Learn to structure your OpenCms site using the Sitemap Editor, organizing pages, navigation, and sub-sitemaps with the Mercury template.
Dev Blog:Creating the Site Structure in OpenCms with the Sitemap Editor
Date:
August 27, 2025
Now that your new site is set up using the Mercury template, the next step is to create the site structure—the foundation for organizing your pages and navigation.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to structure your website using the Sitemap Editor in OpenCms, and explain the core concepts behind page creation, navigation, and sub-sitemaps.
What Is a Site Structure in OpenCms?
In OpenCms, the site structure directly mirrors the URL structure of your website. This structure is managed using the Sitemap Editor, accessible from the top toolbar in the OpenCms workplace.
Therefore, each site in a multi-site setup has its own independent sitemap.
Creating Pages with the Sitemap Editor
To use the Sitemap Editor, your user role must include EDITOR. Users with only the ELEMENT AUTHOR role cannot create pages via the Sitemap Editor.
Steps to Create a New Page
- Open the Sitemap Editor.
- Click "Add Pages" in the toolbar.
- Select a template model.
- Drag the new page to the desired location and rename it.
By default, a new page is named "page". Simply click on the name to rename it. You’ll also see the URL the page will use.
You can:
- Re-order pages using the "nine dots" icon.
- Nest pages (create subpages) by dragging a page onto another page’s icon.
Example: Basic Sitemap Structure
Let’s create a basic site structure:
Top-Level Pages:
- Products
- Locations
- About Us
Subpages under “Products”:
- The Blue Product
- The Red Product
- The White Product
How to build it:
- Create a page under the site root and name it Products.
- Repeat for Locations and About Us.
- Click the icon of the Products page to open the Page Editor. You’ll see the three top-level navigation items.
- Rearranging pages in the Sitemap Editor automatically updates the navigation.
- Create a child page by drag it onto an exisiting sitemap entry.
- Create three new pages and drag them onto the Products icon to make them subpages.
- Click Products again in the Page Editor—you’ll now see the second level navigation.
Hiding Pages from Navigation
Sometimes you’ll want pages that exist in the sitemap but don’t appear in the navigation—for example, a “Legal Notice” page linked from the footer.
To hide a page:
- Create the page as usual.
- Open the context menu (burger icon) for that page.
- Click “Hide in Navigation”.
The page will appear dimmed in the Sitemap Editor. To show it again, use “Show in Navigation” in the same menu.
Navigation Levels
A Navigation Level is a special type of folder that automatically redirects to the first container page inside it. Use this when you want to group subpages in the navigation without needing an overview page.
To create a Navigation Level:
- Click “Add Pages” in the toolbar.
- Go to the “Function Pages”
- Select and drag the Navigation Level item into the sitemap.
Creating Sub-Sitemaps
You can define subtrees within your sitemap as Sub-Sitemaps. These behave like mini-sites with their own:
- Sitemap configuration
- .content folder for storing contents
- Template models, headers, and footers
They still inherit all components from the parent sitemap.
Example: Sub-Sitemaps under “Locations”
- Under Locations, create two pages: North and South.
- Right-click each page and go to Advanced → Create Sub-Sitemap.
- Confirm the dialog. A separate sitemap config and .content folder will be created.
In the Sitemap Editor, sub-sitemaps have a special icon.
Clicking them switches the view to that sub-sitemap. Use the up arrow to return to the parent sitemap.
Storing Content Locally in Sub-Sites
By default, content elements are stored in the .content folder at the site root. However, sub-sitemaps can store their content locally, which is useful for managing permissions or editor access.
To enable local content storage:
- Open the subsite in the Sitemap Editor.
- Click the burger menu in the toolbar → Advanced → Sitemap Configuration.
- Enable “Local content elements.”
This helps organize content for different sections and delegate access to specific teams.
Learn more
For more detailed instructions and features of the Sitemap Editor, visit the official OpenCms documentation.