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Tabs

Tabs organize content into manageable sections. Clear navigation and presentation for efficient user interaction.

  • Overview
  • Specs
  • Guidelines

Component

Tabs are a versatile UI component used to organize content into distinct sections, facilitating navigation and enhancing user experience.

With intuitive tab labels and clear visual indicators, users can easily switch between different sections of content, such as categories, settings, or views.

Tabs anatomy

A: Regular variation

B: Removable variation

C: More Options variation

1: Selected indicator

2: Label

3: Required field indicator

4: Close

5: Error icon

Tabs applied in forms

Used for:

Forms

When a form has different sections that can be divided by categories, consider using Tabs;

Modals

When a modal has integrated forms, Tabs can also be used, for the same reasons as regular forms;

Conservation of screen space

Tabs help conserve screen space by allowing users to switch between content sections within the same viewport, minimizing the need to scroll or navigate to separate pages;

Contextual grouping

Tabs facilitate the contextual grouping of related content, allowing users to understand the relationship between different sections and access them seamlessly;

Progressive disclosure

Tabs support progressive disclosure by revealing additional content or functionality as users navigate between Tabs, helping to manage complexity and present information in a structured manner;

Don’t use for:

Limited content

If the content within each Tab is minimal or insufficient to warrant its own section, using Tabs may create unnecessary complexity. Consider using accordions in this case;

Confusing navigation

If the number of Tabs is excessive or if the Tab labels are unclear or ambiguous, users may struggle to understand the navigation structure;

Overlapping content

If the content within different Tabs overlaps significantly or if there is redundancy between Tabs, Tabs may not effectively organize the content and could confuse users;

Sequential tasks

Tabs are not appropriate for guiding users through sequential tasks or linear processes where each step builds upon the previous one. In such cases, use a stepper.

Tabs with little information inside the form

Demo

Access the Figma file and inspect the element using Dev Mode.

Tabs at Figma

Last Update

Old_Tabs
Tabs’ old version
Current_Tabs
Tabs’ current version
  • Updated component;
  • Updated images and guidelines;
  • Improved documentation.

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States

Tabs_Colors
Tabs

Not Active

Enabled
.enabled {n  color: var(u002du002dgrey-8);n}
Hover
.hover {n  background-color: var(u002du002dgrey-3);n  color: var(u002du002dgrey-9);n}
Pressed
.pressed {n  background-color: var(u002du002dgrey-4);n  color: var(u002du002dgrey-9);n}
Disabled
.disabled {
  color: var(--grey-6);
}
Focus
.focus {n  background-color: var(u002du002dgrey-3);n  border-color-bottom: var(u002du002dgrey-9);n  color: var(u002du002dgrey-9);n}

Active

Enabled
.enabled {
  border-color-bottom: var(--theme-100);
  color: var(--theme-100);
}
Hover
.hover {
  background-color: var(--theme-10);
  border-color-bottom: var(--theme-100);
  color: var(--theme-100);
}
Pressed
.pressed {
  background-color: var(--theme-20);
  border-color-bottom: var(--theme-100);
  color: var(--theme-100);
}
Disabled
.disabled {
  color: var(--grey-6);
}
Focus
.focus {
  background-color: var(--theme-10);
  border-color-bottom: var(--theme-100);
  color: var(--theme-100);
}

Size

Unique size
.uniqueSize {
  padding: var(--spacing-16, --spacing-8);
  gap: var(--spacing-8);
  label: var(--button-regular);
}

Icons

Removable
.removable {
  close: var(--close-small, --grey-8);
  add: var(--overflowmenu-small, --grey-7, add_cirlce);
}
Responsive
.removable {
  chevron: var (--grey-8, expand_more, 20px);
  divider: var (--grey-8);
}
Error
.error {
  errorIcon: var(--error-100, error_circle, 16px);
}
Required Field
.required {
  asterisk: var(--error-100);
}

Useful links

guidelines figma accent icon

Consult our Figma file to access our assets and inspect them in dev mode.

polygon-framework

This component is or will be provided by the Polygon framework. See its documentation to learn more.

This element is in line with the guidelines of the CDS (Cegid Design System). Find out more.

Variations

Tabs come with some variations that help improve their flexibility and usefulness.

Regular

When no additional features are required, the regular variation is preferable as it takes up less space and helps prevent user confusion.

Regular Tabs
Responsive

This variation allows Tabs to have a drop-down-like menu, which is primarily useful for helping with the component’s responsiveness.

Tabs hidden under More Options
Removable

Some products benefit from having customizable Tabs, allowing users to add and remove them according to their needs.

Removable Tabs

Responsiveness

Tabs should be under the page title to facilitate access and reduce space. However, this means that they may not fit in all interfaces. When this happens, a new Tab should be added at the end, using the More Options variation, and all excess Tabs should be moved to an overflow menu.

Tabs responsive behavior

When including required text fields in a Tab, be sure to add a red asterisk next to its title to make sure users don’t accidentally skip them.

Labels should be short and concise, with a maximum of two words. If this is not possible, the text should be cut off and a tooltip should contain the full text (in the hover effect).

Use decorative icons.

Use Tabs to replace a flow.

Hidden Tabs

When the + icon is visible and enabled, it indicates that there are hidden Tabs that can be added. By using the removable variation on these Tabs, they become highly customizable, allowing users to have control over the sections they want to see.

Removing and adding Tabs

Avoid allowing more than six Tabs.


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Outline