Information

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Sequential navigation

A 'next' and 'previous' link to pages that come before or after the user’s current web page.

Sample HTML

<nav class="ds_sequential-nav" aria-label="Article navigation">
    <div class="ds_sequential-nav__item  ds_sequential-nav__item--prev">
        <a href="#" class="ds_sequential-nav__button  ds_sequential-nav__button--left">
            <span class="ds_sequential-nav__text" data-label="previous">
                Apply for or renew a Blue Badge
            </span>
        </a>
    </div>

    <div class="ds_sequential-nav__item  ds_sequential-nav__item--next">
        <a href="#" class="ds_sequential-nav__button  ds_sequential-nav__button--right">
            <span class="ds_sequential-nav__text" data-label="next">
                Eligibility: who can have one?
            </span>
        </a>
    </div>
</nav>

About this component

Sequential navigation is displayed at the bottom of content pages where there’s a clear next or previous page, such as a step-by-step guide spread over several web pages.

If it’s the first page of content, the ‘previous’ link will not show. If it’s the last page, the ‘next’ link will not show.

On mobile, the ‘next’ link displays stacked above the ‘previous’ link.

Why we use this component

Sequential navigation allows users to navigate without having to go back to navigational links at the top of a page.

Evidence

Analytics shows sequential navigation is used by users across mygov.scot and gov.scot, especially on mobile devices, where it is more prominent than other forms of navigation.

Website analytics

To understand user behaviour, clicks on sequential navigation links can be tracked through the original page path, the click URL, the click text, and a data attribute showing the action.

The data attributes are added automatically by the Design System’s ‘tracking’ script.

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