| title | Breadcrumbs |
|---|---|
| description | Help users orientate themselves and navigate pages within a hierarchical structure |
| section | Components |
| aliases | navigation path, cookie crumb |
| backlogIssueId | 33 |
| layout | layout-pane.njk |
{% from "_example.njk" import example %}
The breadcrumbs component helps users to understand where they are within a website’s structure and move between levels.
{{ example({ group: "components", item: "breadcrumbs", example: "default", html: true, nunjucks: true, open: false, loading: "eager" }) }}
Use the breadcrumbs component when you need to help users understand and move between the multiple levels of a website.
Do not use the breadcrumbs component on websites with a flat structure, or to show progress through a linear journey or transaction.
If you’re using other navigational elements on the page, such as a sidebar, consider whether your users need the additional support of breadcrumbs.
Always place breadcrumbs at the top of a page, before the <main> element. Placing them here means that the 'Skip to main content' link allows the user to skip all navigation links, including breadcrumbs.
The breadcrumbs should start with your 'home' page and end with the parent section of the current page.
There are 2 ways to use the breadcrumbs component. You can use HTML or, if you are using Nunjucks or the GOV.UK Prototype Kit, you can use the Nunjucks macro.
{{ example({ group: "components", item: "breadcrumbs", example: "default", html: true, nunjucks: true, open: false, titleSuffix: "second" }) }}
If you have long breadcrumbs you can configure the component to only show the first and last items on mobile devices.
To do this, add a govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile class to the outer <div> element of the component HTML. Or if you’re using Nunjucks, add collapseOnMobile: true to the Nunjucks macro as shown in this example.
{{ example({ group: "components", item: "breadcrumbs", example: "collapse-mobile", html: true, nunjucks: true, open: false }) }}
Use the govuk-breadcrumbs--inverse modifier class to show white links and arrows on dark backgrounds – for example, in headers, custom components, and patterns with darker backgrounds.
Make sure all users can see the breadcrumbs – the background colour must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 with white to meet WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum), level AA.
{{ example({ group: "components", item: "breadcrumbs", example: "inverse", html: true, nunjucks: true, open: false }) }}