Url Structure
Install when you need to plan or fix site URL hierarchy, paths, and SEO-friendly permalinks before or after pages go live.
Overview
url-structure is an agent skill most often used in Launch (also Validate scope, Grow content) that optimizes site URL hierarchy and paths for SEO readability and technical hygiene.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/kostja94/marketing-skills --skill url-structureWhat is this skill?
- URL hierarchy guidance: categories, depth, and path structure for on-page SEO
- Static vs dynamic URL format recommendations and omitting file extensions
- Initial assessment flow using project-context.md when present
- Multi-language URL patterns (e.g., /zh/, /en/ or subdomains)
- Cross-links to url-slug-generator for slugs and canonical-tag for HTTPS/www/slash duplicates
- Referenced slug guidance: 3–5 words, under 60 characters via url-slug-generator
- Skill metadata version 1.1.0
Adoption & trust: 763 installs on skills.sh; 586 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
Your site’s URLs are inconsistent, too deep, or parameterized in ways that hurt crawling, sharing, and multilingual routing.
Who is it for?
Solo builders shipping marketing sites, docs portals, or SaaS blogs who are restructuring paths or launching new section trees.
Skip if: Single-page apps where routing is entirely client-side with no indexable paths, or tasks that only need one page slug without site-wide hierarchy.
When should I use this skill?
User mentions URL structure, URL optimization, slug hierarchy, clean URLs, URL path, permalink structure, URL best practices, dynamic URLs, or URL parameters.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a structured URL plan aligned with hierarchy best practices and clear handoffs to slug generation and canonical rules for implementation.
- URL hierarchy and format recommendations
- Assessment of multilingual and duplicate-variant issues with pointers to companion skills
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
URL architecture is a primary Launch SEO decision that also matters when you refactor navigation during growth. seo is the canonical shelf because the skill explicitly targets URL structure optimization for search readability, hierarchy, and duplicate variants.
Where it fits
Map top-level sections and depth limits before committing to a landing-plus-docs MVP sitemap.
Standardize category paths and drop file extensions before requesting indexation on new locale folders.
Refactor a blog taxonomy without multiplying duplicate paths that need canonical consolidation.
How it compares
Site-wide URL architecture guidance—use url-slug-generator for individual permalinks and canonical-tag when duplicates stem from protocol or trailing-slash variants.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is url-structure for?
Solo and indie builders owning information architecture and SEO who need agent-guided URL hierarchy decisions across marketing and product content.
When should I use url-structure?
Use it at Launch (seo) before publishing major sections; at Validate (scope) when mapping site IA for a landing or docs MVP; and at Grow (content) when refactoring categories or adding locale prefixes like /zh/ and /en/.
Is url-structure safe to install?
It is editorial SEO guidance without shell or network requirements; review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page like any third-party skill before enabling it in production repos.
Workflow Chain
Then invoke: url slug generator, canonical tag
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Url Structure
# SEO On-Page: URL Structure Guides URL structure optimization for SEO: readability, hierarchy, and best practices. **When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output. ## Scope (On-Page SEO) - **URL hierarchy**: Path structure, categories, depth - **URL format**: Static vs dynamic; omit file extensions - **URL slug**: See **url-slug-generator** for slug creation (3–5 words, under 60 chars) - **Duplicate variants**: See **canonical-tag** for HTTPS, www, trailing slash ## Initial Assessment **Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for site structure. Identify: 1. **Site structure**: Categories, subcategories, content types 2. **Current URLs**: Existing patterns and issues 3. **Multi-language**: URL structure for zh/en (e.g., /zh/, /en/ or subdomains) ## Best Practices ### URL Guidelines | Principle | Guideline | |-----------|-----------| | **Readable** | Use words, not IDs; `/blog/seo-guide` not `/p/12345` | | **Short** | Shorter is generally better; avoid unnecessary depth | | **Keyword** | Include target keyword when natural | | **Lowercase** | Use lowercase; avoid mixed case | | **Hyphens** | Use hyphens to separate words: `seo-guide` | | **Avoid** | Special chars, query params for core content, session IDs | ### Hierarchy | Pattern | Example | Use | |---------|---------|-----| | **Flat** | `/page-name` | Simple sites | | **Category** | `/blog/post-name`, `/tools/tool-name` | Content sites | | **Nested** | `/category/subcategory/page` | Deep hierarchies (keep shallow) | ### Multi-language | Pattern | Example | |---------|---------| | **Path prefix** | `/zh/page`, `/en/page` | | **Subdomain** | `zh.example.com`, `en.example.com` | | **ccTLD** | `example.cn`, `example.com` | ### Static vs Dynamic vs Pseudo-Static URLs | Type | Example | Use | |------|---------|-----| | **Static** | `/blog/seo-guide` | Direct file; best SEO; content stable | | **Dynamic** | `/product?id=123` | Program-generated; avoid for indexable content | | **Pseudo-static** | `/blog/seo-guide` (rewritten from `.php`) | Combines both; common in CMS | | **Rule** | Prefer static or pseudo-static; if dynamic, keep params ≤2; use **canonical-tag** and **robots-txt** (Clean-param) | ### File Extensions - **Omit** `.html`, `.php`, `.aspx` — keeps URLs technology-agnostic, shorter, easier to refactor - **Example**: `/seo-guide` not `/seo-guide.html` ### URL Parameter Handling | Scenario | Approach | |----------|----------| | **UTM / tracking** | Canonical to base URL; params in query string only | | **Search results** | Canonical to search page; avoid indexing result URLs | | **Filters / sort** | Canonical to base; or **robots-txt** Clean-param | | **Session IDs** | Use cookies; never in indexable URLs | ### Use Cases | Scenario | Focus | |----------|-------| | **New site** | Plan hierarchy upfront; avoid later restructuring | | **Migration** | 301 mapping; canonical; see **canonical-tag** | | **Large site** | Dynamic URLs, params, multi-language — canonical + robots | | **SEO audit** | Check structure, params, canonical consistency | ## Common Issues | Issue | Fix | |-------|-----| | Long URLs | Shorten; remove redundant words | | Dynamic params | Use canonical; clean params in robots (Yandex Clean-param) | | Mixed case | Redirect to lowerca