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Tabs

Switches between views of the same thing on one page.

In Content first

See it live​

Start Storybook to see it live: npm run storybook

When to use it​

In Content first: Views of the reading list, such as saved and finished. Not to move between site sections.

  • Use it when: Related views of one object that people move between.
  • Not when: Navigation to other pages (links), or steps of a task (progress).

Instead:

Words​

  • Write to one person: "you", not "users".
  • Short sentences with room to breathe.
  • Explain why before asking for anything.
  • Use: Read, Save for later, You, Next issue. Avoid: Click here, Submit, Users, Content.

The labels components use, from the voice tokens:

  • content.action.commit: Save
  • content.action.cancel: Not now
  • content.action.destroy: Remove
  • content.action.retry: Try again
  • content.action.empty-action: Browse guides

See Voice and tone for the whole voice.

Accessibility and keyboard​

KeyboardWhat happensNot
undefinedArrow keys move between tabs; Tab moves into the panel.undefined

Test before you ship:

  • It is a tablist; the selected tab owns its panel. undefined

Use it in code​

npx open-ds add tabs

The component reads only component keys and semantic tokens, so it follows the brand and mode on <html>.

Tokens it reads​

Tabs reads 14 tokens of its own, each an alias of a semantic token. Each row is one part: its own token, the semantic it aliases, and the value it ends at. Change a semantic and every component that reads it follows; override one of Tabs's tokens to change Tabs alone.

Changes with theme

Content first decides what changes when you switch theme. Here a switch changes colors only, so the marked rows differ between light and dark; everything else holds steady.

PartIts token and the semantic it aliasesValue
Shared
Button focus ring
Changes with theme
on focus
component.button.focus-ringcolor.border.focusvar(--button-focus-ring)Lightnavy.light.600:#1E3A5FDarknavy.dark.600:#8FA6C4
Tabs
Indicator
Changes with theme
component.tabs.indicatorcolor.action.primaryvar(--tabs-indicator)Lightnavy.light.600:#1E3A5FDarknavy.dark.600:#8FA6C4
Focus
on focus
component.tabs.focusborder-width.focusvar(--tabs-focus)border-width.2:2px
Canvas
Changes with theme
on focus
component.tabs.canvascolor.surface.canvasvar(--tabs-canvas)Lightstone.light.50:#FFFDF8Darkstone.dark.0:#14110D
Text
Color
Changes with theme
component.tabs.labelcolor.text.secondaryvar(--tabs-label)Lightstone.light.700:#4A4339Darkstone.dark.500:#CFC6B6
Active
Changes with theme
component.tabs.label.activecolor.text.primaryvar(--tabs-label-active)Lightstone.light.900:#1F1B16Darkstone.dark.900:#FFFDF8
List
Gapcomponent.tabs.list.gapspace.gap.groupvar(--tabs-list-gap)space.32:2rem
Border widthcomponent.tabs.list.border-widthborder-width.defaultvar(--tabs-list-border-width)border-width.1:1px
Border
Changes with theme
component.tabs.list.bordercolor.border.defaultvar(--tabs-list-border)Lightstone.light.200:#E4DDD0Darkstone.dark.100:#2E2A24
Trigger
Heightcomponent.tabs.trigger.heightsize.control.defaultvar(--tabs-trigger-height)size.48:3rem
Font familycomponent.tabs.trigger.font-familytype.label.font-familyvar(--tabs-trigger-font-family)font.family.inter:Inter, system-ui, sans-serif
Text sizecomponent.tabs.trigger.font-sizetype.label.font-sizevar(--tabs-trigger-font-size)font.size.16:1rem
Weightcomponent.tabs.trigger.font-weighttype.label.font-weightvar(--tabs-trigger-font-weight)font.weight.600:600
Content
Padding, topcomponent.tabs.content.padding-topspace.gap.defaultvar(--tabs-content-padding-top)space.16:1rem