Confluence 5.0 onwards - Space Labels/Categories

[Natalie Hobson]

I am completely confuzzled by the documentation for 5.0 onwards regarding Space Labels. It clearly states that a category is a label applied to a space for the purpose of categorizing it in the space directory; totally understand that part, and it appears to be the functionality of the version we currently have installed (4.3.6). A label only exists if it is applied to a space, and you can view the labels associated with spaces by looking at the space directory, you can remove labels from spaces, and if you remove a label from all spaces it was associated with it no longer exists and is no longer seen in the space directory, correct?

Where I get confused is at the bottom of the page for documentation that I linked above; there is a section called "Notes" which states:

"The ability to add space labels has been removed in Confluence 5.0 in order to simplify the way labels are used in spaces. Existing space labels will be preserved, but you will be unable to add new space labels. Space categories are unaffected by this change."

So, is it just that "space category" is the new terminology for "space label"? Are the space labels turning into space categories? Or will people have to manually create space categories and then delete the space labels? Because if so, the documentation could certainly use some clarity. And why not just keep calling them space labels? Especially since previous functionality for "space categories" in older versions of Confluence was completely different (you created a category *first* and then associated the space with the category, and categories could exist even without any spaces in them, if I remember correctly).

Any clarification that Atlassian could provide would be most welcome! :)

[Ryan Goodwin · Accepted solution]

Yes, the new terminology denotes that labels which used to be applied to spaces to identify the relationship amongst everything with that label, has been coined 'space categories' which now can be seen from the dashboard under the space categories tab, then filtered to display relevant content from spaces with that category.

Hope that helps!

[Natalie Hobson]

Thanks Ryan - I hope that Atlassian starts putting more effort into streamlining terminology; in that documentation there are instances of "labels" and "categories" being used interchangeably (based on the theme of the space user is trying to configure for), and now there's the "plugin" to "add-on" terminology change...annoying! :)

[Ryan Goodwin]

Don't get me started on plugin to add-on terminology changes! I am in total agreement with you there :)