GDT 150 Design for the Internet
Handout: Directory Structure
Creating a directory structure is simply a way of organizing files in a way that makes sense. Everyone probably has a slightly different way of organizing files, and different situations may require different ways of organizing files.
A good general rule is that you want to organize files by type. This generally means that all html files will go in the root folder and all graphics will go in a folder called “graphics” or “images.”
It’s a good idea to organize graphics further. Navigation can go into a subfolder. Same for page titles. If there are several graphics that are specific to one page, make another folder for those graphics.
If there are several versions of each navigation graphic, i.e. pressed and normal, create a folder inside the navigation folder for each of these. That way the filenames always match the text on them and you just switch the folder name.
Consistency in your naming conventions will make your life much easier. Name graphics to match either what’s on them or where they go on the page. Use directory names to determine what type of graphic it is, title, navigation, illustration, etc.
