Knowledge Base Tree (KMS)

Knowledge Base Tree is a modular, high-performance Knowledge Management System (KMS) designed to eliminate information silos in complex IT environments. Unlike flat documentation tools, this system uses a tri-pane hierarchical drill-down—Process > Domain > Technology—to provide engineers with immediate context alongside technical instructions.

🌟 The ServiceNow Bridge (Real-World Application)

This project was developed to solve a specific business gap: a team operating without an enterprise service desk (ServiceNow).

I built this system as a strategic forward-path for process documentation. By standardizing the taxonomy and using a modular HTML/JSON structure, I ensured that all documentation was "ServiceNow Ready." When the organization eventually migrated to an enterprise platform, the content was designed for a direct "copy-paste" of the source code, eliminating the need for manual re-formatting or data clean-up.

🚀 Key Features

• Hierarchical Tree Navigation: Rapidly drill down from organizational processes to specific technology stacks.
• Contextual Search Mode: Toggle between global search and filtered views for specific document types (How-To, KCS Article, FAQ, What-Is).
• "Jump to Context" Logic: Find an article via search and instantly "jump" back into the hierarchical tree to see all related documentation in that domain.
• ServiceNow-Ready Formatting: Documentation templates are structured to be compatible with enterprise knowledge bases.
• State-Driven UI: Built with Vanilla ES6 JavaScript modules for high performance without the overhead of heavy frameworks.

🛠️ Technical Stack

• Logic: Vanilla JavaScript (ES6 Modules)
• Architecture: State-based UI management
• Style: Modular CSS3 (Component-based styling)
• Data: REST API simulation via json-server

📂 Architecture Overview

• js/app.js: Core state machine and event handling.
• js/ui/browser.js: Hierarchical rendering logic and "Context" jumping.
• js/ui/viewer.js: Dynamic template rendering for different article types.
• data/kb_data.json: Taxonomy and article repository.

💻 Installation & Setup

This project requires Node.js to run the mock database.

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/j86schroeder/knowledge-base-tree.git

   cd knowledge-base-tree

   npm install

   npx json-server data/kb_data.json --port 3000