Component
Breadcrumbs
Navigational breadcrumbs, showing page hierarchy
Accepts an array of breadcrumb objects. Each crumb must have a title and a URL.
Links are tracked, but in Universal Analytics, links to the homepage (any link with a url of /) will be tracked separately as homeLinkClicked.
We recommend that if using the breadcrumbs for navigation purposes, you set collapse_on_mobile to true to make things more readable for mobile users. However, you can specify collapse_on_mobile:false or remove the flag completely to stop this behaviour.
How it looks (preview) (preview all)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="1" data-track-label="/section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"2","dimension29":"Section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"2"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section">Section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"2","dimension29":"Sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"2"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section">Sub-section</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div>How to call this component
<%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Section",
url: "/section"
},
{
title: "Sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section"
}
]
} %>Accessibility acceptance criteria
The breadcrumb links must have a text contrast ratio higher than 4.5:1 against the background colour to meet WCAG AA (this especially applies when using the inverse flag).
Links in the component must:
- accept focus
- be focusable with a keyboard
- be usable with a keyboard
- indicate when they have focus
- change in appearance when touched (in the touch-down state)
- change in appearance when hovered
- be usable with touch
- be usable with voice commands
- have visible text
- have meaningful text
Other examples
Standard options
This component uses the component wrapper helper. It accepts the following options and applies them to the parent element of the component. See the component wrapper helper documentation for more detail.
id- accepts a string for the element ID attributedata_attributes- accepts a hash of data attributesaria- accepts a hash of aria attributesclasses- accepts a space separated string of classes, these should not be used for styling and must be prefixed withjs-role- accepts a space separated string of roleslang- accepts a language attribute value
Inverse (preview)
On a dark background, such as the header of topic pages
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Education of disadvantaged children",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile gem-c-breadcrumbs--inverse">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="1" data-track-label="/section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"2","dimension29":"Section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"2"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section">Section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"2","dimension29":"Education of disadvantaged children"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"2"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section">Education of disadvantaged children</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Section",
url: "/section"
},
{
title: "Education of disadvantaged children",
url: "/section/sub-section"
}
],
inverse: true
} %>No breadcrumbs (preview)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
]
} %>Single section (preview)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="1" data-track-label="/section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"1","dimension29":"Section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"1"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section">Section</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Section",
url: "/section"
}
]
} %>Many breadcrumbs (preview)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Home",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"item": {
"name": "Sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 4,
"item": {
"name": "Sub Sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section/sub-sub-section"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="homeLinkClicked" data-track-action="homeBreadcrumb" data-track-label="" data-track-options="{}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"4"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"4","dimension29":"Section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"4"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section">Section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="3" data-track-label="/section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"4","dimension29":"Sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"3","index_total":"4"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section">Sub-section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="4" data-track-label="/section/sub-section/sub-sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"4","dimension29":"Sub Sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"4","index_total":"4"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section/sub-sub-section">Sub Sub-section</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Home",
url: "/"
},
{
title: "Section",
url: "/section"
},
{
title: "Sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section"
},
{
title: "Sub Sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section/sub-sub-section"
}
]
} %>No home (preview)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Service Manual",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/service-manual"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Agile Delivery",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/agile-delivery"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="1" data-track-label="/service-manual" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"2","dimension29":"Service Manual"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"2"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/service-manual">Service Manual</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/service-manual/agile-delivery" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"2","dimension29":"Agile Delivery"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"2"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/service-manual/agile-delivery">Agile Delivery</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Service Manual",
url: "/service-manual"
},
{
title: "Agile Delivery",
url: "/service-manual/agile-delivery"
}
]
} %>Real (preview)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Home",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Passports, travel and living abroad",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"item": {
"name": "Travel abroad",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/travel-abroad"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="homeLinkClicked" data-track-action="homeBreadcrumb" data-track-label="" data-track-options="{}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/browse/abroad" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Passports, travel and living abroad"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/browse/abroad">Passports, travel and living abroad</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="3" data-track-label="/browse/abroad/travel-abroad" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Travel abroad"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"3","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/browse/abroad/travel-abroad">Travel abroad</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Home",
url: "/"
},
{
title: "Passports, travel and living abroad",
url: "/browse/abroad"
},
{
title: "Travel abroad",
url: "/browse/abroad/travel-abroad"
}
]
} %>Long taxon (preview)
This is an example of a breadcrumb with long taxons to demonstrate the wrapping behaviour and touch target area on mobile
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Home",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Education, training and skills",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/education"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"item": {
"name": "Education of disadvantaged children appended with some extra long content to make this a very very very very long taxon",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/education"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="homeLinkClicked" data-track-action="homeBreadcrumb" data-track-label="" data-track-options="{}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/education" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Education, training and skills"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/education">Education, training and skills</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="3" data-track-label="/education" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Education of disadvantaged children appended with some extra long content to make this a very very very very long taxon"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"3","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/education">Education of disadvantaged children appended with some extra long content to make this a very very very very long taxon</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Home",
url: "/"
},
{
title: "Education, training and skills",
url: "/education"
},
{
title: "Education of disadvantaged children appended with some extra long content to make this a very very very very long taxon",
url: "/education"
}
]
} %>Stop collapsing on mobile (preview)
We recommend that if using the breadcrumbs for navigation purposes, you set collapse_on_mobile to true to make things more readable for mobile users. However, you can specify collapse_on_mobile:false or remove the flag completely to stop this behaviour.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Home",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Passports, travel and living abroad",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"item": {
"name": "Travel abroad",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/travel-abroad"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="homeLinkClicked" data-track-action="homeBreadcrumb" data-track-label="" data-track-options="{}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/browse/abroad" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Passports, travel and living abroad"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/browse/abroad">Passports, travel and living abroad</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="3" data-track-label="/browse/abroad/travel-abroad" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Travel abroad"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"3","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/browse/abroad/travel-abroad">Travel abroad</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
collapse_on_mobile: false,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Home",
url: "/"
},
{
title: "Passports, travel and living abroad",
url: "/browse/abroad"
},
{
title: "Travel abroad",
url: "/browse/abroad/travel-abroad"
}
]
} %>With border (preview)
Set a border below the breadcrumb. Off by default.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"item": {
"name": "Sub-sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section/sub-section"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs gem-c-breadcrumbs--border-bottom">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="1" data-track-label="/section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section">Section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section">Sub-section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="3" data-track-label="/section/sub-section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Sub-sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"3","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section/sub-section">Sub-sub-section</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
border: "bottom",
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Section",
url: "/section"
},
{
title: "Sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section"
},
{
title: "Sub-sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section/sub-section"
}
]
} %>With border and collapse on mobile (preview)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"item": {
"name": "Section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"item": {
"name": "Sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section"
}
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"item": {
"name": "Sub-sub-section",
"@id": "https://www.gov.uk/section/sub-section/sub-section"
}
}
]
}
</script>
<div data-module="gem-track-click ga4-link-tracker" class="gem-c-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs govuk-breadcrumbs--collapse-on-mobile gem-c-breadcrumbs--border-bottom">
<ol class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list">
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="1" data-track-label="/section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"1","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section">Section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="2" data-track-label="/section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"2","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section">Sub-section</a>
</li>
<li class="govuk-breadcrumbs__list-item">
<a data-track-category="breadcrumbClicked" data-track-action="3" data-track-label="/section/sub-section/sub-section" data-track-options="{"dimension28":"3","dimension29":"Sub-sub-section"}" data-ga4-link="{"event_name":"navigation","type":"breadcrumb","index_link":"3","index_total":"3"}" class="govuk-breadcrumbs__link" href="/section/sub-section/sub-section">Sub-sub-section</a>
</li>
</ol>
</div><%= render "govuk_publishing_components/components/breadcrumbs", {
border: "bottom",
collapse_on_mobile: true,
breadcrumbs: [
{
title: "Section",
url: "/section"
},
{
title: "Sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section"
},
{
title: "Sub-sub-section",
url: "/section/sub-section/sub-section"
}
]
} %>