Topics group related Documents inside a Library so a large knowledge base stays navigable. This page shows you how to create Topics, let Dosu assign them for you, and browse or filter Documents by Topic.
What a Topic is#
A Topic is a grouping that organizes related Documents within a Library. A Topic has a name and a short description, and a single Document can belong to more than one Topic. Topics appear in the Library sidebar so people and coding agents can find the right Documents by area, rather than scrolling through a long list.
Topics live inside a Library, alongside its Sources, Documents, and Templates. Each Library has its own set of Topics.
Why it matters#
As an engineering organization grows, a single Library can hold hundreds of Documents spanning many repos, services, and teams. Without structure, that knowledge gets hard to find, and team knowledge might get lost. Topics give you a shared, consistent way to group Documents (by service, product area, or team) so onboarding is faster and the right context surfaces for both humans and agents.
Create a Topic#
You manage Topics inside a Library. Open or create one from Libraries.
- In the Library sidebar, open the Create Topic dialog.
- Enter a Topic name. Names cannot contain a forward slash (
/), and each name must be unique within the Library. - Add a short description of what the Topic covers. The description helps Dosu decide which Documents belong to it.
- Save. The new Topic appears in the sidebar, and you can start assigning Documents to it.
You can edit a Topic's name and description later, or delete a Topic you no longer need. Deleting a Topic removes only the grouping. The Documents inside it are not deleted.
Let Dosu assign Topics for you#
You do not have to sort every Document by hand. Dosu can read a Document's title and content and assign Topics that fit, drawing from those already in the Library. This runs when Documents are added or updated, so new knowledge lands in the right place as it arrives.
A Document can carry several Topics at once when it spans multiple areas. Automatic assignment uses the Topics you have already created, so the clearer your Topic names and descriptions, the better the matches. You stay in control: you can add or remove Topics on any Document yourself.
Automatic assignment is a Library setting (Auto-Apply Topics). If you would rather curate Topics manually, you can turn it off and assign Topics by hand.
Browse and filter by Topic#
Once Documents have Topics, you can navigate by them:
- In the Library sidebar, Topics organize Documents into a browsable tree. Documents that have not been assigned a Topic appear at the top level of the Library.
- On the Documents page, filter by Topic to narrow the list to one area.
Because Topics are consistent across a Library, the same grouping that helps a teammate find a runbook also helps a coding agent retrieve the right context through the MCP Server.
Tips for a navigable knowledge base#
- Keep Topic names short and specific (a service, a product area, a system), so assignments stay accurate.
- Write a real description for each Topic. It is what Dosu uses to match Documents.
- Let automatic assignment do the first pass, then adjust the few Documents that need it.
- Revisit Topics as the codebase changes, and use Monitors to catch knowledge that has gone stale.
