How are article URLs generated, and how do I rename one?

Environment / Context

You want to know how KnowledgeOwl creates the URL (permalink) for an article, or you want to rename that URL. This applies to article and category permalinks in any knowledge base, in both the new and old article editors.

The permalink is the last part of the page's URL, after /help/ (or your knowledge base's custom root path). In https://example.knowledgeowl.com/help/redirect-old-articles, the permalink is redirect-old-articles.

Resolution

KnowledgeOwl generates an article's permalink from its title when you create the article. You can change the permalink at any time in the article editor. Add the old permalink as an old link so readers who use it are redirected to the new one.

How KnowledgeOwl generates the permalink

To build the permalink from the title, KnowledgeOwl:

1. Changes accented and other non-English letters to their plain English equivalents.
2. Changes all letters to lowercase.
3. Removes punctuation and special characters, such as ? ! , : ; " ' ( ) & / #.
4. Replaces spaces and underscores with dashes.
5. Replaces repeated dashes with a single dash.

For example, the title "How do I rename the article's URL?" becomes how-do-i-rename-the-articles-url.

Each permalink must be unique in your knowledge base. If the generated permalink is already used by another page or is reserved for a KnowledgeOwl feature, KnowledgeOwl changes it automatically:

• If you created the article inside a category, KnowledgeOwl adds the category's permalink to the front, like category-permalink-article-title.
• If you created the article at the top level, KnowledgeOwl adds a random seven-character string to the end.

Rename an article URL

1. Open the article for editing.
2. Hover over the Permalink so the action icons appear to its right.
3. Select the pencil icon (Edit permalink). The Edit permalink modal opens.
4. Enter the new permalink. Use only lowercase letters, numbers, and dashes. A green checkmark means the permalink is valid.
5. Select Save.
6. When the Add old link modal opens, select Add old link. Anyone who uses the previous URL is redirected to the new one.

In the old article editor, edit the permalink directly in the permalink text box and save the article. When asked whether to add the previous permalink as an old link, select Yes. Category permalinks work the same way.

If you can't save the new permalink, the editor explains why. Refer to Invalid new permalink for each message and how to fix it.

Cause / Background

KnowledgeOwl generates a permalink once, from the title at the time you create the article. Editing the title later doesn't change the permalink, so a URL can stop matching a title that's been revised. Update the permalink yourself when you retitle an article, and keep the old one as an old link.