Steps to reproduce the issue

Create tags (parent and child)

• parent_tag

  • child_tag

Label some content items (Content, Contact, Weblink) using tags. Label one item by a parent tag and another item by the child tag.

Enable and display the Tags - Popular module. Both labels should be presented to the visitor of the site.

Expected result

After clinking the items to the parent tag, both items would be listed, one under the headline of the parent tag and one under the headline of child tag. It is then clear, which item has the child tag and which has the parent tag.

Actual result

After clinking the items to the parent tag, both items are listed, both under the headline of the parent tag. It is unclear, which item has the child tag but not the parent tag.

System information (as much as possible)

OS Linux h
PHP 7.2.16
MySQLi 5.5.63-MariaDB
Joomla 3.9.8

Additional comments

List of items to a tag can be also generated by https://[your domain name]/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id=[ID of the tag]

I think it is correct that the counts in the module are related to the parent tags only (solved by PR #25473) and the count ignores the children tags. On the other hand, it is a very good idea to let the user know that there is more content available under the parent tag and show them the content somehow -- list the items to the parent tag and the children tags also. It is unfortunate that the list of a content to a tag and its children tags is melted into a mixed list (titles are sorted alphabetically, aren't they?). I think that the generated list shouldn't be mixed.

• It should list content to the requested (parent) tag and then list the content to the children (optional) with new sub-title for each: "children tag sub-tag" follows.
• Or, the list can be strictly that of items of the parent tag and the list of its children tag should be offered to the user.

I checked this out and I see what you mean. Ive not used tags much before in Joomla if at all actually but I can see a strong case for those that do who are using a Tags-Popular module to be able to allow their users to see the position of the tags in the hierarchy and how they relate to each other.

I share the content of both Comments.

Please relabel as J4 Issue