diff --git a/husk_helpers.py b/husk_helpers.py
index 7226744..40b3a84 100644
--- a/husk_helpers.py
+++ b/husk_helpers.py
@@ -4,45 +4,78 @@ from collections import deque
 
 #base_url = toml.load('settings.toml')["general"]["base_url"]
 
-def sort_branch( lst ):
-    '''
-    put directories in front of files and
-    sorts both alphabetically
-    ''' 
-    files = []
-    dirs = []
-    for path in lst:
-        if path.endswith(".md"):
-            files.append(path)
-        else:
-            dirs.append(path)
+# def sort_branch( lst ):
+#     '''
+#     put directories in front of files and
+#     sorts both alphabetically
+#     ''' 
+#     files = []
+#     dirs = []
+#     for path in lst:
+#         if path.endswith(".md"):
+#             files.append(path)
+#         else:
+#             dirs.append(path)
+#     files.sort()
+#     dirs.sort()
+#     return [*dirs, *files] 
+
+
+def sort_branch(lst):
+    """
+    Puts directories in front of files and sorts both alphabetically.
+    """
+    files = [path for path in lst if path.endswith(".md")]
+    dirs = [path for path in lst if not path.endswith(".md")]
     files.sort()
     dirs.sort()
-    return [*dirs, *files] 
+    return dirs + files
+
+
+# def make_tree(path="templates/content"):
+#     '''
+#     creates a dictionary of the directories and files of the doc repository
+#     ''' 
+#     if '/' in path:
+#         tree = dict(name=path, children=[], type="directory")
+#     else:
+#         pass
+#     try: lst = os.listdir(path)
+#     except OSError:
+#         pass #ignore errors
+#     else:
+#         lst = sort_branch(lst)
+#         for name in lst:
+#             fn = os.path.join(path, name)
+#             if os.path.isdir(fn) and not fn.endswith(".git"):
+#                 if os.listdir(fn): # this line is experimental and needs to be tested
+#                     tree['children'].append(make_tree(fn))
+#             else:
+#                 if fn.endswith('.md'):
+#                     tree['children'].append(dict(name=fn))
+#     return tree
 
 def make_tree(path="templates/content"):
-    '''
-    creates a dictionary of the directories and files of the doc repository
-    ''' 
-    if '/' in path:
-        tree = dict(name=path, children=[], type="directory")
-    else:
-        pass
-    try: lst = os.listdir(path)
-    except OSError:
-        pass #ignore errors
-    else:
+    """
+    Creates a dictionary of the directories and files of the doc repository.
+    """
+    tree = {'name': path, 'children': [], 'type': 'directory'}
+
+    try:
+        lst = os.listdir(path)
         lst = sort_branch(lst)
         for name in lst:
             fn = os.path.join(path, name)
-            if os.path.isdir(fn) and not fn.endswith(".git"):
-                if os.listdir(fn): # this line is experimental and needs to be tested
-                    tree['children'].append(make_tree(fn))
-            else:
-                if fn.endswith('.md'):
-                    tree['children'].append(dict(name=fn))
+            if os.path.isdir(fn) and not fn.endswith(".git") and os.listdir(fn):
+                tree['children'].append(make_tree(fn))
+            elif fn.endswith('.md'):
+                tree['children'].append({'name': fn})
+    except OSError:
+        pass  # Ignore errors
+
     return tree
 
+
 def rem_readme(path, tree):
     '''
     This functions puts out the path of the README.md and
@@ -101,21 +134,47 @@ def list_files(path):
                 doc_files.append(os.path.join(root,file))
     return doc_files
 
+# def build_index(path, file_ending):
+#     '''
+#     builds the searchable JSON object containing all markdown files
+#     with metadata
+#     ''' 
+#     searchable = dict(index=[]) 
+#     file_list = list_files(path) 
+#     for item in file_list:
+#         if item.endswith(file_ending):
+#             with open(item, 'r') as _f:
+#                 data = _f.readlines()
+#                 data[0] = data[0].strip('# \n')
+#                 #searchable[data[0]] = [''.join(data), item[len(path):-len(file_ending)]]
+#                 searchable["index"].append(dict(uri= "/" + item[len(path):-len(file_ending)] + '.html', title=data[0],tags=[],content=''.join(data), description=""))
+#                 #searchable[str(uuid.uuid1())] = (dict(href=item[len(path):-len(file_ending)], title=data[0],tags=[],content=''.join(data)))
+#         if isinstance(item, dict):
+#            build_index(item)
+#     return searchable
+
+
 def build_index(path, file_ending):
-    '''
-    builds the searchable JSON object containing all markdown files
-    with metadata
-    ''' 
-    searchable = dict(index=[]) 
-    file_list = list_files(path) 
+    """
+    Builds the searchable JSON object containing
+    all markdown files with metadata.
+    """
+    searchable = {'index': []}
+    file_list = list_files(path)
     for item in file_list:
         if item.endswith(file_ending):
-            with open(item, 'r') as _f:
-                data = _f.readlines()
-                data[0] = data[0].strip('# \n')
-                #searchable[data[0]] = [''.join(data), item[len(path):-len(file_ending)]]
-                searchable["index"].append(dict(uri= "/" + item[len(path):-len(file_ending)] + '.html', title=data[0],tags=[],content=''.join(data), description=""))
-                #searchable[str(uuid.uuid1())] = (dict(href=item[len(path):-len(file_ending)], title=data[0],tags=[],content=''.join(data)))
-        if isinstance(item, dict):
-           build_index(item)
+            with open(item, 'r') as file:
+                data = file.readlines()
+                title = data[0].strip('# \n')
+                uri = '/' + item[len(path):-len(file_ending)] + '.html'
+                content = ''.join(data)
+                searchable['index'].append({
+                    'uri': uri,
+                    'title': title,
+                    'tags': [],
+                    'content': content,
+                    'description': ''
+                })
+        elif isinstance(item, dict):
+            build_index(item, file_ending)
     return searchable