BreadcrumbTrail [pattern] v1.0.0

A horizontal sequence of links showing the path from a root location to the current page (e.g., Workspace > Project > Issue). Provides hierarchical wayfinding and one-click jump-up navigation.

Facts

Label

Breadcrumb Trail

Meta

• License: Apache-2.0
• License Provenance: package-authorship-claim

Problem

Users deep inside a hierarchy lose context: where am I, and how do I jump to a higher level without traversing back through every layer?

Solution

Render a single-line trail of ancestor links separated by a chevron or slash, with the current page rendered as plain text (non-link) at the end. Truncate middle segments with an ellipsis when the trail overflows.

Structure

    <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb">
      <ol role="list">
        <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li><a href="/projects">Projects</a></li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <button aria-label="Show hidden ancestors" aria-haspopup="menu">...</button>
        </li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <a href="/projects/web/issues">Issues</a>
        </li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <span aria-current="page">PRM-1024 Fix login redirect</span>
        </li>
      </ol>
    </nav>
  

Uses

• @community/method-heuristic-review

Behavior

• The current page is the last item, rendered as text (not a link), with aria-current='page'.
• When the trail overflows the container, collapse middle segments behind an ellipsis button that opens a menu listing them.
• Separators (chevrons, slashes) are decorative — render as aria-hidden siblings or via CSS pseudo-elements.
• On narrow viewports, optionally show only the parent and current segments (back-button style).
• Long page titles in the current segment should truncate with ellipsis, not wrap.

A11y

• Wrap in <nav aria-label='Breadcrumb'> and use an ordered list inside.
• Mark the current page with aria-current='page'; do not render it as a link.
• Visual separators must be aria-hidden='true' or generated via CSS — never spoken.
• If using an ellipsis menu for collapsed segments, the trigger needs an accessible name like 'Show hidden ancestors'.

BreadcrumbTrail [pattern] v1.0.0

A horizontal sequence of links showing the path from a root location to the current page (e.g., Workspace > Project > Issue). Provides hierarchical wayfinding and one-click jump-up navigation.

Facts

Label

Breadcrumb Trail

Meta

• License: Apache-2.0
• License Provenance: package-authorship-claim

Problem

Users deep inside a hierarchy lose context: where am I, and how do I jump to a higher level without traversing back through every layer?

Solution

Render a single-line trail of ancestor links separated by a chevron or slash, with the current page rendered as plain text (non-link) at the end. Truncate middle segments with an ellipsis when the trail overflows.

Structure

    <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb">
      <ol role="list">
        <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li><a href="/projects">Projects</a></li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <button aria-label="Show hidden ancestors" aria-haspopup="menu">...</button>
        </li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <a href="/projects/web/issues">Issues</a>
        </li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <span aria-current="page">PRM-1024 Fix login redirect</span>
        </li>
      </ol>
    </nav>
  

Uses

• @community/method-heuristic-review

Behavior

• The current page is the last item, rendered as text (not a link), with aria-current='page'.
• When the trail overflows the container, collapse middle segments behind an ellipsis button that opens a menu listing them.
• Separators (chevrons, slashes) are decorative — render as aria-hidden siblings or via CSS pseudo-elements.
• On narrow viewports, optionally show only the parent and current segments (back-button style).
• Long page titles in the current segment should truncate with ellipsis, not wrap.

A11y

• Wrap in <nav aria-label='Breadcrumb'> and use an ordered list inside.
• Mark the current page with aria-current='page'; do not render it as a link.
• Visual separators must be aria-hidden='true' or generated via CSS — never spoken.
• If using an ellipsis menu for collapsed segments, the trigger needs an accessible name like 'Show hidden ancestors'.

Examples

• @community/example-github-breadcrumb
• @community/example-notion-breadcrumb

Relations

related: [@community/check-focus-visible, @community/rule-aria-current-page, @community/rule-aria-label-in-name, @community/check-skip-link, @community/rule-keyboard-tab-order] compatible: [@community/pattern-sidebar-collapsible]

Label

Breadcrumb Trail

Meta

• License: Apache-2.0
• License Provenance: package-authorship-claim

Problem

Users deep inside a hierarchy lose context: where am I, and how do I jump to a higher level without traversing back through every layer?

Solution

Render a single-line trail of ancestor links separated by a chevron or slash, with the current page rendered as plain text (non-link) at the end. Truncate middle segments with an ellipsis when the trail overflows.

Structure

    <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb">
      <ol role="list">
        <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li><a href="/projects">Projects</a></li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <button aria-label="Show hidden ancestors" aria-haspopup="menu">...</button>
        </li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <a href="/projects/web/issues">Issues</a>
        </li>
        <li aria-hidden="true" class="sep">/</li>
        <li>
          <span aria-current="page">PRM-1024 Fix login redirect</span>
        </li>
      </ol>
    </nav>
  

Uses

• @community/method-heuristic-review

Behavior

• The current page is the last item, rendered as text (not a link), with aria-current='page'.
• When the trail overflows the container, collapse middle segments behind an ellipsis button that opens a menu listing them.
• Separators (chevrons, slashes) are decorative — render as aria-hidden siblings or via CSS pseudo-elements.
• On narrow viewports, optionally show only the parent and current segments (back-button style).
• Long page titles in the current segment should truncate with ellipsis, not wrap.

A11y

• Wrap in <nav aria-label='Breadcrumb'> and use an ordered list inside.
• Mark the current page with aria-current='page'; do not render it as a link.
• Visual separators must be aria-hidden='true' or generated via CSS — never spoken.
• If using an ellipsis menu for collapsed segments, the trigger needs an accessible name like 'Show hidden ancestors'.

Compatible

• @community/pattern-sidebar-collapsible