Everything unlocks as you find the ingredients and build work benches for them. Just keep collecting new items in new zones.

Progression in general is tightly locked behind bosses, the boss will drop something important. Pay attention to bosses and they'll guide you through the game's path.

There is no in game tree like that, to say 'this exists, but you haven't found a blah yet to make it from'

the list of what you do know is in the crafting stations... the cook pot, the forge, the workbench, and the hammer. If you want something and don't see it, try upgrading your stations, or making additional crafting support items like nails (always make one round of nails as soon as you get that nail type). If you see something on the vendor you don't know what its for, maybe buy one. And so on.

you can cheat in the stuff to unlock all the recipes on their stations if you wanted an in-game reference. Or join a server with established people and run around picking up and putting back the materials for a min. Or get someone to toss you a char who is naked but can make everything. Several ways to get there...
Im with you... there should be a help with all the items listed maybe, but there isnt at this time.

The crow points the way up until your first boat. From there it kind of assumes you have a handle on it

I guess ultimately it depends upon yourself and your disposition. I am not a patient person. In addition, I prefer to be a builder and explorer rather than a "survivor" and warrior. I don't get much enjoyment from a game unless I am constantly progressing in one way or another.

Not quite what you're asking, but...

- Progression Guide from the wiki: https://valheim.fandom.com/wiki/Progression_guide
- Crafting Progression Guide: https://www.gamesradar.com/valheim-crafting-progression-guide/

There are various spreadsheets on Reddit, but they're mainly Creature data with weaknesses/strengths, and Food buff types.

While the CHART/TREE is probably out there..the fundamental game concept is (imho) that you are a dead warrior and have to relearn everything..ie recognise a fir tree.. and work it out!.. or you can contrast/compare it to Lostark where nearly everything needs to be researched online IRL to make meaningful progression. personally i like to find things out myself...that said after exploring for a few hundred game lives in one world.. seeking the trader.. i reneged and looked at a world map of my seed... but switched every thing but trader off and voyaged in that general direction of discovery..

Its really simple, there are 3 parts.
- you need to find new crafting materials and have 1 copy of each needed for the thing (pick up anything you can click on, and keep 1 stack of each thing stowed for later, and soon you will see what you need more of than one stack (rock, wood, iron, food materials, etc))
- you need to upgrade your crafting station
- you have to make some crafting materials
- house related things are made from the hammer's menu
so, you need fire arrows. to get that, you have to find wood, resin, and feathers, and make an upgrade for the workbench. When you have done all that, the recipe is just there to be used.

This info does help but how I am looking at it is ... Hey there's an island, I need a boat, why is boat not in my list, what do i need to get a boat. so it's the tree of progression that I am looking for, kinda like a chart. I dont do well with memory, I have to alt tab constantly and make notes because I cannot remember what I wanted to do after Im done eating then making armor. It is a "me" thing and a very poor memory. :)

It has been my experience after playing two characters in this game, that one of the main mechanisms to learning a new recipe is the act of interacting with the ingredients of the recipe. After cutting down my first pine tree then looting the core wood material, I learned most of the construction recipes that use core wood. After mining my first silver vein, I learned nearly all the recipes that use silver as a reagent in their production. There is a caveat to this mechanism insomuch as the player in most cases must have the appropriate level of crafting bench, cauldron, cooking station or artisan bench required to make the recipe ...