diff --git a/lib/web/doctree/meta/factory.v b/lib/web/doctree/meta/factory.v
index 93ff0684..d4059311 100644
--- a/lib/web/doctree/meta/factory.v
+++ b/lib/web/doctree/meta/factory.v
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub fn new(args FactoryArgs) !&Site {
 		config: SiteConfig{
 			name: name
 		}
-		root_category: Category{}
+		root: Category{}
 	}
 	sites_global[name] = &site
 	return get(name: name)!
diff --git a/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category.v b/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category.v
index d1254bc1..5f3d97a2 100644
--- a/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category.v
+++ b/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category.v
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ pub mut:
 	items       []CategoryItem
 }
 
-//return the label of the category (last part of the path)
+// return the label of the category (last part of the path)
 pub fn (mut c Category) label() !string {
 	if c.path.count('/') == 0 {
 		return c.path
@@ -19,61 +19,29 @@ pub fn (mut c Category) label() !string {
 
 type CategoryItem = Page | Link | Category
 
-
-
-pub fn (mut self Category) up(path string) !&Category {
-	// Split the requested path into parts
-	path_parts := path.split('/')
-	
-	// Start at current category
-	mut current := &self
-	
-	// Navigate through each part of the path
-	for part in path_parts {
-		// Skip empty parts (from leading/trailing slashes)
-		if part.len == 0 {
-			continue
-		}
-		
-		// Check if this part already exists in current category's items
-		mut found := false
-		for item in current.items {
-			match item {
-				&Category {
-					item_label := item.label()!
-					if item_label == part {
-						current = item
-						found = true
-						break
-					}
-				}
-				else {}
+// return all items as CategoryItem references recursive
+pub fn (mut self Category) items_get() ![]&CategoryItem {
+	mut result := []&CategoryItem{}
+	for i in 0 .. self.items.len {
+		mut c := self.items[i]
+		match mut c {
+			Category {
+				result << c.items_get()!
 			}
-		}
-		
-		// If not found, create a new category and add it
-		if !found {
-			mut new_category := Category{
-				path:        part
-				collapsible: true
-				collapsed:   true
-				items:       []CategoryItem{}
+			else {
+				result << &c
 			}
-			current.items << new_category
-			current = &new_category
 		}
 	}
-	
-	return current
+	return result
 }
 
-
-fn (mut self Category) page_get(src string)! &Page {
-	for item in self.items {
-		match item {
+pub fn (mut self Category) page_get(src string) !&Page {
+	for c in self.items_get()! {
+		match c {
 			Page {
-				if item.src == src {
-					return it
+				if c.src == src {
+					return &c
 				}
 			}
 			else {}
@@ -82,12 +50,12 @@ fn (mut self Category) page_get(src string)! &Page {
 	return error('Page with src="${src}" not found in site.')
 }
 
-fn (mut self Category) link_get(href string)! &Link {
-	for item in self.items {
-		match item {
+pub fn (mut self Category) link_get(href string) !&Link {
+	for c in self.items_get()! {
+		match c {
 			Link {
-				if item.href == href {
-					return it
+				if c.href == href {
+					return &c
 				}
 			}
 			else {}
@@ -96,16 +64,26 @@ fn (mut self Category) link_get(href string)! &Link {
 	return error('Link with href="${href}" not found in site.')
 }
 
-fn (mut self Category) category_get(path string)! &Category {
-	for item in self.items {
-		match item {
+pub fn (mut self Category) category_get(path string) !&Category {
+	for i in 0 .. self.items.len {
+		mut c := self.items[i]
+		match mut c {
 			Category {
-				if item.path == path {
-					return it
+				if c.path == path {
+					return &c
 				}
 			}
 			else {}
 		}
 	}
-	return error('Category with path="${path}" not found in site.')
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+	mut new_category := Category{
+		path:        path
+		collapsible: true
+		collapsed:   true
+		items:       []CategoryItem{}
+	}
+	// Add the new category as a sum type variant
+	self.items << new_category
+	// Update current_category_ref to point to the newly added category in the slice
+	return &new_category
+}
diff --git a/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category_str.v b/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category_str.v
index 123165de..78206abf 100644
--- a/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category_str.v
+++ b/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_category_str.v
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ pub fn (mut self Category) str() string {
 		prefix := if is_last { '└── ' } else { '├── ' }
 
 		match item {
-			NavDoc {
+			Page {
 				result << '${prefix}📄 ${item.label}'
-				result << '    └─ path: ${item.path}'
+				result << '    └─ src: ${item.src}'
 			}
-			NavCat {
+			Category {
 				// Category header
 				collapse_icon := if item.collapsed { '▶ ' } else { '▼ ' }
-				result << '${prefix}${collapse_icon}📁 ${item.label}'
+				result << '${prefix}${collapse_icon}📁 ${item.path}'
 
 				// Category metadata
 				if !item.collapsed {
@@ -35,15 +35,15 @@ pub fn (mut self Category) str() string {
 						sub_prefix := if is_last_sub { '    └── ' } else { '    ├── ' }
 
 						match sub_item {
-							NavDoc {
-								result << '${sub_prefix}📄 ${sub_item.label} [${sub_item.src_path}]'
+							Page {
+								result << '${sub_prefix}📄 ${sub_item.label} [${sub_item.src}]'
 							}
-							NavCat {
+							Category {
 								// Nested categories
 								sub_collapse_icon := if sub_item.collapsed { '▶ ' } else { '▼ ' }
-								result << '${sub_prefix}${sub_collapse_icon}📁 ${sub_item.label}'
+								result << '${sub_prefix}${sub_collapse_icon}📁 ${sub_item.path}'
 							}
-							NavLink {
+							Link {
 								result << '${sub_prefix}🔗 ${sub_item.label}'
 								if sub_item.description.len > 0 {
 									result << '         └─ ${sub_item.description}'
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub fn (mut self Category) str() string {
 					}
 				}
 			}
-			NavLink {
+			Link {
 				result << '${prefix}🔗 ${item.label}'
 				result << '    └─ href: ${item.href}'
 				if item.description.len > 0 {
diff --git a/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_site.v b/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_site.v
index 45055d60..48c0d3cc 100644
--- a/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_site.v
+++ b/lib/web/doctree/meta/model_site.v
@@ -3,30 +3,28 @@ module meta
 @[heap]
 pub struct Site {
 pub mut:
-	doctree_path   string     // path to the export of the doctree site
-	config         SiteConfig // Full site configuration
-	root  		   	  // The root category containing all top-level items
+	doctree_path   string         // path to the export of the doctree site
+	config         SiteConfig     // Full site configuration
+	root           Category       // The root category containing all top-level items
 	announcements  []Announcement // there can be more than 1 announcement
 	imports        []ImportItem
 	build_dest     []BuildDest // Production build destinations (from !!site.build_dest)
 	build_dest_dev []BuildDest // Development build destinations (from !!site.build_dest_dev)
 }
 
-
-pub fn (mut self Site) page_get(src string)! &Page {
+pub fn (mut self Site) page_get(src string) !&Page {
 	return self.root.page_get(src)!
 }
-	
-pub fn (mut self Site) link_get(href string)! &Link {
+
+pub fn (mut self Site) link_get(href string) !&Link {
 	return self.root.link_get(href)!
 }
 
-pub fn (mut self Site) category_get(path string)! &Category {
+pub fn (mut self Site) category_get(path string) !&Category {
 	return self.root.category_get(path)!
 }
 
-//sidebar returns the root category for building the sidebar navigation
-pub fn (mut self Site) sidebar()! &Category {
-	return self.root
+// sidebar returns the root category for building the sidebar navigation
+pub fn (mut self Site) sidebar() !&Category {
+	return &self.root
 }
-
diff --git a/lib/web/doctree/meta/play_pages_categories.v b/lib/web/doctree/meta/play_pages_categories.v
index fab0737d..d6188899 100644
--- a/lib/web/doctree/meta/play_pages_categories.v
+++ b/lib/web/doctree/meta/play_pages_categories.v
@@ -4,16 +4,15 @@ import incubaid.herolib.core.playbook { PlayBook }
 import incubaid.herolib.web.doctree as doctreetools
 import incubaid.herolib.ui.console
 
-//=========================================================
-// PAGES: Process pages and build navigation structure
+// ============================================================
+// PAGES & CATEGORIES: Process pages and build navigation structure
 // ============================================================
 fn play_pages(mut plbook PlayBook, mut website Site) ! {
 	mut collection_current := ''
-	
-	mut category_current := &website.root_category // start at root category, this is basically the navigation tree root
+	mut category_current := &website.root // start at root category, this is basically the navigation tree root
 
 	// ============================================================
-	// PASS 1: Process all page and category actions
+	// PASS 1: Process all page_category and page actions
 	// ============================================================
 	mut all_actions := plbook.find(filter: 'site.')!
 
@@ -22,23 +21,31 @@ fn play_pages(mut plbook PlayBook, mut website Site) ! {
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// Skip actions that are not page or page_category
+		if action.name != 'page_category' && action.name != 'page' {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		// ========== PAGE CATEGORY ==========
 		if action.name == 'page_category' {
 			mut p := action.params
 
-			// label is empty when not specified (we support label & path for flexibility)
-			mut category_path := p.get_default('path', '')!
-			category_current = category_current.up(category_path)!
-			category_current.collapsible = p.get_default_true('collapsible')
-			category_current.collapsed = p.get_default_true('collapsed')
+			category_path := p.get_default('path', '')!
+			if category_path.len == 0 {
+				return error('!!site.page_category: must specify "path"')
+			}
+
+			// Navigate/create category structure
+			category_current = category_current.category_get(category_path)!
+			category_current.collapsible = p.get_default_true('collapsible')
+			category_current.collapsed = p.get_default_false('collapsed')
+
+			console.print_item('Created page category: "${category_current.path}"')
 
-			console.print_item('Created page category: "${category_current.path}" ')
 			action.done = true
 			println(category_current)
 
-			website.categories << category_current
-
-			$dbg();
+			// $dbg();
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -75,13 +82,15 @@ fn play_pages(mut plbook PlayBook, mut website Site) ! {
 			collection_current = page_collection
 
 			// Get optional page metadata
-			page_label := p.get_default('label', p.get_default('title', '')!)! // is what is shown in the sidebar
-			page_title := p.get_default('title', '')! // is title shown on the page, if not from the page content, if empty then will be brought in from the content
+			mut page_label := p.get_default('label', '')! // CHANGED: added mut
+			if page_label.len == 0 {
+				page_label = p.get_default('title', '')!
+			}
+
+			page_title := p.get_default('title', '')!
 			page_description := p.get_default('description', '')!
 
-
-
-			// Create page
+			// Create page object
 			mut page := Page{
 				src:         '${page_collection}:${page_name}'
 				label:       page_label
@@ -89,14 +98,19 @@ fn play_pages(mut plbook PlayBook, mut website Site) ! {
 				description: page_description
 				draft:       p.get_default_false('draft')
 				hide_title:  p.get_default_false('hide_title')
-				category_id: category_current
 				hide:        p.get_default_false('hide')
+				nav_path:    category_current.path
 			}
 
-			website.pages << page
+			// Add page to current category
+			category_current.items << page
+
+			console.print_item('Added page: "${page.src}" (label: "${page.label}")')
 
 			action.done = true
 			continue
 		}
 	}
+
+	console.print_green('Pages and categories processing complete')
 }