docs: Organize the streams sidebar. Fixes #3272

templates/zerver/help/index.md

@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ as an **organization**.
 * Convert a group PM to a private stream (not implemented)
 * [Remove someone from a stream (admin only)](/help/remove-someone-from-a-stream)
 * [Delete a stream (admin only)](/help/delete-a-stream)
+* [Organize the streams sidebar](/help/organize-the-streams-sidebar)
 
 ## Notifications
 * [Mute a stream](/help/mute-a-stream)

templates/zerver/help/organize-the-streams-sidebar.md

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# Organizing the Streams sidebar
+
+On Zulip, it is useful to organize streams in the sidebar in order to easily
+ access streams which you use frequently. This is because streams are initially
+ arranged alphabetically which makes it difficult to quickly access your
+ frequently used streams.
+
+Furthermore, the **Streams** sidebar auto-organizes some streams. Inactive
+ streams move down the list whereas active ones get moved up the list.
+
+In order to organize streams, you can use 3 methods: pinning, searching and muting.
+
+## Pinning
+Pinning a stream on Zulip pushes the stream to the top of your **Streams**
+ sidebar and sticks/pins it there so that it stays at the top of your **Streams**
+ sidebar.
+
+{!stream-actions.md!}
+
+2. Click on the {!down-chevron.md!}
+
+3. Select the **Pin stream (stream name) to top** option from the actions dropdown.
+
+4. The stream will now stay at the top of your **Streams** sidebar
+
+    !!! tip ""
+        You can unpin a pinned stream by repeating steps 1 and 2 and then selecting
+         **Unpin stream (stream name) from top**
+
+## Searching
+ If don't have a stream pinned, you can search for it instead of scrolling
+ through the alphabetically ordered list.
+
+1. On the left sidebar in the **Streams** section, click on the search
+ (<i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></i>) icon in the top
+ right-hand corner.
+
+    !!! tip ""
+        You can also use the hotkey "w" to open the search box directly
+
+2. A search box entitled **Search streams** will appear. You can type the
+ name of a stream into this box and the **Streams** section will be filtered
+ accordingly.
+
+## Muting
+
+If you want to keep a stream on your sidebar but don't want to keep receiving
+ notifications from it, you can mute the stream.
+
+{!stream-actions.md!}
+
+2. Click on the {!down-chevron.md!}
+
+3. Select the **Mute the stream (stream name)** option from the actions dropdown.
+
+4. The stream will now be grayed out and you will no longer receive
+ notifications from it.
+
+---
+
+When pinning, searching and muting are combined, you will end up with a well
+ ordered **Streams** list. All your most important streams will be pinned at
+ the top. All the streams which you search for occasionally will be in the
+ middle. All the inactive streams will be at the bottom of your list. Muted
+ streams will still be in the list but they will be grayed out and you won't
+ receive notifications from them.
+