Menus & Navigation

A static website gives you a map of the entire world (Home, About, Services, Contact, Blog, FAQ…). It overwhelms the user before they’ve taken a single step.

In Tract Stack, we treat Menus as a Compass. They are simple, directional, and designed to keep the user inside the narrative, not looking for the exit.

The Philosophy: The Compass, Not the Map

The “Old Web” relies on Mega-Menus - cluttered dropdowns that scream desperation. The Free Web relies on Signal Continuity.

Your Main Menu should not list everything you have. It should list the Primary Threads of your Brand Universe.

• The Main Menu: The “Action” paths (e.g., “Build,” “Learn,” “Pricing”).
• The Footer: The “Context” paths (e.g., “Privacy,” “Terms,” “Manifesto”).

Configuring Menus (The “Has Menu” Toggle)

We removed the complex “Menu Builders” of legacy CMS tools. You don’t need a separate drag-and-drop interface to build a list.

In Tract Stack, navigation is a property of the Story Fragment itself.

How to Add a Page to the Menu

1. Open the Story Fragment in the Editor.
2. Locate the “Has Menu” checkbox in the properties panel.
3. Check it.

The Logic:

• If Has Menu is checked, the page appears in the Main Navigation.
• The text used in the menu is the Page Title (or a shorter “Menu Title” if configured).
• The order is determined by the Order property or alphabetical default.

Adaptive Navigation

Because Tract Stack is a Adaptive Engine, your navigation is not set in stone.

Scenario: You have a “Wholesale DXP” offering that only applies to Agencies.

• Default View: The “Agencies” link is hidden to keep the menu clean for regular users.
• The Handshake: A user identifies as an “Agency Owner” via a Belief Widget.
• The Reveal: The Logic Engine refreshes the state, and the “Agency Portal” link appears in the Main Menu instantly.

This is Smart Triage applied to navigation. You only show the door when the user is ready to walk through it.

Best Practices

1. Keep the Main Stage Clean

Your top navigation bar is prime real estate. Do not clutter it with “Context Pages.”

• Good: Story Fragments (Narrative threads).
• Bad: Terms of Service (Put this in the Footer).

2. The “Magic Path” Button

Often, the most important link isn’t a text link - it’s an Action. In your site configuration, you can define a Primary Action (e.g., “Start the Handshake” or “Get Started”). This stands apart from the menu as the clear next step.

3. Footer Strategy

The footer is where you put the “Library.” Use it for:

• Context Pages (Privacy, Legal).
• Deep links to specific “Hidden Doors” for power users.
• Social signals.

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The “Free Web” Press by At Risk Media