Center Pill Nav

Links in a centered pill with a sliding hover, actions in their own pill.

Analytics your whole team can fly.

Scroll this panel to see how the navbar behaves.

Installation

CLI

npx shadcn@latest add https://hantui-theta.vercel.app/r/center-pill-nav.json

Manual

Install the dependencies

npm install clsx lucide-react motion tailwind-merge

Add the shared helpers

Components use cn() from lib/utils.ts and the motion tokens below. See Installation if you have not set them up yet.

lib/nav/mobile-menu.tsx

"use client";

import { useEffect, useId, useState } from "react";
import { AnimatePresence, motion, useReducedMotion } from "motion/react";
import { ChevronDown } from "lucide-react";
import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
import type { NavAction, NavItem } from "@/lib/nav/types";

export interface MobileMenuProps {
  items: NavItem[];
  actions?: NavAction[];
  /** Colors for light or dark navbars. @default "light" */
  tone?: "light" | "dark";
  /** Classes for the toggle button. */
  className?: string;
  /** Classes for the panel, to place it under narrow navbars. */
  panelClassName?: string;
}

/**
 * The compact menu every navbar falls back to on narrow widths: a hamburger that morphs into an X,
 * and a panel with expandable groups and the actions. Escape closes it and returns focus.
 */
export function MobileMenu({ items, actions = [], tone = "light", className, panelClassName }: MobileMenuProps) {
  const id = useId();
  const reduceMotion = useReducedMotion();
  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
  const [group, setGroup] = useState<string | null>(null);
  const dark = tone === "dark";

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!open) return;
    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
      if (e.key !== "Escape") return;
      setOpen(false);
      document.getElementById(`${id}-toggle`)?.focus();
    };
    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
  }, [open, id]);

  const line = cn("absolute left-1/2 h-[1.5px] w-4 -translate-x-1/2 rounded-full transition-transform duration-300 motion-reduce:transition-none", dark ? "bg-white" : "bg-[#0b0b0c]");

  return (
    <>
      <button
        id={`${id}-toggle`}
        type="button"
        aria-expanded={open}
        aria-controls={`${id}-panel`}
        aria-label={open ? "Close menu" : "Open menu"}
        onClick={() => setOpen((o) => !o)}
        className={cn("relative grid size-9 shrink-0 cursor-pointer place-items-center rounded-full outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring", dark ? "hover:bg-white/10" : "hover:bg-black/5", className)}
      >
        <span aria-hidden="true" className={cn(line, open ? "top-1/2 rotate-45" : "top-[13px]")} />
        <span aria-hidden="true" className={cn(line, open ? "top-1/2 -rotate-45" : "top-[21px]")} />
      </button>
      <AnimatePresence>
        {open ? (
          <motion.div
            id={`${id}-panel`}
            initial={reduceMotion ? { opacity: 0 } : { opacity: 0, y: -8, scale: 0.98 }}
            animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0, scale: 1 }}
            exit={{ opacity: 0, transition: { duration: 0.12 } }}
            transition={{ duration: 0.22, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
            className={cn("absolute inset-x-2 top-full z-50 mt-2 origin-top rounded-2xl border p-2 shadow-xl", dark ? "border-white/10 bg-[#111113] text-white" : "border-black/[0.06] bg-white text-[#0b0b0c]", panelClassName)}
          >
            <ul>
              {items.map((item) =>
                item.items?.length ? (
                  <li key={item.label}>
                    <button
                      type="button"
                      aria-expanded={group === item.label}
                      onClick={() => setGroup((g) => (g === item.label ? null : item.label))}
                      className={cn("flex h-11 w-full cursor-pointer items-center justify-between rounded-xl px-3 text-[15px] font-medium outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring", dark ? "hover:bg-white/5" : "hover:bg-black/[0.03]")}
                    >
                      {item.label}
                      <ChevronDown className={cn("size-4 opacity-60 transition-transform", group === item.label && "rotate-180")} aria-hidden="true" />
                    </button>
                    <div className={cn("grid transition-[grid-template-rows] duration-300 motion-reduce:transition-none", group === item.label ? "grid-rows-[1fr]" : "grid-rows-[0fr]")}>
                      <ul className="min-h-0 overflow-hidden" inert={group !== item.label}>
                        {item.items.map((link) => (
                          <li key={link.label}>
                            <a href={link.href} className={cn("flex items-center gap-2.5 rounded-lg py-2 pr-3 pl-6 text-[14px] outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring", dark ? "text-white/75 hover:text-white" : "text-[#52525b] hover:text-[#0b0b0c]")}>
                              {link.icon ? <span aria-hidden="true" className="opacity-70 [&_svg]:size-4">{link.icon}</span> : null}
                              {link.label}
                            </a>
                          </li>
                        ))}
                      </ul>
                    </div>
                  </li>
                ) : (
                  <li key={item.label}>
                    <a href={item.href ?? "#"} className={cn("flex h-11 items-center rounded-xl px-3 text-[15px] font-medium outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring", dark ? "hover:bg-white/5" : "hover:bg-black/[0.03]")}>
                      {item.label}
                    </a>
                  </li>
                ),
              )}
            </ul>
            {actions.length ? (
              <div className={cn("mt-2 grid gap-2 border-t pt-3", dark ? "border-white/10" : "border-black/[0.06]")}>
                {actions.map((a, i) => (
                  <a
                    key={a.label}
                    href={a.href}
                    className={cn(
                      "flex h-11 items-center justify-center rounded-xl text-[14px] font-medium outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring",
                      i === actions.length - 1 ? (dark ? "bg-white text-[#0b0b0c]" : "bg-[#0b0b0c] text-white") : dark ? "border border-white/15" : "border border-black/10",
                    )}
                  >
                    {a.label}
                  </a>
                ))}
              </div>
            ) : null}
          </motion.div>
        ) : null}
      </AnimatePresence>
    </>
  );
}

lib/nav/types.ts

import type { ReactNode } from "react";

/** A link in a menu or panel. */
export interface NavLink {
  label: string;
  href: string;
  /** A short line under the label in rich menus. */
  description?: string;
  /** An icon shown beside the label in rich menus. */
  icon?: ReactNode;
}

/** A top-level navbar entry: a plain link, or a trigger with links under it. */
export interface NavItem {
  label: string;
  /** Destination when the item is a plain link. */
  href?: string;
  /** Links shown in the item's menu; makes the item a menu trigger. */
  items?: NavLink[];
}

/** A call-to-action button. */
export interface NavAction {
  label: string;
  href: string;
}

lib/nav/use-menu.ts

"use client";

import { useEffect, useRef, useState, type RefObject } from "react";

/**
 * Open/close state for a navbar's menus: one menu open at a time, opened by click or by hover with a
 * short intent delay, closed by Escape (focus returns to its trigger), an outside click, or the
 * pointer leaving the navbar.
 */
export function useMenu(root: RefObject<HTMLElement | null>) {
  const [open, setOpen] = useState<string | null>(null);
  const timer = useRef(0);
  const triggers = useRef(new Map<string, HTMLElement>());

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!open) return;
    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
      if (e.key !== "Escape") return;
      triggers.current.get(open)?.focus();
      setOpen(null);
    };
    const onDown = (e: PointerEvent) => {
      if (root.current && !root.current.contains(e.target as Node)) setOpen(null);
    };
    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
    window.addEventListener("pointerdown", onDown);
    return () => {
      window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
      window.removeEventListener("pointerdown", onDown);
    };
  }, [open, root]);

  useEffect(() => () => window.clearTimeout(timer.current), []);

  const hoverOpen = (id: string) => {
    window.clearTimeout(timer.current);
    timer.current = window.setTimeout(() => setOpen(id), open ? 0 : 90);
  };
  const hoverClose = () => {
    window.clearTimeout(timer.current);
    timer.current = window.setTimeout(() => setOpen(null), 160);
  };
  const cancelClose = () => window.clearTimeout(timer.current);

  /** Props for a menu trigger button. */
  const triggerProps = (id: string, panelId: string) => ({
    ref: (el: HTMLElement | null) => {
      if (el) triggers.current.set(id, el);
      else triggers.current.delete(id);
    },
    "aria-expanded": open === id,
    "aria-controls": panelId,
    onClick: () => setOpen((o) => (o === id ? null : id)),
    onPointerEnter: (e: React.PointerEvent) => e.pointerType === "mouse" && hoverOpen(id),
    onPointerLeave: (e: React.PointerEvent) => e.pointerType === "mouse" && hoverClose(),
  });

  /** Props for a menu panel, so moving onto it keeps it open. */
  const panelProps = {
    onPointerEnter: cancelClose,
    onPointerLeave: (e: React.PointerEvent) => e.pointerType === "mouse" && hoverClose(),
  };

  return { open, setOpen, triggerProps, panelProps, close: () => setOpen(null) };
}

Copy the source

components/ui/center-pill-nav/center-pill-nav.tsx

"use client";

import { useId, useRef, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
import { AnimatePresence, motion, useReducedMotion } from "motion/react";
import { ChevronDown } from "lucide-react";
import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
import { MobileMenu } from "@/lib/nav/mobile-menu";
import type { NavAction, NavItem } from "@/lib/nav/types";
import { useMenu } from "@/lib/nav/use-menu";

export interface CenterPillNavProps {
  /** Logo and name, on the left. */
  brand: ReactNode;
  /** Links inside the centered pill; entries with `items` open a dropdown. */
  items: NavItem[];
  /** Actions in the right pill; the last one is the accent button. */
  actions?: NavAction[];
  /** Accent button color. @default "#d4400a" */
  accent?: string;
  /** Accessible name for the navigation. @default "Main" */
  label?: string;
  /** Classes for the header. */
  className?: string;
}

/**
 * Brand on the left, the links in a centered pill with a soft highlight that glides between them,
 * and a second pill on the right holding the quiet actions and a bright accent button.
 */
export function CenterPillNav({ brand, items, actions = [], accent = "#d4400a", label = "Main", className }: CenterPillNavProps) {
  const id = useId();
  const reduceMotion = useReducedMotion();
  const root = useRef<HTMLElement>(null);
  const menu = useMenu(root);
  const [hovered, setHovered] = useState<string | null>(null);
  const quiet = actions.slice(0, -1);
  const primary = actions.at(-1);
  const active = menu.open ?? hovered;
  const link = "relative flex h-9 whitespace-nowrap items-center gap-1 rounded-full px-3.5 text-[14px] font-medium text-[#27272a] outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring";

  const highlight = (key: string) =>
    active === key ? (
      <motion.span layoutId={`${id}-pill`} aria-hidden="true" className="absolute inset-0 -z-10 rounded-full bg-black/[0.06]" transition={reduceMotion ? { duration: 0 } : { type: "spring", stiffness: 500, damping: 38 }} />
    ) : null;

  return (
    <header ref={root} className={cn("@container sticky top-0 z-40 px-4 pt-4", className)}>
      <nav aria-label={label} className="relative mx-auto grid max-w-6xl grid-cols-[1fr_auto] items-center gap-3 @2xl:grid-cols-[1fr_auto_1fr]">
        <div className="flex items-center pl-1">{brand}</div>
        <ul className="isolate hidden items-center rounded-full border border-black/[0.06] bg-white/90 p-1 shadow-[0_6px_20px_-12px_rgb(0_0_0/0.25)] backdrop-blur-xl @2xl:flex" onPointerLeave={() => setHovered(null)}>
          {items.map((item) => {
            const panelId = `${id}-${item.label}`;
            if (!item.items?.length) {
              return (
                <li key={item.label} className="relative isolate" onPointerEnter={() => setHovered(item.label)}>
                  {highlight(item.label)}
                  <a href={item.href ?? "#"} onFocus={() => setHovered(item.label)} onBlur={() => setHovered(null)} className={link}>
                    {item.label}
                  </a>
                </li>
              );
            }
            const open = menu.open === item.label;
            return (
              <li key={item.label} className="relative isolate" onPointerEnter={() => setHovered(item.label)}>
                {highlight(item.label)}
                <button type="button" {...menu.triggerProps(item.label, panelId)} className={cn(link, "cursor-pointer")}>
                  {item.label}
                  <ChevronDown className={cn("size-3.5 text-[#71717a] transition-transform duration-200", open && "rotate-180")} aria-hidden="true" />
                </button>
                <AnimatePresence>
                  {open ? (
                    <motion.div
                      id={panelId}
                      {...menu.panelProps}
                      initial={reduceMotion ? { opacity: 0 } : { opacity: 0, y: 8, scale: 0.97 }}
                      animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0, scale: 1 }}
                      exit={{ opacity: 0, transition: { duration: 0.1 } }}
                      transition={{ duration: 0.2, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
                      className="absolute top-full left-1/2 z-50 mt-3 w-[340px] origin-top -translate-x-1/2 rounded-3xl border border-black/[0.06] bg-white p-2 shadow-[0_24px_50px_-20px_rgb(0_0_0/0.3)]"
                    >
                      <ul className="grid gap-0.5">
                        {item.items.map((l) => (
                          <li key={l.label}>
                            <a href={l.href} onClick={menu.close} className="group flex items-start gap-3 rounded-2xl p-2.5 outline-none hover:bg-[#f6f6f7] focus-visible:bg-[#f6f6f7]">
                              {l.icon ? (
                                <span aria-hidden="true" className="grid size-9 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-xl bg-[#f4f4f5] text-[#3f3f46] transition-colors group-hover:bg-white [&_svg]:size-[18px]">
                                  {l.icon}
                                </span>
                              ) : null}
                              <span>
                                <span className="block text-[14px] font-medium text-[#18181b]">{l.label}</span>
                                {l.description ? <span className="block text-[12.5px] leading-snug text-[#71717a]">{l.description}</span> : null}
                              </span>
                            </a>
                          </li>
                        ))}
                      </ul>
                    </motion.div>
                  ) : null}
                </AnimatePresence>
              </li>
            );
          })}
        </ul>
        <div className="hidden justify-self-end @2xl:block">
          {actions.length ? (
            <div className="flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full border border-black/[0.06] bg-white/90 p-1 shadow-[0_6px_20px_-12px_rgb(0_0_0/0.25)] backdrop-blur-xl">
              {quiet.map((a, i) => (
                // Only the first quiet action shows until there is room for more.
                <a
                  key={a.label}
                  href={a.href}
                  className={cn(
                    "relative after:absolute after:inset-x-0 after:-inset-y-0.5 flex h-9 items-center rounded-full px-3.5 text-[14px] font-medium whitespace-nowrap text-[#27272a] outline-none hover:bg-black/[0.05] focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring",
                    i > 0 && "hidden @4xl:flex",
                  )}
                >
                  {a.label}
                </a>
              ))}
              {primary ? (
                <a
                  href={primary.href}
                  className="relative after:absolute after:inset-x-0 after:-inset-y-0.5 flex h-9 whitespace-nowrap items-center rounded-full px-4 text-[14px] font-semibold text-white shadow-[inset_0_1px_0_rgb(255_255_255/0.3)] outline-none transition-[filter] hover:brightness-95 focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2"
                  style={{ background: accent }}
                >
                  {primary.label}
                </a>
              ) : null}
            </div>
          ) : null}
        </div>
        <div className="justify-self-end rounded-full border border-black/[0.06] bg-white p-0.5 shadow-sm @2xl:hidden">
          <MobileMenu items={items} actions={actions} />
        </div>
      </nav>
    </header>
  );
}

Usage

import { CenterPillNav } from "@/components/ui/center-pill-nav/center-pill-nav";

<CenterPillNav brand={<Logo />} items={items} actions={[{ label: "Log in", href: "/login" }, { label: "Sign up", href: "/signup" }]} accent="#d4400a" />

API reference

Prop	Type	Default	Description
`brand*`	`ReactNode`	–	Logo and name, on the left.
`items*`	`NavItem[]`	–	Links inside the centered pill; entries with `items` open a dropdown.
`actions`	`NavAction[]`	–	Actions in the right pill; the last one is the accent button.
`accent`	`string`	`"#d4400a"`	Accent button color.
`label`	`string`	`"Main"`	Accessible name for the navigation.
`className`	`string`	–	Classes for the header.

The last action becomes the accent button; the rest stay quiet.
The three-column grid keeps the link pill centered whatever the brand and actions widths.

Accessibility

The highlight follows both hover and keyboard focus.
Dropdown triggers expose `aria-expanded` and `aria-controls`; Escape closes and returns focus.
Highlight and panel motion are instant under reduced motion.

Installation#

CLI