Using Public Navigation to Browse Documentation

Opening the published docs and understanding the page layout

When you open published documentation in Atloria, the reading experience is built around three main areas on the page. On the left, you will usually see the sidebar navigation. In the center, you will see the document page itself, including the page title and article content. On the right, you may see a table of contents that lists the headings inside the current page.

The center content area is the easiest place to confirm where you are. At the top of the article, look for the document title. This title tells you which page is open. As you scroll, the section headings inside the article help you understand how the page is organized. Longer pages often use multiple heading levels, which makes it easier to scan before reading in detail.

The left sidebar shows the broader documentation structure. This is where Atloria lists categories and individual pages that readers can open. The currently open page is typically highlighted in the sidebar, which helps you confirm that the article on screen matches the navigation item you selected. If you are unsure whether you opened the right page, check both the highlighted sidebar item and the title at the top of the article.

This public view is meant for reading, not editing. You are browsing content that has already been organized and published by the documentation team. That means you can focus on moving through categories, opening pages, and using headings to find information quickly, without seeing editing tools or setup controls.

Browsing categories from the sidebar

The left sidebar is your main tool for moving through published documentation in Atloria. It usually contains top-level categories, and some of those categories include nested pages underneath them. If you want to explore a topic area, start here rather than scrolling through one long page.

Category entries and page links usually serve different purposes. A category represents a section of the documentation, while a page link opens a specific article. When a category contains more content underneath it, you may need to expand it to reveal the child pages. If a category is already open, you can often collapse it again to reduce clutter and focus on the section you are using.

As you browse, pay attention to the active path in the sidebar. If a page is open inside a category, Atloria highlights the current page so you can see where it sits in the overall structure. This is especially helpful when several pages have similar names. Instead of relying only on the page title, use the sidebar to understand the page’s location inside the larger documentation set.

A good way to browse is:

1. Look for the top-level category that matches your topic.
2. Expand that category if you do not yet see the page you need.
3. Review the child pages listed underneath it.
4. Click the page title you want to read.

This keeps you inside the same navigation context. You do not need to jump back to a separate home page every time you want to move to another article. The sidebar stays available while you read, so you can continue exploring nearby content without losing your place in the documentation structure.

Opening document pages and moving between related articles

To open an article, click any document link in the left sidebar. Atloria loads that page in the main reading area, where you can read the full article without leaving the published documentation view. Once the page opens, check the title at the top of the article to confirm you selected the correct document.

The page title is your first confirmation point, but it is not the only one. You can also use the article’s heading structure and the sidebar position together. For example, if the title looks familiar but you are not sure it is the right version of the topic, look at the highlighted item in the sidebar and the surrounding pages in the same category. This gives you context for how the article fits into the rest of the documentation.

If you want to move to a related article, you usually do not need to return to a separate index page. Instead, stay in the same sidebar category and click a nearby page. This is often the fastest way to move between related topics, such as introductory pages, setup instructions, and follow-up reading in the same section.

A practical reading flow looks like this:

1. Open a page from the sidebar.
2. Confirm the page using the title and sidebar highlight.
3. Read the article or scan its headings.
4. Return to the sidebar and choose a nearby page in the same category if you need the next topic.

Atloria’s published documentation is easier to browse when pages are arranged in a logical order. Documentation teams can place related pages together so readers naturally move from one article to the next. As a reader, that means the pages listed above and below the one you are viewing are often the most relevant next places to look.

Using the table of contents to jump within a page

When a document page is long enough to include several sections, Atloria may show a table of contents on the right side of the screen. This panel lists the headings from the current page and lets you jump directly to the section you want. Instead of scrolling through the entire article, you can click a heading in the table of contents and move straight to that part of the page.

The table of contents is built from the headings used inside the document. That means it reflects the actual structure of the article. If a page has clear section headings, the table of contents becomes a quick map of the content. Before reading in full, scan the heading list to see whether the page includes setup steps, explanations, examples, or reference details.

As you scroll through the page, Atloria can highlight the heading that matches your current position. This active heading indicator helps you keep track of where you are, especially in long articles with many sections. If you pause reading and return later, the highlighted heading makes it easier to reorient yourself.

Use the table of contents when you want to:

• Jump to a specific section immediately
• Review the structure of a long article before reading
• Return to an earlier section without scrolling back manually
• Confirm whether the page covers the topic you need

If you overshoot a section or decide to revisit something earlier, simply click another heading in the table of contents. This is usually faster and more precise than dragging the page up and down, especially when the article contains multiple subsections.

Reading efficiently across long documentation pages

Long documentation pages are easier to use when you combine the sidebar and the table of contents instead of relying on scrolling alone. Start with the sidebar to choose the right category and page. Once the page is open, use the table of contents to move directly to the section that matches your task.

This approach is especially helpful when page names are similar. Two documents may sound alike, but their sidebar location tells you which topic area they belong to. For example, a page under one category may explain a reader-facing task, while a similarly named page in another category may cover a different workflow. Checking both the page title and its sidebar location helps you avoid reading the wrong article.

When you open a long page, do not feel you need to read from top to bottom immediately. Instead, scan the table of contents first and look for the section type you need:

• Setup sections if you are trying to complete a task
• Concept sections if you need background before acting
• Reference sections if you are checking a detail quickly

You can then jump straight to the most useful part of the page and return to earlier sections only if needed. This saves time and makes Atloria’s published documentation easier to use during real work.

For documentation teams, clear navigation matters just as much as clear writing. Distinct category names and specific page titles help public readers tell pages apart quickly. If readers often open the wrong article first, the issue is usually not the amount of content but how similarly named pages appear in the sidebar and heading structure.

Fixing common navigation problems

If you cannot find the page you expect in Atloria’s published documentation, the first thing to check is the left sidebar. A page may be hidden because its parent category is collapsed. Expand the category and look again before assuming the page is missing.

If the table of contents does not appear, or only shows a few items, the current page may not include enough section headings to build a fuller in-page navigation list. In that case, rely on the article title, visible headings in the content area, and the sidebar location to move around. The page may still contain the information you need even if the right-side navigation is minimal.

When you lose your place while reading, use the two built-in orientation markers:

• The highlighted page in the left sidebar shows which article is open
• The active heading in the table of contents shows where you are inside that article

These two indicators work well together. The sidebar tells you your place in the documentation structure, while the table of contents tells you your place inside the page itself.

Common fixes include:

1. Expand collapsed categories in the sidebar.
2. Confirm the page title at the top of the article.
3. Check the highlighted sidebar item to verify the current page.
4. Use the table of contents to jump back to the section you were reading.

If readers regularly struggle to browse published documentation, the documentation team may need to improve category nesting, page order, or heading structure. Better category names and clearer section headings make the public reading experience much easier to follow.

Overview

Atloria’s public documentation view is designed to help readers move through published content without needing editing access or project-level tools. The main navigation pattern is simple: use the left sidebar to choose a category or page, read the article in the center content area, and use the right-side table of contents to move within longer pages.

The sidebar gives you the full reading structure for the published docs. It shows how topics are grouped and where the current page sits in relation to surrounding articles. This is useful when you are exploring a subject for the first time or when you want to move through a set of related pages in order. The highlighted current page helps you stay oriented.

The main article area is where you confirm the page you opened. The document title at the top tells you exactly which article is on screen, and the section headings break the content into readable parts. On longer pages, the table of contents adds a second layer of navigation by listing those headings so you can jump directly to the section you need.

Together, these three areas support different reading styles:

• Browsing by topic through the sidebar
• Reading one article in full from the content area
• Skimming or jumping within a page through the table of contents

If you are new to Atloria’s published docs, focus on recognizing these layout areas first. Once you know how to use the sidebar and heading structure together, it becomes much easier to find the right page quickly and move through related content without getting lost.

Prerequisites

Before you start browsing published documentation in Atloria, make sure you have the basics needed for a smooth reading experience:

• Access to an Atloria published documentation site
• A page layout that shows the left sidebar and, on longer pages, the right-side table of contents
• At least one published category or document page available to open

You do not need editing access, project setup access, or admin permissions to follow this guide. This is a public-reader workflow focused on reading and navigating published content. If you need help signing in or creating an account for other parts of Atloria, use Accessing and Registering Your Atloria Account or Signing In to Atloria and Solving Access Problems.

It also helps to be familiar with a few page elements before you begin:

• Sidebar navigation for categories and page links
• Document title at the top of the article
• Section headings inside the page
• Table of contents for in-page jumps when available

If you are reading as part of a larger documentation journey, you do not need to complete any setup steps first. You can begin directly from any published page and use the sidebar to explore from there. For the next topic in this Reader Navigation series, continue with Using Public Navigation with Audience Specific Content.