Let’s talk about subsites in SharePoint Online. Once upon a time, they ruled the site architecture world, strutting around like dinosaurs at the top of the food chain. But just like dinosaurs, they’ve had their extinction event. Modern SharePoint is all about flexibility, scalability, and ease of use, and subsites? They just don’t make the cut anymore.
What’s Wrong with Subsites?
They’re Stuck in Place
Subsites are glued to their parent site like a sticker on a car window. Need to move them to a different site collection? Tough luck. You’re either looking at a migration headache or some seriously awkward workarounds.
Permissions are a Nightmare
Permissions in subsites are like a game of Jenga. Everything’s fine until one permission override sends the whole tower crashing down. The promise of inherited permissions sounds nice, until you’re neck-deep in access issues that make you wish you’d never started.
Modern Features? Forget It
Using subsites is like trying to run modern software on a computer from 2003. They don’t work well with features like hub sites, modern templates, or even the sleek navigation options SharePoint Online is known for.
They Don’t Scale
Subsites seem fine at first, until your organization grows, teams reorganize, and you realize you’ve built a digital fortress that can’t move. Modern SharePoint is all about being adaptable, but subsites are as rigid as a frozen waffle.
Hub Sites Leave Them in the Dust
Hub sites are the new MVP of SharePoint. They let you connect site collections, share navigation, and unify branding across your environment. Subsites? They’re stuck watching from the sidelines.
What Should You Do Instead?
Forget subsites. If they’re the fax machines of SharePoint, flat architecture is the smartphone. Here’s how to build smarter in the modern SharePoint world:
Spin Up Separate Site Collections
Every team, project, or department gets its own site collection. No nesting, no chaos, just clean, independent sites that are easy to manage.
Leverage Hub Sites
Hub sites are like the glue that holds your SharePoint together. Link your related site collections, share navigation and branding, and keep everything organized without the tangled mess of subsites.
Master Permissions
Flat architecture makes permissions a breeze. No more accidental oversharing or scratching your head over who has access to what.
Future-Proof Your Structure
Need a new site? Create it. Want to reorganize? Go ahead. Flat architecture is built for growth and change, something subsites just can’t handle.
Use Modern Aggregation Tools
Want to pull content from different sites? Tools like the Highlighted Content Web Part or Search Verticals can display everything you need—without resorting to messy subsite hierarchies.
Time to Move On
Subsites had their moment, but they’ve been left behind in the dust of modern SharePoint’s flat architecture. They’re clunky, inflexible, and just not worth the trouble.
So, if you’re tempted to say, “Let’s use subsites,” stop yourself. Imagine someone suggesting you use a flip phone or send a fax. Exactly.
The future of SharePoint is flat, connected, and scalable. Embrace it. You’ll thank yourself later, and so will your SharePoint users.
