Components

Sidenav

Hierarchical, vertical navigation to place at the side of a page.

<!-- Begin mobile toggle button - Place this outside grid container -->
<button type="button" class="va-btn-sidebarnav-trigger" aria-controls="va-detailpage-sidebar">
  <span>
    <b>More in this section</b>
    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="444.819" height="444.819" viewBox="0 0 444.819 444.819"><path fill="#ffffff" d="M352.025 196.712L165.885 10.848C159.028 3.615 150.468 0 140.185 0s-18.84 3.62-25.696 10.848l-21.7 21.416c-7.045 7.043-10.567 15.604-10.567 25.692 0 9.897 3.52 18.56 10.566 25.98L231.544 222.41 92.785 361.168c-7.04 7.043-10.563 15.604-10.563 25.693 0 9.9 3.52 18.566 10.564 25.98l21.7 21.417c7.043 7.043 15.612 10.564 25.697 10.564 10.09 0 18.656-3.52 25.697-10.564L352.025 248.39c7.046-7.423 10.57-16.084 10.57-25.98.002-10.09-3.524-18.655-10.57-25.698z"></path></svg>
  </span>
</button>
</div>
<!-- End mobile toggle button -->

<!-- Begin sidebar - Place this inside grid layout -->
<nav class="va-sidebarnav vads-u-width--full" id="va-detailpage-sidebar">
  <div>
    <button type="button" aria-label="Close this menu" class="va-btn-close-icon va-sidebarnav-close"></button>
    <div class="left-side-nav-title">
      <h4>Section title</h4>
    </div>
    <ul class="usa-accordion">
      <li>
        <button class="usa-accordion-button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="a1">
          Nav section
        </button>
        <div id="a1" class="usa-accordion-content" aria-hidden="true">
          <ul class="usa-sidenav-list">
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </li>
      <li>
        <button class="usa-accordion-button" aria-expanded="true" aria-controls="a2">
          Second nav section
        </button>
        <div id="a2" class="usa-accordion-content" aria-hidden="false">
          <ul class="usa-sidenav-list">
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li class="active-level">
              <a class="usa-current" href="#">Current section</a>
            </li>
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </li>
      <li>
        <button class="usa-accordion-button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="a3">
          Third nav section
        </button>
        <div id="a3" class="usa-accordion-content" aria-hidden="true">
          <ul class="usa-sidenav-list">
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li>
              <a href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </div>
</nav>

<script type="text/javascript">
    var mobileMediaQuery = window.matchMedia('(max-width: 767px)');
    var element = document.getElementsByClassName("va-btn-sidebarnav-trigger")[0];
    var offset;

    if (mobileMediaQuery.matches) {
      offset = element.offsetTop;
    }

    window.addEventListener("resize", function() {
      if (mobileMediaQuery.matches) {
        offset = element.offsetTop;
      }
    }, false);

    window.addEventListener("scroll", function() {
      if (mobileMediaQuery.matches) {
        if (offset < window.pageYOffset) {
          element.classList.add("fixed-trigger");
        } else {
          element.classList.remove("fixed-trigger");
        }
      }
    }, false);
</script>
<!-- End sidebar -->

All elements, including the <script> tag in the snippet are required. An update to Formation’s script may address this.
The va-btn-sidebarnav-trigger may appear anywhere in the DOM, as long as it appears in an expected place on mobile devices.

Accessibility

Ensure the side navigational system is keyboard accessible. Users should be able to tab through each link.

Usability

When to use

To display the “sub-navigation” within a section of the website.

When to consider something else

If the site has fewer than five pages, consider organizing the page without a navigational hierarchy.
If your page already has a horizontal and vertical navigation bar, consider ways to simplify your navigation system.
If your content is within a frame or sub-area of a page, consider ways to simplify your navigation system.

Guidance

Typically used in a two-column layout.
Indicate where a user is within the navigational hierarchy. Use the “active” state to show users which page they have navigated to.
Keep the navigation links short. They can be shorter derivatives of page titles themselves.
If the navigation hierarchy is too long, users may miss items at the bottom. If it’s too deep, users may miss items that require too many clicks. Usability test to find the right balance between breadth and depth.