Create glossary in Confluence

[Kritika Jain]

I want to create a glossary in Confluence without using any plug-in. Please suggest.

[Tomislav Tobijas]

Hi @Kritika Jain ,

Well, from my experience, people usually create a one-pager with a table for each term and term definition, or Confluence database which would be 'more advanced table'.

Personally, I've never constructed large glossaries but if I had to create one, I'd probably go with databases as you construct views and create filters so end-users could find terms faster. 👀

Keen to hear if anyone else has constructed something relatively large and what they used.

Cheers,
Tobi

[Melek Jebnoun_Vectors_]

Hello Kritika and Tobi,

The problem with database is the fact that you're not able to search Database content in Confluence Search and you do not benefit from a highlight experience in page (find terms used in pages to easy understanding for your Confluence users)

Databases are more adequate to be used as container or in pages.

Some users go with Atlassian AI to define terms in order to benefit from native terms highlight in pages and recently Atlassian introduced the terms definition by users (not based on AI that search and build itself the definition). Still you do miss dedicated definition listing interface, customization, terms metadata, rich highlight experience in page (and you're linked to AI for definitions)

So from my point of view to recap:

If you want a simple page to refer to some terms you do use:

Go for using macros like expand or tabs to list your terms.

If you want more filtering capabilities in the glossary itself:

Go for Atlassian databases, well structured and nice in page experience to embedded content and display it as table

If you have just definitions and want to find and highlight the terms defined in your glossary in your pages

Go for Atlassian Define with AI

Otherwise if you want to manage a structured glossary with have control on the term details, listing and highlight capabilities

I do strongly advice to pass via an App from the Marketplace :)

Many thanks

[Barbara Szczesniak]

I went with a set of simple tables, divided with headings A-F, G-L, and so on (depending on how many terms I had for each group of letters). I have a TOC macro at the top so readers can jump to the section of the page that the term falls into. Not elegant, but it works for my readers.