Site navigation
The main navigation on a website, site navigation is a row of core links that appears on every page.
Sample HTML
<nav class="ds_mobile-navigation" data-module="ds-mobile-navigation-menu">
<button class="js-toggle-menu ds_mobile-navigation__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="mobile-navigation-menu">
<span class="ds_site-header__control-text">Menu</span>
<svg class="ds_icon ds_site-header__control-icon" aria-hidden="true" role="img"><use xlink:href="/assets/images/icons/icons.stack.svg#menu-21"></use></svg>
<svg class="ds_icon ds_site-header__control-icon--close ds_site-header__control-icon" aria-hidden="true" role="img"><use xlink:href="/assets/images/icons/icons.stack.svg#close-21"></use></svg>
</button>
<div id="mobile-navigation-menu" data-offsetselector=".ds_site-header">
<div class="ds_mobile-navigation__content">
<div class="ds_mobile-navigation__block">
<ul class="ds_mobile-navigation__list">
<li class="ds_mobile-navigation__item">
<a href="#" class="ds_mobile-navigation__link">
Get started
</a>
</li>
<li class="ds_mobile-navigation__item">
<a href="#" class="ds_mobile-navigation__link">
Styles
</a>
</li>
<li class="ds_mobile-navigation__item">
<span class="ds_mobile-navigation__link ds_current">
Components
</span>
</li>
<li class="ds_mobile-navigation__item">
<a href="#" class="ds_mobile-navigation__link">
Patterns
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<button type="button" class="ds_mobile-navigation__backdrop js-close-menu" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="mobile-navigation-menu">
<span class="visually-hidden">Close menu</span>
</button>
</div>
</div>
</nav>
<nav class="ds_site-navigation">
<ul class="ds_site-navigation__list">
<li class="ds_site-navigation__item">
<a href="#" class="ds_site-navigation__link">
Get started
</a>
</li>
<li class="ds_site-navigation__item">
<a href="#" class="ds_site-navigation__link">
Styles
</a>
</li>
<li class="ds_site-navigation__item">
<span class="ds_site-navigation__link ds_current">
Components
</span>
</li>
<li class="ds_site-navigation__item">
<a href="#" class="ds_site-navigation__link">
Patterns
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</nav>
About this component
Site navigation arranges key links into a row and should go at the top of a website.
Links may be collapsed into an expandable ‘menu’ button on mobiles.
Why we use this component
Top level navigation gives users an overview of what’s included in a site by outlining its main categories.
It can also help users find key content quicker.
Evidence
Analytics evidence from mygov.scot and gov.scot shows that users are more likely to navigate to site sections of gov.scot using the site header’s primary navigation than using the same links on panels lower down the homepage.
Website analytics
To understand user behaviour, clicks on site navigation items
can be tracked through the original page path, the click URL, the click text, and a data attribute showing the item clicked, for example data-header="header-link-1"
or for the menu on mobile data-header="header-menu-toggle"
.
Feedback, help or support
If you need any help or want to give any feedback you can e-mail us at: designsystem@gov.scot