Components

Breadcrumbs

The breadcrumbs component helps users to understand where they are within a website’s structure and move between levels.

Open this example in a new window

HTML

<div class="govuk-breadcrumbs">
  <ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
    <li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
      <a class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="#">Home</a>
    </li>
    <li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
      <a class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="#">Passports, travel and living abroad</a>
    </li>
    <li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item" aria-current="page">Travel abroad</li>
  </ol>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
items	array	Required. Array of breadcrumbs item objects. See items.
classes	string	Classes to add to the breadcrumbs container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the breadcrumbs container.

Options for items

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the breadcrumbs item. If html is provided, the text argument will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the breadcrumbs item. If html is provided, the text argument will be ignored.
href	string	Link for the breadcrumbs item. If not specified, breadcrumbs item is a normal list item.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the individual crumb.

{% from "breadcrumbs/macro.njk" import govukBreadcrumbs %}

{{ govukBreadcrumbs({
  items: [
    {
      text: "Home",
      href: "#"
    },
    {
      text: "Passports, travel and living abroad",
      href: "#"
    },
    {
      text: "Travel abroad"
    }
  ]
}) }}

When to use this component

Use the breadcrumbs component when you need to help users understand and move between the multiple levels of a website.

When not to use this component

Do not use the breadcrumbs component on websites with a flat structure, or to show progress through a linear journey or transaction.

If you’re using other navigational elements on the page, such as a sidebar, consider whether your users need the additional support of breadcrumbs.

How it works

The breadcrumbs component should include the user’s current page, which should be visually different from the other links in the breadcrumb.

There are 2 ways to use the breadcrumbs component. You can use HTML or, if you are using Nunjucks or the GOV.UK Prototype Kit, you can use the Nunjucks macro.

Open this example in a new window

HTML

<div class="govuk-breadcrumbs">
  <ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
    <li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
      <a class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="#">Home</a>
    </li>
    <li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
      <a class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="#">Passports, travel and living abroad</a>
    </li>
    <li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item" aria-current="page">Travel abroad</li>
  </ol>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
items	array	Required. Array of breadcrumbs item objects. See items.
classes	string	Classes to add to the breadcrumbs container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the breadcrumbs container.

Options for items

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the breadcrumbs item. If html is provided, the text argument will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the breadcrumbs item. If html is provided, the text argument will be ignored.
href	string	Link for the breadcrumbs item. If not specified, breadcrumbs item is a normal list item.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the individual crumb.

{% from "breadcrumbs/macro.njk" import govukBreadcrumbs %}

{{ govukBreadcrumbs({
  items: [
    {
      text: "Home",
      href: "#"
    },
    {
      text: "Passports, travel and living abroad",
      href: "#"
    },
    {
      text: "Travel abroad"
    }
  ]
}) }}

Help improve this page

To help make sure the Breadcrumbs page is useful, relevant and up to date, you can:

• share research or feedback about the Breadcrumbs component on GitHub
• propose a change to this page - read more about how to propose changes in GitHub

Need help?

If you’ve got a question about the GOV.UK Design System you can contact the team:

• on #govuk-design-system channel on cross-government Slack
• by email at govuk-design-system-support@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk.