Typemill 2.19.0: Multi-Project Websites

Surprise! Version 2.19.0 introduces a multi-project feature that could be transformative for your projects. The previously announced multi-language feature will build upon this multi-project feature and ship with the next release 2.20.0. Download the latest version of Typemill from the start page.

Create Multiple Projects for Your Website

Until now, you could only create one website with a single navigation structure. With version 2.19.0, you can configure multiple projects alongside your default website. Each project maintains its own independent navigation, with content completely separated from other projects.

In the author area, switch between projects using a dropdown menu positioned above the navigation. For the frontend website, you can enable the same switching functionality or implement your own theme-based solution. Find a complete setup guide for multi-projects in the documentation.

Use Cases for Multi-Project

If you're unsure about potential use cases, here's some inspiration:

• Versions: Managing software with multiple major releases? Create a project for each release and maintain documentation independently. Perfect for scenarios like Typemill Version 1 and Typemill Version 2.
• Products: Multiple products in your portfolio? Consider dedicating a project to each product for better organization.
• Teams: Using Typemill across different teams where each needs its own workspace? Projects provide an ideal solution.
• Books: Planning to edit and publish different books with various authors? Projects are your answer (the ebook plugin will soon be adapted for project compatibility).
• Training Manuals: Training different courses for distinct target groups? Assign each course its own project and streamline your workflow.

I'm sure there are countless other use cases, and I'm excited to discover how you'll use the multi-project feature for your website.

A Solution for Large Content Websites

Multi-project also addresses performance challenges faced by large websites. Currently, the Typemill author interface slows down significantly with several thousand pages because it must process the entire navigation and content structure. By separating large websites into multiple projects, Typemill only processes the navigation and content of the currently active project.

This is a big step for Typemill, opening doors to large content projects and enterprise-level implementations. The previous limitations for small-scale websites are now eliminated. If performance has been a concern, consider testing a multi-project setup.

New Folder Restrictions for Users

Alongside the multi-project feature comes a new option to restrict user access to specific folders. Add one or multiple folder paths to a new field in the user settings. Authenticated users will only access specified folders in both the frontend and author interface. Typemill currently checks the first level only, so restricting access to deeply nested folders isn't possible yet.

You can use this feature with the default website. Or you can combine it with multi-project functionality and restrict author permissions to specific projects. If your Typemill website is internal and requires login (configured in the access tab), you can completely limit project access to specific teams or users. Use cases are team-specific knowledge bases, manuals, or course material designed for particular participants.

Coming Next: Multi-language Websites

First, I sincerely apologize to users who anticipated the multi-language feature in this release. However, multi-project emerged as the essential first step, with multi-language being the natural second step. I'm now dedicating full attention to multi-language development for release 2.20.

I've also refactored the eBook plugin to work with the new remote print service. I still need to update the themes and adapt the eBook plugin for the new multi-project feature. Expect publication within the next four weeks.

I anticipate some fixes for the multi-project feature, as this was quite an intensive development cycle and may have unforeseen side effects. If you encounter any issues, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Until then, feel free to mention Typemill if you appreciate this project and want to show your support!