Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs show where the user is in a site or app.
When to use
- A hierarchy more than two levels deep, where people need to know where they are and how to go up a level.
- A page people can reach by several routes, such as from search results, where the trail shows where the page sits.
When not to use
- A flat structure. A trail with one step tells people nothing.
- A linear journey such as a checkout. That is a progress tracker.
- As the only way back. Breadcrumbs add to the main navigation. They do not replace it.
Guidance
Do
Show the real path, with the current page last and not linked. People are already on it.
Don't
Do not use generic labels. Home and Page describe the structure, not the content people are looking for.
Content
What to write, and what to leave out.
- Use the real names of the places, matching their page titles.
- Keep each item short so the trail can be read at a glance.
- The last crumb is the current page and should not be a link.