---
layout: docs
title: Navs
description: Documentation and examples for how to use Bootstrap's included navigation components.
group: components
---

Navigation available in Bootstrap share general markup and styles, from the base `.nav` class to the active and disabled states. Swap modifier classes to switch between each style.

## Contents

* Will be replaced with the ToC, excluding the "Contents" header
{:toc}

## Regarding accessibility

If you are using navs to provide a navigation bar, be sure to add a `role="navigation"` to the most logical parent container of the `<ul>`, or wrap a `<nav>` element around the whole navigation. Do not add the role to the `<ul>` itself, as this would prevent it from being announced as an actual list by assistive technologies.

## Examples

### Base nav

Roll your own navigation style by extending the base `.nav` component. All Bootstrap's nav components are built on top of this by specifying additional styles. Includes styles for the disabled state, but **not the active state**.

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

Classes are used throughout, so your markup can be super flexible. Use `<ul>`s like above, or roll your own with say a `<nav>` element. The change in nav item display below **is intentional** as `<li>`s have a different default `display` than regular `<a>` elements.

{% example html %}
<nav class="nav">
  <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
</nav>
{% endexample %}

### Inline

Space out nav links in a horizontal band with `.nav-inline`. Longer series of links will wrap to a new line.

{% example html %}
<nav class="nav nav-inline">
  <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
</nav>
{% endexample %}

The same works for a navigation built with lists.

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-inline">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

### Tabs

Takes the basic nav from above and adds the `.nav-tabs` class to generate a tabbed interface. Use them to create tabbable regions with our [tab JavaScript plugin](#javascript-behavior).

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-tabs">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

### Pills

Take that same HTML, but use `.nav-pills` instead:

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-pills">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

### Stacked pills

Add `.nav-stacked` to the `.nav.nav-pills` to stack them vertically. Each `.nav-link` becomes block-level, allowing for larger hit areas via mouse or tap.

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-pills nav-stacked">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

As always, stacked pills are possible without `<ul>`s.

{% example html %}
<nav class="nav nav-pills nav-stacked">
  <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
</nav>
{% endexample %}

## Using dropdowns

Add dropdown menus with a little extra HTML and the [dropdowns JavaScript plugin]({{ site.baseurl }}/components/dropdowns/#usage).

### Tabs with dropdowns

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-tabs">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item dropdown">
    <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown" href="#" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">Dropdown</a>
    <div class="dropdown-menu">
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a>
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a>
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a>
      <div class="dropdown-divider"></div>
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Separated link</a>
    </div>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

### Pills with dropdowns

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-pills">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item dropdown">
    <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown" href="#" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">Dropdown</a>
    <div class="dropdown-menu">
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a>
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a>
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a>
      <div class="dropdown-divider"></div>
      <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Separated link</a>
    </div>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

## Justified nav

Create equal-width links in a navigation component by adding `.nav-justified` to a `.nav` component. This works with the inline, tab, and pill variants.

Using the inline nav:

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-inline nav-justified">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

You can also use it on tabs:

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-tabs nav-justified">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

And pills, too:

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-pills nav-justified">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

## Centered nav

Using our [flexbox utilities]({{ site.baseurl }}/layout/grid/#horizontal-alignment), you can also customize your navigation components to change the alignment of nav items. For example, here are center aligned links on the inline nav component.

{% example html %}
<ul class="nav nav-inline d-flex flex-items-center">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" href="#">Active</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link disabled" href="#">Disabled</a>
  </li>
</ul>
{% endexample %}

## JavaScript behavior

Use the tab JavaScript plugin—include it individually or through the compiled `bootstrap.js` file—to extend our navigational tabs and pills to create tabbable panes of local content, even via dropdown menus.

<div class="bd-example bd-example-tabs" role="tabpanel">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs" id="myTab" role="tablist">
    <li class="nav-item">
      <a class="nav-link active" id="home-tab" data-toggle="tab" href="#home" role="tab" aria-controls="home" aria-expanded="true">Home</a>
    </li>
    <li class="nav-item">
      <a class="nav-link" id="profile-tab" data-toggle="tab" href="#profile" role="tab" aria-controls="profile">Profile</a>
    </li>
    <li class="nav-item dropdown">
      <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown" href="#" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">
        Dropdown
      </a>
      <div class="dropdown-menu">
        <a class="dropdown-item" id="dropdown1-tab" href="#dropdown1" role="tab" data-toggle="tab" aria-controls="dropdown1">@fat</a>
        <a class="dropdown-item" id="dropdown2-tab" href="#dropdown2" role="tab" data-toggle="tab" aria-controls="dropdown2">@mdo</a>
      </div>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <div class="tab-content" id="myTabContent">
    <div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane fade show active" id="home" aria-labelledBy="home-tab">
      <p>Raw denim you probably haven't heard of them jean shorts Austin. Nesciunt tofu stumptown aliqua, retro synth master cleanse. Mustache cliche tempor, williamsburg carles vegan helvetica. Reprehenderit butcher retro keffiyeh dreamcatcher synth. Cosby sweater eu banh mi, qui irure terry richardson ex squid. Aliquip placeat salvia cillum iphone. Seitan aliquip quis cardigan american apparel, butcher voluptate nisi qui.</p>
    </div>
    <div class="tab-pane fade" id="profile" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledBy="profile-tab">
      <p>Food truck fixie locavore, accusamus mcsweeney's marfa nulla single-origin coffee squid. Exercitation +1 labore velit, blog sartorial PBR leggings next level wes anderson artisan four loko farm-to-table craft beer twee. Qui photo booth letterpress, commodo enim craft beer mlkshk aliquip jean shorts ullamco ad vinyl cillum PBR. Homo nostrud organic, assumenda labore aesthetic magna delectus mollit. Keytar helvetica VHS salvia yr, vero magna velit sapiente labore stumptown. Vegan fanny pack odio cillum wes anderson 8-bit, sustainable jean shorts beard ut DIY ethical culpa terry richardson biodiesel. Art party scenester stumptown, tumblr butcher vero sint qui sapiente accusamus tattooed echo park.</p>
    </div>
    <div class="tab-pane fade" id="dropdown1" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledBy="dropdown1-tab">
      <p>Etsy mixtape wayfarers, ethical wes anderson tofu before they sold out mcsweeney's organic lomo retro fanny pack lo-fi farm-to-table readymade. Messenger bag gentrify pitchfork tattooed craft beer, iphone skateboard locavore carles etsy salvia banksy hoodie helvetica. DIY synth PBR banksy irony. Leggings gentrify squid 8-bit cred pitchfork. Williamsburg banh mi whatever gluten-free, carles pitchfork biodiesel fixie etsy retro mlkshk vice blog. Scenester cred you probably haven't heard of them, vinyl craft beer blog stumptown. Pitchfork sustainable tofu synth chambray yr.</p>
    </div>
    <div class="tab-pane fade" id="dropdown2" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledBy="dropdown2-tab">
      <p>Trust fund seitan letterpress, keytar raw denim keffiyeh etsy art party before they sold out master cleanse gluten-free squid scenester freegan cosby sweater. Fanny pack portland seitan DIY, art party locavore wolf cliche high life echo park Austin. Cred vinyl keffiyeh DIY salvia PBR, banh mi before they sold out farm-to-table VHS viral locavore cosby sweater. Lomo wolf viral, mustache readymade thundercats keffiyeh craft beer marfa ethical. Wolf salvia freegan, sartorial keffiyeh echo park vegan.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

### Using data attributes

You can activate a tab or pill navigation without writing any JavaScript by simply specifying `data-toggle="tab"` or `data-toggle="pill"` on an element. Use these data attributes on `.nav-tabs` or `.nav-pills`.

<div role="tabpanel">
{% highlight html %}
<!-- Nav tabs -->
<ul class="nav nav-tabs" role="tablist">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" data-toggle="tab" href="#home" role="tab">Home</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#profile" role="tab">Profile</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#messages" role="tab">Messages</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#settings" role="tab">Settings</a>
  </li>
</ul>

<!-- Tab panes -->
<div class="tab-content">
  <div class="tab-pane active" id="home" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane" id="profile" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane" id="messages" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane" id="settings" role="tabpanel">...</div>
</div>
{% endhighlight %}
</div>

### Via JavaScript

Enable tabbable tabs via JavaScript (each tab needs to be activated individually):

{% highlight js %}
$('#myTab a').click(function (e) {
  e.preventDefault()
  $(this).tab('show')
})
{% endhighlight %}

You can activate individual tabs in several ways:

{% highlight js %}
$('#myTab a[href="#profile"]').tab('show') // Select tab by name
$('#myTab a:first').tab('show') // Select first tab
$('#myTab a:last').tab('show') // Select last tab
$('#myTab li:eq(2) a').tab('show') // Select third tab (0-indexed)
{% endhighlight %}

### Fade effect

To make tabs fade in, add `.fade` to each `.tab-pane`. The first tab pane must also have `.show` to make the initial content visible.

{% highlight html %}
<div class="tab-content">
  <div class="tab-pane fade show active" id="home" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane fade" id="profile" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane fade" id="messages" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane fade" id="settings" role="tabpanel">...</div>
</div>
{% endhighlight %}

### Methods

#### $().tab

Activates a tab element and content container. Tab should have either a `data-target` or an `href` targeting a container node in the DOM.

{% highlight html %}
<ul class="nav nav-tabs" id="myTab" role="tablist">
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link active" data-toggle="tab" href="#home" role="tab" aria-controls="home">Home</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#profile" role="tab" aria-controls="profile">Profile</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#messages" role="tab" aria-controls="messages">Messages</a>
  </li>
  <li class="nav-item">
    <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#settings" role="tab" aria-controls="settings">Settings</a>
  </li>
</ul>

<div class="tab-content">
  <div class="tab-pane active" id="home" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane" id="profile" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane" id="messages" role="tabpanel">...</div>
  <div class="tab-pane" id="settings" role="tabpanel">...</div>
</div>

<script>
  $(function () {
    $('#myTab a:last').tab('show')
  })
</script>
{% endhighlight %}

#### .tab('show')

Selects the given tab and shows its associated pane. Any other tab that was previously selected becomes unselected and its associated pane is hidden. **Returns to the caller before the tab pane has actually been shown** (i.e. before the `shown.bs.tab` event occurs).

{% highlight js %}
$('#someTab').tab('show')
{% endhighlight %}

### Events

When showing a new tab, the events fire in the following order:

1. `hide.bs.tab` (on the current active tab)
2. `show.bs.tab` (on the to-be-shown tab)
3. `hidden.bs.tab` (on the previous active tab, the same one as for the `hide.bs.tab` event)
4. `shown.bs.tab` (on the newly-active just-shown tab, the same one as for the `show.bs.tab` event)

If no tab was already active, then the `hide.bs.tab` and `hidden.bs.tab` events will not be fired.

<table class="table table-bordered table-striped table-responsive">
  <thead>
   <tr>
     <th style="width: 150px;">Event Type</th>
     <th>Description</th>
   </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>show.bs.tab</td>
      <td>This event fires on tab show, but before the new tab has been shown. Use <code>event.target</code> and <code>event.relatedTarget</code> to target the active tab and the previous active tab (if available) respectively.</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
      <td>shown.bs.tab</td>
      <td>This event fires on tab show after a tab has been shown. Use <code>event.target</code> and <code>event.relatedTarget</code> to target the active tab and the previous active tab (if available) respectively.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>hide.bs.tab</td>
      <td>This event fires when a new tab is to be shown (and thus the previous active tab is to be hidden). Use <code>event.target</code> and <code>event.relatedTarget</code> to target the current active tab and the new soon-to-be-active tab, respectively.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>hidden.bs.tab</td>
      <td>This event fires after a new tab is shown (and thus the previous active tab is hidden). Use <code>event.target</code> and <code>event.relatedTarget</code> to target the previous active tab and the new active tab, respectively.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

{% highlight js %}
$('a[data-toggle="tab"]').on('shown.bs.tab', function (e) {
  e.target // newly activated tab
  e.relatedTarget // previous active tab
})
{% endhighlight %}
