Knowledge base Articles
Unlock the full potential of your team by capturing, organizing, and sharing operator instructions, technical documentation, and best practices with Nodinite Knowledge Base Articles. This page shows you how to create, manage, and distribute knowledge using a powerful WYSIWYG or Markdown editor—streamlining operations and boosting productivity.
- ✅ Create Articles using WYSIWYG (HTML) or Markdown
- ✅ Embed HTML, Mermaid diagrams, images from the Image Library, files from the File Library, and videos
- ✅ Place Component Type icons inline in Articles, Snippets, and Templates with Insert Icon (requires a Mapify license, see Inline Icons with )
- ✅ Associate Articles with Applications, Categories, Resources, and Tags
- ✅ Organize, search, and share unlimited knowledge base content
Get started now: How to Add or manage Article user guide.
This diagram shows all the connections an Article has with other parts of Nodinite, including Applications, Categories, Resources, Tags, Custom Metadata, Monitor Views, Integrations, Repository Model, and the Web Client.
Understanding the Four Document Types
Nodinite 7.11 expands the knowledge base from a single document type into four, so content can be written once and reused everywhere it applies:
Templates start new Articles, Document Profiles structure them into sections, and Snippets are reused inside any of the three.
| Document Type | Role | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Article | The readable document | What operators, integrators, and stakeholders ultimately read |
| Snippet | A reusable block of Markdown | Write a header, footer, or standard procedure once; include it by reference everywhere it belongs |
| Template | A starting point for new Articles | Standardize how a category of Article begins, with reusable macro-ready content and consistent structure |
| Document Profile | A reusable document structure | Enforce the same section layout — for example a standard technical article shape — across every Article that adopts it |
Each document type has its own icon, list page, and edit page, reachable from the Admin and Repository menus: All Articles, Snippets, Templates, and Document Profiles.
Example of the Repository menu with the new Snippets, Templates, and Document Profiles entries.
- Clone duplicates any of the four document types and keeps the kind: an Article clones to an Article, a Template to a Template. The copy gets a unique title and slug; cloning a Template records it as the copy's Source Template (see Templates). To turn an Article into a new Template instead, use Copy as Template.
- Slugs. Every document has a URL-safe slug in addition to its id, so Snippets and links can be referenced either way. The editor enforces unique titles and slugs, and fills in the slug for you while you create a new document (see Slug Auto-Fill).
- Delete and restore. Deleting a Document Profile, Template, or Article also hides its sections; restoring brings them back. A section you had already removed or discarded before the delete stays removed after a restore. There is no permanent delete yet.
Ways to Create an Article
New 7.11
Start an Article already shaped the way you want it, from wherever you are in the knowledge base. Every entry point below opens the Article editor on the Repository route and on the Admin route, and is shown only to users with the Create Article permission (Repository_Article_Create), the same permission as the plain Add Article button.
| Start from | Where | Opens the Article editor with |
|---|---|---|
| Blank | Add Article (the main part of the split button) on the Articles overview | An empty Article, as before |
| A Template | Add Article dropdown > From Template… on the Articles overview | The Template picker. The chosen Template's content is applied, and the Template is recorded as the Source Template |
| A Template | Create Article From Template row action on the Templates overview | That Template applied. The row action is now on the Repository route too, not only on Admin |
| A Template | Create Article from this Template in the Template's editor header or reader page | That Template applied |
| A Document Profile | Add Article dropdown > With Document Profile… on the Articles overview | The Document Profile picker. The chosen profile is preselected and the composite workspace is open |
| A Document Profile | Add Article using this Profile row action on the Document Profiles overview | That profile preselected |
| A Document Profile | Add Article using this Profile in the Document Profile's editor header or reader page | That profile preselected |
Example of the Add Article split button with its two new starting points.
Example of the Add Article using this Profile button on a Document Profile's reader page.
The Snippets overview has no new options; Add Snippet stays a plain button. The reader's Edit button now opens the editor of the item's own kind (Snippet, Template, or Document Profile) directly.
Deep Links to a New Article
The Article editor accepts two query parameters when it opens a new Article, so a link on an intranet page or in another Article can start a pre-shaped Article in one click:
| Parameter | Effect |
|---|---|
templateId=<id> |
Starts from that Template: content applied, Source Template recorded. A profile-based Template also preselects its Document Profile and fills each Content Part, and wins over profileId |
profileId=<id> |
Composes from that Document Profile: profile preselected, composite workspace open |
Both work on the Repository route (/Repository/Article/add?profileId=12) and the Admin route (/Admin/Article?templateId=7). They're ignored when the id doesn't point at an item of the right kind, or when an existing Article is opened.
Slug Auto-Fill
When you create a new Article, Snippet, Template, or Document Profile, the Slug field follows the Title as you type:
| Rule | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Derivation | Lower case, & becomes and, every other run of non-alphanumeric characters becomes one hyphen, no leading or trailing hyphens, at most 256 characters. The server uses the same rule, for example when it derives the slug of a Clone |
| You type in the Slug field | The slug stops following the title |
| You clear the Slug field | The slug follows the title again |
| A saved document's title changes | The slug is never rewritten. Slugs are link targets in {nda}/slug and {nds}/slug tokens, so changing one is always a deliberate edit of the Slug field |
For example, the title Orders & Invoices – ERP (v2) becomes the slug orders-and-invoices-erp-v2. The C4 diagram article editor uses the same shared rule.
Go deeper on each document type:
- Snippets – create, include, create from selection, tag merge, reserved tags
- Templates – create from Template, macro-ready content, Source Template
- Document Profiles – the designer, Parts, Main Body, the seeded examples
- Writing a Profile-Based Article – the composite workspace and resolving Dangling Content Parts
- Macros Reference – every macro and when each one resolves, plus the content tokens, inline icons included
- Reading Articles – the Table of Contents toolbox, Relationships, Reference Explorer, and Print
Already have documentation elsewhere? Migrate Azure DevOps Wiki Pages to Profile-Based Articles with AI shows how an AI assistant and the MCP Endpoint turn an existing wiki, or source code, into Snippets, Document Profiles, and Articles.
How Articles Fit into the Integration CMDB
Knowledge Base Articles complete Nodinite's integration CMDB by adding the human knowledge layer. While other Repository Model entities document technical architecture (Systems, Services, Endpoints, Message Types), Articles capture:
- Operational procedures - "How to restart this Service when it fails"
- Business context - "Why this Integration exists and which departments depend on it"
- Troubleshooting guides - "Common error patterns and resolution steps"
- Design decisions - "Why we chose this architecture and what alternatives we considered"
- Institutional knowledge - "Contact John in Finance for approval on changes to this Integration"
The Value: Technical + Human CMDB
Nodinite's CMDB isn't just configuration data—it's living documentation combining:
- Auto-populated technical architecture - Systems, Services, Endpoints appear from logged events
- Human-created business context - Articles explain why, how, who, when
- Operational metadata - Custom Metadata on entities provides governance
- Cross-references - Articles link to Integrations, Resources showing exactly what they document
This integrated CMDB approach ensures documentation lives with the architecture it describes—not scattered across wikis, SharePoint sites, and email threads.
Articles Bridge Repository Entities to Human Understanding
Associate Articles with Repository Entities
- Integrations - Attach design documents, business justification, change history
- Resources - Include runbooks, restart procedures, capacity planning notes
- Applications - Document supported business processes, key contacts, service windows
- Categories - Share best practices applicable to all Resources in a category
The benefit: When viewing an Integration in the Integration Landscape or a Resource in Monitor Views, users see available Articles—instant access to institutional knowledge without leaving the operational interface.
Use Case
Use Articles to deliver human-readable content for end-users exactly where it matters most. The use cases for Articles are virtually endless. Other products may call them by different names, but the value is the same:
- Operator instructions
- Knowledgebase
- Design documents
- Technical documents
This example shows a Knowledge Base Article with rich text content, including images and links.
Tip
Articles help you capture and leverage your team's know-how!
Supercharge Articles with Custom Metadata
Custom Metadata supercharges your Articles by letting you attach business-critical information, relationships, and context directly to your documentation. With Custom Metadata, you transform every Article into a powerful, searchable, and governed asset—making it easy to filter, report, and enforce compliance across your knowledge base. Replace scattered documentation tools and unlock a single source of truth for your team. Experience the greatness of Custom Metadata and take your Articles to the next level in Nodinite.
Other Custom Metadata about your Integrations can also be shared using the Nodinite Repository Model.
Rich text editor helps you create and manage Articles
The following features are available when working with Articles:
- WYSIWYG Editor – No learning curve empowers anyone to write awesome Articles
- Embed images and videos – Make your articles more attractive and user-friendly; reuse images from the Image Library
- Clipboard – Simply paste the image into the article
- From file – Select a file from the filesystem
- Drag and drop – Can't be much simpler than that
- Style your text
- Provide hyperlinks to other pages and Articles
- Embed images and videos – Make your articles more attractive and user-friendly; reuse images from the Image Library
- Tag your articles
- Code view for fine-grained control
- Easily create tables (with code view, you can style these as you like, for example, add table-striped)
- Full-screen support
- Adjust editable area – Simply drag and drop vertically
- Type faster with shortcuts – Get the list of shortcuts in the editor help page
Example of the WYSIWYG editor toolbar with available text formatting options.
Example of the keyboard shortcuts help panel for quick reference while writing Articles.
Structured content
Organize your Articles on multiple levels, including Categories and Applications provided by the Monitoring Agents. An Article can also be associated with a single Resource if it's dedicated to a specific purpose.
This diagram illustrates how Articles can be structured and associated with Applications, Categories, Resources, and Tags.
For any given Resource, the total number of associated Articles is visible within the Monitor Views.
Example showing the number of Articles associated with a Resource in a Monitor View.
Share Articles with Applications
You can make a single article shared between all Resources belonging to one or more Applications.
Share Articles with Categories
You can make a single article shared between all Resources belonging to one or more Categories.
Associate Articles with Selected Resources
You can make a single article shared between selected Resources.
Organize Articles with Tags
Nodinite Tags are unique string values that can be used to organize your Articles. Tags help users find a specific article as well as related articles. Please note that Nodinite comes with no predefined tags—this is your story to tell.
Tip
Tagging Articles makes it easier for your users to manage numerous Knowledge Base Articles.
Mapify Article Relations
Mapify draws Article-to-Article edges on the map: Snippet inclusion, Document Profile use, and Template lineage, alongside the existing Resource, Category, and C4 edges. Relations are stored whenever a document is saved, so the map is always current.
How do I create and work with Knowledge Base Articles?
You can manage Articles using the Nodinite Web Client. Use any of the following user guides to work with Articles:
- Articles Overview – Review all your knowledge base articles
- Add or manage Article – Learn how to Create, Edit, and Delete knowledge base articles
Where can I use the Knowledge Base Articles?
Access Knowledge Base Articles directly or from within Monitor Views when you tie them to Applications, Categories, or Resources. You can also access bound Articles using the Integration Landscape.
Shared assets and C4 diagram links
Keep article content reusable and connected to the architecture it explains:
- Insert Files from the File Library – reuse approved runbooks, schemas, sample data, and partner documents directly inside an Article from the File Library. The SharedFilePolicy System Parameter sets which file types can be uploaded to the File Library and how Shared File links open
- C4 Article Links – attach an Article to a bound C4 diagram node so readers can open the guidance without leaving the architecture view. The C4 article editor that opens from a node supports the full editor feature set — Templates, macros, Document Profiles, and the composite workspace — so a node-linked Article is just as capable as one created from the Articles list.