init/huly/Quick-Start Docs/Documents or Cards.md

class, title

class	title
document:class:Document	Documents or Cards?

If you’ve already completed our onboarding tasks, you’ve probably had a chance to explore Cards.

Cards are a flexible framework for structuring information efficiently. You can create databases based on any kind of information you need to store. You can use Cards to completely replace Documents in your workspace — or use them both simultaneously for different purposes.

Let’s take a look at the key similarities and differences between Documents and Cards:

Similarities

• Content is created with the same text editor
• Activity section records change history and includes area for commenting
• Set roles, permissions and privacy at the space level

Differences between Documents and Cards

Feature	Documents	Cards
Attributes	Attributes are defined by the system such as title, content, created by, etc.	Attributes are defined by you, and you can set as many as you want
Sorting and filtering	Cannot be sorted/filtered by attributes	Can be sorted/filtered by attributes
Attachments	No designated area for attachments — can only send attachments in the Activity section	Designated area for attachments
Organizational structure	Nested, where documents can be nested within other documents	Organized by Type, where Cards of the same Type are grouped together
Relations	Can be linked together in a 1:1 relation through @ mentions and backlinks	Can be linked through parent-child relations, and using References and Relations defined on their Type

Note

: While our initial implementation of Cards is focused on knowledge management, Cards will also serve as the foundation for many other features on the platform, including process management and threads. With Cards, you'll be able to build your own custom applications within Huly, such as a CRM, CMS, project management system and more. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

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Okay, that was a lot of information … so which should I choose? 🥴 Let’s keep it simple!

Use Cards if:

• You need to add some attributes to your docs, like “client”, “document type” or “status”
• You need to be able to sort and filter your content by attributes
• You need to define specific relations between types of entities; for example: Contract ←→ Client
• You plan to build processes and workflows around your Cards in the future

Use Documents if:

• Your docs organization is simple, where the nested document structure is sufficient
• You need to jot down some quick notes, without needing to store them in a structured format

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Of course, the best way to find out which system is right for you is to try them both and see what works. Happy exploring! 🚀