📁 Unreal Engine 5 – Folder Structure Documentation
Project Wiki – Folder Overview & Best Practices
📝 Introduction
This document provides an overview of the folder structure used in our Unreal Engine 5 project.
A clean and consistent folder structure is essential for:
Faster navigation & better team collaboration
Avoiding duplicated assets
Cleaner packaging & smaller build sizes
Easier debugging and tracking of references
Ensuring assets follow Unreal Engine best practices
The structure shown here is based on the default UE5 Starter Content but adapted to our workflow.
📂 Folder Overview
Below is a description of the main folders visible in the Content Browser.
StarterContent/
This folder contains example assets provided by Epic Games.
These are often used for prototyping, testing levels, and quickly adding placeholder content.
Subfolders:
Architecture/
Contains structural meshes used for building environments, such as:
Walls
Floors
Stairs
Columns
Modular building pieces
Useful for quick level layout and testing gameplay spaces.
Audio/
Includes sound cues and audio files, such as:
Footsteps
Ambient loops
Sound effects
Be mindful of file size and file format; always import audio as .wav.
Blueprints/
Contains basic Blueprint actors.
Good for learning logic flow or using simple ready-made systems.
HDI/
This folder contains HDRI maps for lighting setups.
Used to create realistic skylight reflections and ambient lighting.
Maps/
Includes example levels.
A safe place to test assets or lighting without affecting the main project.
Materials/
Contains material assets such as:
Base materials
Material instances
Texture references
Always keep materials organized to avoid duplicated or unused shaders.
Particles/
Particle systems located here include:
Fire
Smoke
Explosion samples
Used as placeholders before creating custom Niagara systems.
Props/
Contains 3D models used as decoration or environmental details.
Common examples:
Barrels
Chairs
Small objects
Make sure props follow the correct naming and pivot orientation guidelines.
Shapes/
Primitive meshes such as:
Cube
Sphere
Cylinder
Used for blockout or fast prototyping.
Textures/
All texture files used within starter materials and props.
Make sure:
Textures follow power-of-two resolution
Naming conventions match (e.g., T_Wood_01_D)
No unused or duplicate textures stay in the project
🧩 Why Folder Structure Matters in UE5
A clean directory system is not optional—it is critical for healthy long-term development.
Here’s why:
✔ 1. Asset References Stay Intact
Moving folders incorrectly breaks references.
Using a structured layout reduces the chance of broken links.
✔ 2. Faster Development
Artists, level designers, and programmers can quickly find the assets they need.
✔ 3. Cleaner Source Control
Tools like Git, Perforce, or PlasticSCM handle changes better when folders are organized.
✔ 4. Efficient Packaging
UE5 packages only assets referenced by your maps.
Random or duplicate assets increase package size and load times.
✔ 5. Better Team Collaboration
Everyone follows the same structure, reducing confusion and errors.
💡 General Best Practices
Never rename or move assets after they’re used in a level without the UE Editor (avoid broken references).
Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., SM_ for static meshes, BP_ for blueprints, etc.).
Group similar assets together to avoid bloated root directories.
Keep StarterContent separated from your project’s custom content.
Remove unused content to keep the project clean.
Use Collections for temporary sorting—don’t use them as actual folders.
📘 Conclusion
A well-maintained folder structure is essential for an efficient UE5 workflow.
Following the guidelines above ensures the project remains scalable, understandable, and easy for any team member to work in.
Updated by Malek chrifi alaoui 24 days ago · 1 revisions