the web](https://docs.thenotemaker.com/organise-and-share/publish-to-the-web).
-   **Export** with all its sub-collections as one file from its **⋯** menu, and import one back as a new collection.
-   **Nest** inside another collection. Sharing a collection shares everything inside it, sub-collections included.

If you delete a collection, its pages are not deleted. They move to the top level of Pages.

## Sub-pages

A sub-page is a page inside another page. Open the parent page's **⋯** menu and choose **Add sub-page**, or type `/sub-page` in the text. In the Pages panel, a page with sub-pages shows an arrow to open or close them.

Nesting can go as deep as you need. In the address bar a sub-page shows only its collection, never the whole chain of parents, so moving a page does not break its links.

## Pages without a collection

You do not have to use collections. A page created under **Pages** and not inside a collection sits at the top level on its own.

> [!info] 💡
> The page you have open is always visible in the panel. NoteMaker opens the collections and parent pages above it, even when you arrive from search.

## Related

-   [↔️ Move pages around](https://docs.thenotemaker.com/organise-and-share/move-pages-around)
-   [🗃️ Archive and trash](https://docs.thenotemaker.com/organise-and-share/archive-and-trash)
-   [🔎 Find anything with search](https://docs.thenotemaker.com/get-started/find-anything-with-search)