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Pensiv’s structure looks like a tree. A parent unit contains child files
and forms a hierarchy.

Parent

The parent is the reference that gives context. Examples:
  • Project
  • Main section
It defines
what scope the child files belong to.

Child

Child files are the actual work units. Examples:
  • Chapter
  • Character sheet
  • Setting file
  • Individual document
They can exist on their own.
They make more sense inside a parent context.

Parent–Child is not simple containment

In a typical file system, parent–child
means “folder contains file.”
The file is inside the folder.
In Pensiv it’s a bit different. Parent–Child is closer to
sharing context than to storage location.

Example

Project
 ├── Five-act structure
 ├── Character sheets
 ├── Plotboard
 └── Document drafts
Each file can be opened on its own.
Moving to another project doesn’t delete the file.
But when they sit under the same Parent (the project),
they share the same world and goals.

Why this matters

A child file can stand alone.
Under a parent, its meaning is clearer.
  • Document draft → a piece of text
  • Document draft inside a project → part of a specific world
Hierarchy is not for storage;
it’s for making context clear.

Main idea

The parent gives direction.
The child holds the content.
Structure grows through connections
and is ordered through hierarchy.
Pensiv’s Parent–Child structure
is not a tree that locks files in;
it’s a frame for shared context.
Structure becomes clear through hierarchy.

Related: 1.2 Main navigation, 2.2 Understanding connections, 4. Graph