Problem summary

The user needs to navigate among sections of a website and while having clear indication of what section the user is currently looking at.

Example

Usage

• Use when there are more than 2 sections
• Use when there less than 8-10 sections depending on the length of each section name.
• Use when section names are relatively short
• Use when you want the navigation to fill the entire width of a page
• Use when you want to provide a list of the highest available sections/subsections of the website

• Do not use when wanting to show content-specific data. For instance for showing latest articles
• Do not use when there is no need to single-out the currently selected option
• Do not use when the list of sections or categories call for a “more…” link. Then consider another navigation pattern.

Solution

• A horizontal bar contains the different sections or categories of your website.
• Each section or category is represented by a tab that resembles a button. This is why the whole button should be clickable, and not just the text that labels the section.
• Optionally, a bar below the top bar can contain subsections of the currently selected item in the top bar
• The same navigation tab is used on all pages that is linked from the navigation tab.
• The same structure (order) of the navigation tabs should be maintained from page to page, so that the user can relate the navigation of the different pages to each other.
• The current selected tab should visually stand out compared the the not selected tabs.
• If subsections are used (a second horizontal bar below the top bar) there should be a clear visual connection between the currently selected top tab and the bar below showing subsections.

Rationale

• Navigation tabs lends itself from the physical metaphor of a folderes in a file-cabinet and is thus familiar to the user.
• Navigation tabs provide a clear visual indication of what content can be found on a website and places the current location in context by highlighting it.

More example images of the 'Navigation Tabs' pattern

• 

  Navigation tabs are used at digg.com

• 

  Navigation tabs with large clickable areas are used on spd.org.

• 

  Large rounded navigation tabs on the vimeo front page.

• 

  Clean navigation tabs in use at rei.com.

View more example screenshots

4 Comments

• 1
  

  Rob McKeown

  13 Oct, 2009

  I think it is important to add that the background color of the selected tab should match (or at least seamlessly transition into) the background color of the “contents” of the tab. This visually ties the content to its tab.

• 2
  

  Hugo Schotman

  6 Nov, 2009

  Note that Jakob Nielsen advises against using tabs for navigation. Amazon has stopped using tabs for their navigation as well.
  See:
  http://www.useit.com/alertbox/tabs.html

• 3
  

  Stephen Holmes

  20 Jan, 2011

  Actually Jacob said:

  “…use tabs to alternate between views within the same context (not to navigate to different areas).”

  The main issue is not to use it as primary navigation, but its use in switching between similar sets of contextual information is valid.

  So the example is out of data and perhaps the pattern could be updated?

• 4
  

  Jody Salt

  3 May, 2011

  @Stephen Holmes – I agree with update needed

  I think the Amazon example (according to Jacob’s definition) is still semi valid because the tabs are flipping between sets of products. Though I think the blue bar (below the tabs) sort of breaks it. Though you could argue that the tabs are flipping between website objects so it could still be valid. Or if you treat Amazon as an app, you are simply flipping between views of the database based on department.

  I think the main reason for Amazon abandoning tabs is that they now do so much more than just sell physical products.

  What does everyone else think?

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