> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.elentra.org/ejs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.elentra.org/ejs/1.3/guide/environments/namespaces.md).

# Namespaces

## Introduction

Instead of working with file paths directly, an [environment](/ejs/1.3/guide/environments.md) allows you to work with **namespaces** which are mapped to specific directories.

With namespaces, [modules](/ejs/1.3/guide/modules.md) and entire applications can be fully self-contained, allowing them to be moved within a filesystem without breaking any of their internal dependencies.

Additionally, namespaces allow developers to use an absolute/global syntax to reference any root namespace defined in the [environment configuration](/ejs/1.3/guide/environments/configuration.md) (such as the Module, Layout, and Plugin namespaces).  While these namespaces may appear to be absolute/global, they are actually scoped to the environment itself.