How to Remove the Knowledge Base Category URL Base

SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base can remove the category base from public knowledge base category URLs.

By default, a category address may look similar to:

example.com/kb-category/getting-started/

After removing the category base, the same category could use:

example.com/getting-started/

This creates a shorter URL, but it can also increase the chance of conflicts with other WordPress content.

What is the category URL base?

The category URL base is the part of the address that appears before the individual category slug.

For example:

example.com/kb-category/getting-started/

The URL contains:

• Website address: example.com
• Category base: kb-category
• Category slug: getting-started

The base helps WordPress recognise that the address belongs to a SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base category.

Default category URL

With the category base enabled, a top-level category may use:

example.com/kb-category/getting-started/

A different category could use:

example.com/kb-category/troubleshooting/

This structure keeps knowledge base categories separate from normal WordPress pages and other website content.

Direct category URL

When the category base is removed, the same URLs become shorter.

For example:

example.com/getting-started/

and:

example.com/troubleshooting/

The category slug appears directly after the website domain.

This can create a cleaner-looking WordPress knowledge base URL, but WordPress must now distinguish that category from every other page or content type using the same slug.

Open the category URL settings

To remove the category base:

1. Sign in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Open Knowledge Base > Settings.
3. Select the Advanced tab.
4. Find the category URL or permalink settings.
5. Enable the option to remove the category base.
6. Select Save Changes.
7. Refresh the WordPress permalink rules.
8. Test several public category pages.

Do not enable this option on a live website without checking your existing page slugs first.

Refresh WordPress permalinks

After changing the category URL setting:

1. Open Settings > Permalinks.
2. Do not change your current permalink structure.
3. Select Save Changes.
4. Clear the WordPress cache.
5. Clear any hosting or server cache.
6. Open a category page while signed out.

Saving the Permalinks screen refreshes the WordPress rewrite rules.

Without this step, category pages may return a 404 error.

Parent category paths

A parent knowledge base category can use a direct URL such as:

example.com/getting-started/

This works well when the slug is unique and no normal WordPress page already uses the same address.

The category page can then display:

• Category title
• Category description
• Child categories
• Published knowledge base articles
• Category contents
• Compact search
• Sidebar content

Parent and child category paths

Child categories normally follow the parent category structure.

For example:

Parent category:

Getting Started

Child category:

Installation

With the category base enabled, the path may look similar to:

example.com/kb-category/getting-started/installation/

With the category base removed, it may become:

example.com/getting-started/installation/

This keeps the category hierarchy visible in the URL.

Changing a category parent

Changing the parent of a category can also change its public address.

For example, moving Installation from Getting Started to Troubleshooting could change:

example.com/getting-started/installation/

to:

example.com/troubleshooting/installation/

Any old links to the original category path may then stop working.

Add a redirect when changing the hierarchy of a live WordPress knowledge base.

Why remove the category base?

Possible reasons include:

• Creating shorter category URLs
• Matching the structure of the rest of the website
• Removing technical wording such as kb-category
• Making category addresses easier to read
• Creating a cleaner documentation structure

For example:

example.com/troubleshooting/

may feel more natural than:

example.com/kb-category/troubleshooting/

The shorter URL is not automatically better for every website.

Why keep the category base?

Keeping the category base gives knowledge base categories their own clearly defined URL section.

This can help prevent conflicts with:

• WordPress pages
• Blog posts
• Blog categories
• Products
• Portfolio items
• Other plugin content
• Custom post types
• Existing redirects

For a larger website, keeping a unique category base is often the safer option.

Check for conflicting WordPress pages

Before removing the base, check whether any WordPress page already uses the same slug as a knowledge base category.

For example, you may have:

WordPress page:

example.com/support/

Knowledge base category:

Support

Removing the category base could make both pieces of content try to use:

example.com/support/

WordPress may then open the wrong page or return a 404 error.

Check page slugs

Open:

Pages > All Pages

Review the slugs used by your existing pages.

Compare them with the slugs under:

Knowledge Base > Categories

Pay particular attention to common names such as:

• Support
• Help
• Installation
• Documentation
• Contact
• Getting Started
• Troubleshooting
• Downloads
• Account

Rename one of the conflicting slugs before removing the category base.

Check blog post slugs

A normal blog post may also use the same address as a direct knowledge base category.

For example:

Blog post:

example.com/installation/

Knowledge base category:

example.com/installation/

This can create a routing conflict.

Search your posts and other content types for matching slugs.

Check blog categories

WordPress blog categories normally use their own category base, but custom permalink settings may create overlaps.

Review any blog category that shares a name with a knowledge base category.

Examples include:

• News
• Guides
• Tutorials
• Support
• Updates

A unique knowledge base category slug is normally safer.

Check products and other content types

Other plugins may create public content URLs for:

• Products
• Courses
• Events
• Downloads
• Projects
• Portfolios
• Customer areas

A category slug that looks available under normal Pages may already be used by another content type.

Test the exact address before enabling direct category URLs.

Check the main knowledge base page

Your main WordPress knowledge base page may use a slug such as:

knowledge-base

Do not create a direct category using the same slug.

For example, avoid having both:

Main page:

example.com/knowledge-base/

Category:

example.com/knowledge-base/

The page and category cannot reliably share the same address.

Check the article URL base

Knowledge base articles use their own URL base.

For example:

example.com/docs/how-to-install-the-plugin/

Make sure the direct category URLs do not conflict with article paths.

A category called docs could conflict with an article base also set to docs.

Use a clear structure such as:

• Main knowledge base page: knowledge-base
• Article base: docs
• Direct category URLs: unique category slugs

Test the full structure carefully.

Use unique category slugs

A category name and category slug do not have to be exactly the same.

For example:

Category name:

Support

Category slug:

product-support

The public URL could then become:

example.com/product-support/

This can help avoid a conflict with an existing page at:

example.com/support/

Change a category slug

To change a category slug:

1. Open Knowledge Base > Categories.
2. Edit the category.
3. Find the Slug field.
4. Enter a unique slug.
5. Select Update.
6. Refresh WordPress permalinks if required.
7. Test the category URL.

Use lowercase letters and hyphens.

For example:

licence-and-subscription

Avoid duplicate child category paths

Two child categories may use the same slug when they belong to different parents.

For example:

example.com/windows/installation/

and:

example.com/wordpress/installation/

This can work because the full paths are different.

However, moving one category or changing a parent can create a conflict later.

Keep the full hierarchy clear and avoid unnecessary duplicate slugs where possible.

Existing category URLs will change

Removing the category base changes the public address of every knowledge base category.

For example:

Old URL:

example.com/kb-category/getting-started/

New URL:

example.com/getting-started/

The category itself is not deleted, but links pointing to the old address may stop working.

Why redirects may be required

Old category URLs may already appear in:

• Search engine results
• Browser bookmarks
• Support emails
• Knowledge base articles
• WordPress menus
• External websites
• Social media posts
• PDF documents
• Customer account areas

A redirect sends visitors from the old category URL to the new direct URL.

Without redirects, visitors may see a 404 page.

Add permanent redirects

For each important category, redirect the old URL to the new one.

For example:

Old:

/kb-category/getting-started/

New:

/getting-started/

A permanent redirect tells browsers and search engines that the category has moved.

Redirects can be added through:

• Your hosting control panel
• Server configuration
• Your existing website redirect system
• Suitable custom WordPress code

Use the method already used by your website where possible.

Redirect parent and child categories

Remember to redirect child category paths as well.

For example:

Old:

/kb-category/getting-started/installation/

New:

/getting-started/installation/

Redirecting only the parent category will not necessarily fix every old child URL.

List all public categories before changing the setting.

Do not redirect everything to the homepage

Sending every old category URL to the main knowledge base page is less helpful than redirecting it to the matching new category.

For example:

Better:

/kb-category/troubleshooting/
redirects to
/troubleshooting/

Less helpful:

/kb-category/troubleshooting/
redirects to
/knowledge-base/

Direct redirects preserve the visitor’s intended destination.

Update internal links

After removing the base, update category links inside:

• Knowledge base articles
• Normal WordPress pages
• Blog posts
• Buttons
• Navigation menus
• Footer links
• Support pages
• Automatic email templates

Redirects provide a backup, but internal links should point directly to the current address.

Update WordPress menus

If a category is linked from the website navigation:

1. Open the WordPress navigation editor.
2. Find the old category link.
3. Replace it with the new direct URL.
4. Save the menu.
5. Test the link publicly.

A custom menu link will not always update automatically.

Check breadcrumbs

Open a category and an article after removing the base.

Check that breadcrumb links use the new category paths.

For example:

Knowledge Base > Getting Started > Installation

Select each category link and confirm that it opens correctly.

Clear the website cache if the breadcrumb still uses the old URL.

Check category cards

Open the main WordPress knowledge base page and select each category card.

Confirm that:

• The correct category opens
• The direct URL is shown
• Child category links work
• No card returns a 404 error
• No card opens a normal WordPress page by mistake

Test both desktop and mobile navigation.

Check category contents lists

Category contents links usually point to articles, but parent and child category navigation may also appear on the page.

Test:

• Parent category links
• Child category cards
• Breadcrumbs
• Back links
• Sidebar category navigation

Make sure every link uses the new structure.

Check canonical URLs

Open a category page and inspect the page source.

The canonical URL should use the new direct category address.

For example:

https://example.com/getting-started

It should not continue pointing to:

https://example.com/kb-category/getting-started

Clear all SEO and page caches if the old address remains.

Check XML sitemaps

If your website creates an XML sitemap, review the category URLs after making the change.

Check that:

• New direct URLs are present
• Old category-base URLs are removed
• Child category paths are correct
• No duplicate category URLs appear
• Unlisted articles remain excluded where expected

The sitemap may need to be refreshed or its cache cleared.

Check search engines and external links

Changing the category URL does not immediately update links stored by search engines or other websites.

Redirects help visitors reach the correct category while those old references remain in circulation.

Keep redirects active rather than removing them after only a few days.

The direct URL returns a 404 error

If the category page returns a page not found error:

1. Open Settings > Permalinks.
2. Select Save Changes.
3. Clear the WordPress cache.
4. Clear the server cache.
5. Test while signed out.
6. Check for a conflicting page slug.
7. Check the category slug.
8. Check the parent category path.

If the problem continues, temporarily restore the category base and test again.

The old URL still appears

Check that:

• The remove-category-base option was saved
• WordPress permalinks were refreshed
• Page and server caches were cleared
• You are opening the current category link
• A redirect is not sending you to the old path
• The browser is not displaying a cached address

Open the category from Knowledge Base > Categories to confirm its current public URL.

A WordPress page opens instead of the category

This normally means the page and category use the same slug.

For example:

Page:

example.com/help/

Category:

example.com/help/

Change one of the slugs.

Keeping the normal WordPress page is often the better choice if it already receives traffic.

You could rename the category slug to:

product-help

The category opens instead of a WordPress page

This is the opposite form of the same conflict.

Restore the category base or change the category slug so the normal page can keep its address.

Do not leave two pieces of content competing for one URL.

Child categories return 404 errors

Check that:

• The parent category exists
• The child has the correct parent selected
• Both slugs are valid
• WordPress permalinks were refreshed
• No page uses the parent or child path
• The website cache has been cleared

Try opening the parent category first, then selecting the child category from the public page.

Breadcrumbs show the wrong parent

Open:

Knowledge Base > Categories

Edit the child category and check its Parent Category field.

Select the correct parent, update the category and refresh permalinks.

Changing the parent may alter the URL again, so update redirects where needed.

Redirect loop after removing the base

A redirect loop happens when the old and new URLs keep sending visitors back to each other.

Check your redirect rules.

The correct direction should be:

Old category-base URL
to
new direct category URL

The new URL must not redirect back to the old address.

Temporarily disable the redirect rule if neither page can be opened.

Direct categories conflict with the homepage

If the main knowledge base page and a category use the same slug, rename the category or keep the category base.

For example:

Main page:

example.com/help/

Category:

example.com/help/

A safer category URL would be:

example.com/help-topics/

or keep:

example.com/kb-category/help/

The setting works on some categories but not others

This usually means the affected category has a slug or hierarchy conflict.

Compare a working category with the broken one.

Check:

• Category slug
• Parent category
• Existing pages
• Existing posts
• Redirect rules
• Cached URLs

Unique slugs normally resolve the problem.

Should you remove the category base?

Removing it may be suitable when:

• The website has a simple structure
• All category slugs are unique
• You prefer short URLs
• You can manage redirects
• You can test the full website carefully

Keeping it may be better when:

• The website contains many pages or content types
• Category names are broad
• Slug conflicts are likely
• You do not want to manage redirects
• The current URLs already receive traffic
• The knowledge base is already established

There is no requirement to remove the base for a successful WordPress knowledge base.

SEO considerations

Shorter URLs can be easier for visitors to read, but removing the category base does not automatically improve search rankings.

A useful category page still needs:

• A clear category name
• A helpful description
• Relevant published articles
• Working internal links
• Correct canonical URLs
• A sensible category structure

Avoid changing established URLs solely because shorter addresses look cleaner.

The disruption from broken links can be more harmful than the old category base.

Test before using on a live website

Where possible, test the option on a staging copy first.

Check:

• Main knowledge base page
• Top-level categories
• Child categories
• Articles
• Breadcrumbs
• Search results
• Category cards
• Menus
• Canonical URLs
• XML sitemaps
• Redirects

Only enable it on the live website when the full structure works correctly.

Category base removal checklist

Before finishing, check that:

• The remove-category-base option is enabled
• WordPress permalinks have been refreshed
• Every category slug is unique
• The main knowledge base page does not conflict
• Normal WordPress pages do not share category slugs
• Articles use a separate URL structure
• Parent category paths work
• Child category paths work
• Old URLs redirect to matching new URLs
• Menus and internal links have been updated
• Breadcrumb links work
• Canonical URLs use the new paths
• XML sitemaps contain the new URLs
• WordPress and server caches have been cleared
• The website has been tested while signed out

Your SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base categories can now use direct URLs without the category base, provided the new paths do not conflict with other WordPress content.