{{Short description|User interface element to aid navigation}} A '''navigation bar''' (or '''navigation system''') is a section of a graphical user interface intended to aid visitors in accessing information. Navigation bars are implemented in operating systems, file browsers,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Personalize the Windows Explorer Navigation Bar |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/436135/personalize-the-windows-explorer-navigation-bar.html |access-date= |website=PCWorld |language=en}}</ref> web browsers, apps, web sites and other similar user interfaces.
== File browsers == [[File:Thunar-1.6.2.png|thumbnail|right|Thunar's navigation bar]] File browsers use a navigation bar to assist the user in traversing the filesystem. Navigation bars may include the current path, breadcrumbs, or a list of favorites.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://userbase.kde.org/Dolphin|title=Dolphin}}</ref>
== Web browsers == A web browser navigation bar includes the back and forward buttons, as well as the Location bar where URLs are entered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avantbrowser.com/help/pgNavigationBar.htm|title=Avant Browser Help - Navigation Bar}}</ref> Formerly, the functionality of the navigation bar was split between the browser's toolbar and the address bar, but Google Chrome introduced the practice of merging the two.
== Web design == Typically, websites will have a primary navigation bar<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Navigation Bar: Explanations and Samples|url=https://www.dropdownmenugenerator.com/create/navigation-bar.aspx|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> and sometimes secondary navigation bar on all pages. These webpage sections will include links to the most important sections of the site. The implementation and design of navigation bars is a crucial aspect of web design and web usability.
In general, navigation bars are found in a page's header but may also be found in the form of a sidebar.
<gallery heights="50px" widths="300px"> File: Rudy 2008 web header.png|A typical webpage header with a navigation bar File: Wikipedia CamelCase Navigation Bar.png|A minimally styled header bar File: BookManager navbar cropped.png|Page navigation </gallery>
With different purposes, there are different kinds of the navigation bars to be chosen, such as horizontal navigation bars and vertical navigation bars. And with a dynamic website project including JavaScript, navigation bars can be designed to be responsive.
=== HTML5 nav tag ===
Some early versions of Netscape used the HTML {{mono|link}} tag to construct a navigation bar to navigate websites.<ref>{{cite web |title=Link |url=http://www.blooberry.com/indexdot/html/tagpages/l/link.htm |quote=The LINK element can be used to define a toolbar of navigation buttons or an equivalent mechanism such as menu items. Many of the values for the REL attribute could be reserved for this purpose (such as Home, Next, Previous, etc.)}}</ref> Today, the {{mono|nav}} tag can be used for the same purpose.<ref>{{cite web |title=HTML <nav> Tag |url=https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_nav.asp}}</ref> In HTML5, navigation elements are enclosed in a <code><nav></code> tag, often, containing a list of links.
<syntaxhighlight lang="html"> <nav> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/blog">Blog</a></li> <li><a href="/contact">Contact</a></li> <li><a href="/about">About</a></li> </ul> </nav> </syntaxhighlight>
== See also == * Web template
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Graphical control elements}}
Category:Web design Category:Graphical control elements Category:Graphical user interface elements
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