publish.js

var siteLeft = document.querySelector('.site-body-left-column');
let navOrderAsc = ["welcome.md", "start here.md"]; /* these go on top*/
let navOrderDsc = []; /* these go at the bottom */
/* items not mentioned go in between in alphabetical order */

var siteNav = siteLeft.querySelector('.nav-view-outer');
var navContainer = siteNav.querySelector('.tree-item').querySelector('.tree-item-children');

for (const item of navOrderAsc.reverse()){
    querytext = '[data-path="' + item + '"]';
    navItem = navContainer.querySelector(querytext);
    if (navItem == null) continue;
    moveItem = navItem.parentElement;
    navContainer.prepend(moveItem);
}

for (const item of navOrderDsc.reverse()){
    querytext = '[data-path="' + item + '"]';
    navItem = navContainer.querySelector(querytext);
    if (navItem == null) continue;
    moveItem = navItem.parentElement;
    navContainer.append(moveItem);
}