RTL Navigation

Navigation bar and breadcrumb with full bidirectional support, properly mirroring icons and layout for RTL languages.

css vanilla-js

Targets: JS HTML

Code

/* ── Reset & Base ── */
*,
*::before,
*::after {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

:root {
  --bg-primary: #0a0a0a;
  --bg-secondary: #111111;
  --bg-tertiary: #1a1a1a;
  --bg-dropdown: #151515;
  --border: #222222;
  --border-light: #333333;
  --text-primary: #f0f0f0;
  --text-secondary: #999999;
  --text-muted: #666666;
  --accent-blue: #3b82f6;
  --accent-green: #22c55e;
  --radius: 10px;
}

html {
  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;
  background: var(--bg-primary);
  color: var(--text-primary);
  line-height: 1.5;
}

body {
  min-height: 100vh;
}

button {
  font: inherit;
  cursor: pointer;
  border: none;
  background: none;
  color: inherit;
}

a {
  color: inherit;
  text-decoration: none;
}

ul,
ol {
  list-style: none;
}

/* ── Navbar ── */
.navbar {
  position: sticky;
  inset-block-start: 0;
  background: var(--bg-secondary);
  border-block-end: 1px solid var(--border);
  z-index: 100;
}

.nav-container {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  max-inline-size: 1200px;
  margin-inline: auto;
  padding-block: 0;
  padding-inline: 24px;
  block-size: 64px;
}

/* Logo */
.nav-logo {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 10px;
  margin-inline-end: 40px;
  flex-shrink: 0;
}

.logo-icon {
  font-size: 1.4rem;
  color: var(--accent-blue);
}

.logo-text {
  font-size: 1.1rem;
  font-weight: 700;
  letter-spacing: -0.02em;
}

/* Menu */
.nav-menu {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 4px;
  flex: 1;
}

.nav-item {
  position: relative;
}

.nav-link {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 6px;
  padding-block: 8px;
  padding-inline: 14px;
  font-size: 0.88rem;
  color: var(--text-secondary);
  border-radius: 6px;
  transition: color 0.2s, background 0.2s;
  white-space: nowrap;
}

.nav-link:hover,
.nav-link.active {
  color: var(--text-primary);
  background: var(--bg-tertiary);
}

.chevron {
  font-size: 0.65rem;
  transition: transform 0.2s;
}

.dropdown-trigger[aria-expanded="true"] .chevron {
  transform: rotate(180deg);
}

/* Dropdown */
.dropdown-menu {
  position: absolute;
  inset-block-start: calc(100% + 8px);
  inset-inline-start: 0;
  inline-size: 280px;
  background: var(--bg-dropdown);
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  padding-block: 8px;
  padding-inline: 8px;
  opacity: 0;
  visibility: hidden;
  transform: translateY(-8px);
  transition: opacity 0.2s, transform 0.2s, visibility 0.2s;
  box-shadow: 0 16px 48px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
}

.dropdown-menu.open {
  opacity: 1;
  visibility: visible;
  transform: translateY(0);
}

.dropdown-link {
  display: flex;
  align-items: flex-start;
  gap: 12px;
  padding-block: 10px;
  padding-inline: 12px;
  border-radius: 8px;
  transition: background 0.2s;
}

.dropdown-link:hover {
  background: var(--bg-tertiary);
}

.dd-icon {
  font-size: 1.2rem;
  margin-block-start: 2px;
  flex-shrink: 0;
}

.dd-content {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
}

.dd-title {
  font-size: 0.88rem;
  font-weight: 500;
  color: var(--text-primary);
}

.dd-desc {
  font-size: 0.76rem;
  color: var(--text-muted);
}

/* Nav actions */
.nav-actions {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 12px;
  margin-inline-start: auto;
}

.dir-toggle {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 6px;
  padding-block: 6px;
  padding-inline: 12px;
  background: var(--bg-tertiary);
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-radius: 6px;
  font-size: 0.8rem;
  font-weight: 500;
  color: var(--accent-blue);
  transition: background 0.2s;
}

.dir-toggle:hover {
  background: var(--bg-primary);
}

.nav-cta {
  padding-block: 8px;
  padding-inline: 18px;
  background: var(--accent-blue);
  color: #fff;
  border-radius: 6px;
  font-size: 0.85rem;
  font-weight: 600;
  transition: background 0.2s;
  white-space: nowrap;
}

.nav-cta:hover {
  background: #2563eb;
}

[dir="rtl"] .nav-cta {
  direction: ltr;
  unicode-bidi: bidi-override;
}

/* Mobile */
.mobile-toggle {
  display: none;
  padding: 8px;
}

.hamburger {
  display: block;
  inline-size: 20px;
  block-size: 2px;
  background: var(--text-primary);
  position: relative;
}

.hamburger::before,
.hamburger::after {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  inline-size: 100%;
  block-size: 2px;
  background: var(--text-primary);
  inset-inline-start: 0;
}

.hamburger::before {
  inset-block-start: -6px;
}
.hamburger::after {
  inset-block-start: 6px;
}

/* ── Breadcrumb ── */
.breadcrumb-container {
  border-block-end: 1px solid var(--border);
  background: var(--bg-primary);
}

.breadcrumb {
  max-inline-size: 1200px;
  margin-inline: auto;
  padding-block: 12px;
  padding-inline: 24px;
}

.breadcrumb-list {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.breadcrumb-item {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
}

.breadcrumb-link {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 6px;
  font-size: 0.82rem;
  color: var(--text-secondary);
  padding-block: 4px;
  padding-inline: 6px;
  border-radius: 4px;
  transition: color 0.2s, background 0.2s;
}

.breadcrumb-link:hover {
  color: var(--text-primary);
  background: var(--bg-tertiary);
}

.bc-home {
  font-size: 0.9rem;
}

.breadcrumb-text {
  font-size: 0.82rem;
  color: var(--text-primary);
  font-weight: 500;
  padding-inline: 6px;
}

.breadcrumb-sep {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  padding-inline: 4px;
}

.sep-arrow {
  font-size: 1rem;
  color: var(--text-muted);
  line-height: 1;
  display: inline-block;
  transition: transform 0.2s;
}

/* Flip breadcrumb arrows in RTL */
[dir="rtl"] .sep-arrow {
  transform: scaleX(-1);
}

/* ── Demo content ── */
.demo-content {
  max-inline-size: 1200px;
  margin-inline: auto;
  padding-block: 48px;
  padding-inline: 24px;
}

.demo-title {
  font-size: 2rem;
  font-weight: 700;
  margin-block-end: 16px;
}

.demo-text {
  font-size: 1rem;
  color: var(--text-secondary);
  max-inline-size: 640px;
  margin-block-end: 32px;
  line-height: 1.7;
}

.feature-list {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 12px;
}

.feature {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 12px;
  padding-block: 12px;
  padding-inline: 16px;
  background: var(--bg-secondary);
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-radius: 8px;
  max-inline-size: 480px;
}

.feature-icon {
  inline-size: 28px;
  block-size: 28px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.15);
  color: var(--accent-green);
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  font-size: 0.8rem;
  flex-shrink: 0;
}

.feature-text {
  font-size: 0.9rem;
  color: var(--text-secondary);
}

/* ── Mobile backdrop ── */
.mobile-backdrop {
  display: none;
  position: fixed;
  inset: 0;
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
  z-index: 90;
}

.mobile-backdrop.active {
  display: block;
}

/* ── Responsive ── */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .nav-container {
    padding-inline: 16px;
    position: relative;
  }

  .nav-menu {
    position: fixed;
    inset-block-start: 64px;
    inset-inline-start: 0;
    inset-inline-end: 0;
    inset-block-end: 0;
    background: var(--bg-secondary);
    border-block-start: 1px solid var(--border);
    flex-direction: column;
    align-items: stretch;
    gap: 2px;
    padding-block: 12px;
    padding-inline: 16px;
    overflow-y: auto;
    z-index: 95;
    transform: translateY(-110%);
    opacity: 0;
    transition: transform 0.3s ease, opacity 0.25s ease;
  }

  .nav-menu.open {
    transform: translateY(0);
    opacity: 1;
  }

  .nav-link {
    display: flex;
    width: 100%;
    padding-block: 12px;
    padding-inline: 16px;
    font-size: 0.95rem;
    border-radius: 8px;
  }

  .nav-link:hover,
  .nav-link.active {
    background: var(--bg-tertiary);
  }

  .dropdown-trigger {
    justify-content: space-between;
  }

  /* Dropdown inside mobile menu */
  .nav-menu .dropdown-menu {
    position: static;
    inline-size: 100%;
    box-shadow: none;
    border: none;
    background: transparent;
    padding-block: 4px;
    padding-inline: 0;
    margin-inline-start: 12px;
    opacity: 1;
    visibility: visible;
    transform: none;
    display: none;
    border-inline-start: 2px solid var(--border-light);
  }

  .nav-menu .dropdown-menu.open {
    display: block;
  }

  .nav-menu .dropdown-link {
    padding-block: 10px;
    padding-inline: 14px;
  }

  /* Nav actions in mobile */
  .nav-actions {
    margin-inline-start: auto;
  }

  .nav-cta {
    display: none;
  }

  .mobile-toggle {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    margin-inline-start: 8px;
    width: 40px;
    height: 40px;
    border-radius: 8px;
  }

  .mobile-toggle:hover {
    background: var(--bg-tertiary);
  }

  /* Hamburger animation */
  .mobile-toggle.active .hamburger {
    background: transparent;
  }

  .mobile-toggle.active .hamburger::before {
    inset-block-start: 0;
    transform: rotate(45deg);
  }

  .mobile-toggle.active .hamburger::after {
    inset-block-start: 0;
    transform: rotate(-45deg);
  }

  .hamburger,
  .hamburger::before,
  .hamburger::after {
    transition: all 0.25s ease;
  }

  /* Breadcrumb */
  .breadcrumb {
    padding-inline: 16px;
  }

  /* Content */
  .demo-content {
    padding-block: 32px;
    padding-inline: 16px;
  }

  .demo-title {
    font-size: 1.5rem;
  }

  .feature {
    max-inline-size: 100%;
  }
}

(() => {
  const html = document.documentElement;
  const dirToggle = document.getElementById("dir-toggle");
  const dirLabel = document.getElementById("dir-label");
  const mobileToggle = document.getElementById("mobile-toggle");
  const navMenu = document.getElementById("nav-menu");

  /* ── Direction toggle ── */
  dirToggle.addEventListener("click", () => {
    const isRtl = html.getAttribute("dir") === "rtl";
    const newDir = isRtl ? "ltr" : "rtl";
    html.setAttribute("dir", newDir);
    html.setAttribute("lang", isRtl ? "en" : "ar");
    dirLabel.textContent = newDir.toUpperCase();
  });

  /* ── Dropdown menus ── */
  const triggers = document.querySelectorAll(".dropdown-trigger");

  function closeAllDropdowns(except) {
    triggers.forEach((t) => {
      if (t !== except) {
        t.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
        const id = t.getAttribute("data-dropdown");
        const menu = document.getElementById("dropdown-" + id);
        if (menu) menu.classList.remove("open");
      }
    });
  }

  triggers.forEach((trigger) => {
    trigger.addEventListener("click", (e) => {
      e.stopPropagation();
      const id = trigger.getAttribute("data-dropdown");
      const menu = document.getElementById("dropdown-" + id);
      const isOpen = trigger.getAttribute("aria-expanded") === "true";

      closeAllDropdowns(trigger);

      trigger.setAttribute("aria-expanded", String(!isOpen));
      menu.classList.toggle("open", !isOpen);
    });
  });

  /* Close dropdowns on outside click */
  document.addEventListener("click", () => {
    closeAllDropdowns();
  });

  /* Prevent dropdown content clicks from closing */
  document.querySelectorAll(".dropdown-menu").forEach((menu) => {
    menu.addEventListener("click", (e) => e.stopPropagation());
  });

  /* ── Mobile menu ── */
  function closeMobileMenu() {
    navMenu.classList.remove("open");
    mobileToggle.classList.remove("active");
    var backdrop = document.getElementById("mobile-backdrop");
    if (backdrop) backdrop.classList.remove("active");
  }

  mobileToggle.addEventListener("click", () => {
    const opening = !navMenu.classList.contains("open");
    navMenu.classList.toggle("open", opening);
    mobileToggle.classList.toggle("active", opening);
    var backdrop = document.getElementById("mobile-backdrop");
    if (backdrop) backdrop.classList.toggle("active", opening);
  });

  /* Backdrop click closes menu */
  var backdrop = document.getElementById("mobile-backdrop");
  if (backdrop) backdrop.addEventListener("click", closeMobileMenu);

  /* Close mobile menu on resize */
  window.addEventListener("resize", () => {
    if (window.innerWidth > 768) closeMobileMenu();
  });
})();

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" dir="ltr">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
  <title>RTL Navigation</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css" />
</head>
<body>

  <div class="page">

    <!-- ── Mobile backdrop ── -->
    <div class="mobile-backdrop" id="mobile-backdrop"></div>

    <!-- ── Navbar ── -->
    <nav class="navbar" aria-label="Main navigation">
      <div class="nav-container">

        <!-- Logo -->
        <a href="#" class="nav-logo">
          <span class="logo-icon">&#9670;</span>
          <span class="logo-text">Acme Corp</span>
        </a>

        <!-- Menu -->
        <ul class="nav-menu" id="nav-menu">
          <li class="nav-item">
            <a href="#" class="nav-link active">Home</a>
          </li>
          <li class="nav-item has-dropdown">
            <button class="nav-link dropdown-trigger" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" data-dropdown="products">
              Products
              <span class="chevron">&#9662;</span>
            </button>
            <ul class="dropdown-menu" id="dropdown-products">
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#9633;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">Dashboard</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Analytics and reporting tools</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#9998;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">Editor</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Rich text and code editor</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#9881;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">Automation</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Workflow automation engine</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#128274;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">Security</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Enterprise security suite</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
            </ul>
          </li>
          <li class="nav-item has-dropdown">
            <button class="nav-link dropdown-trigger" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" data-dropdown="company">
              Company
              <span class="chevron">&#9662;</span>
            </button>
            <ul class="dropdown-menu" id="dropdown-company">
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#127968;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">About Us</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Our story and mission</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#128101;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">Team</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Meet our people</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
              <li><a href="#" class="dropdown-link">
                <span class="dd-icon">&#128188;</span>
                <span class="dd-content">
                  <span class="dd-title">Careers</span>
                  <span class="dd-desc">Join our growing team</span>
                </span>
              </a></li>
            </ul>
          </li>
          <li class="nav-item">
            <a href="#" class="nav-link">Pricing</a>
          </li>
          <li class="nav-item">
            <a href="#" class="nav-link">Contact</a>
          </li>
        </ul>

        <!-- Actions -->
        <div class="nav-actions">
          <button class="dir-toggle" id="dir-toggle" type="button" aria-label="Toggle text direction">
            <span id="dir-label">LTR</span>
            <span>&#8644;</span>
          </button>
          <a href="#" class="nav-cta">Get Started &#8594;</a>
        </div>

        <!-- Mobile toggle -->
        <button class="mobile-toggle" id="mobile-toggle" aria-label="Toggle menu">
          <span class="hamburger"></span>
        </button>
      </div>
    </nav>

    <!-- ── Breadcrumb ── -->
    <div class="breadcrumb-container">
      <nav class="breadcrumb" aria-label="Breadcrumb">
        <ol class="breadcrumb-list">
          <li class="breadcrumb-item">
            <a href="#" class="breadcrumb-link">
              <span class="bc-home">&#127968;</span>
              Home
            </a>
          </li>
          <li class="breadcrumb-sep" aria-hidden="true">
            <span class="sep-arrow">&#8250;</span>
          </li>
          <li class="breadcrumb-item">
            <a href="#" class="breadcrumb-link">Products</a>
          </li>
          <li class="breadcrumb-sep" aria-hidden="true">
            <span class="sep-arrow">&#8250;</span>
          </li>
          <li class="breadcrumb-item">
            <a href="#" class="breadcrumb-link">Dashboard</a>
          </li>
          <li class="breadcrumb-sep" aria-hidden="true">
            <span class="sep-arrow">&#8250;</span>
          </li>
          <li class="breadcrumb-item current" aria-current="page">
            <span class="breadcrumb-text">Analytics</span>
          </li>
        </ol>
      </nav>
    </div>

    <!-- ── Demo content ── -->
    <div class="demo-content">
      <h1 class="demo-title">Analytics Dashboard</h1>
      <p class="demo-text">This page demonstrates a navigation bar and breadcrumb that correctly adapt to both LTR and RTL text directions. Toggle the direction using the button in the navbar to see how all elements mirror properly.</p>
      <div class="feature-list">
        <div class="feature">
          <span class="feature-icon">&#10003;</span>
          <span class="feature-text">Navbar items reorder for RTL</span>
        </div>
        <div class="feature">
          <span class="feature-icon">&#10003;</span>
          <span class="feature-text">Dropdown menus reposition correctly</span>
        </div>
        <div class="feature">
          <span class="feature-icon">&#10003;</span>
          <span class="feature-text">Breadcrumb arrows flip direction</span>
        </div>
        <div class="feature">
          <span class="feature-icon">&#10003;</span>
          <span class="feature-text">CTA buttons mirror their arrow icons</span>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>

  </div>

  <script src="script.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

A navigation bar with dropdown menus and a breadcrumb trail that fully mirror for RTL languages, including flipped chevrons, repositioned dropdowns, and correct icon placement.