# Navigation Design

## Navigation Types

| Nav Type | Purpose | Placement |
|----------|---------|-----------|
| Header nav | Primary navigation, always visible | Top of every page |
| Dropdown menus | Organize sub-pages under parent | Expands from header items |
| Footer nav | Secondary links, legal, sitemap | Bottom of every page |
| Sidebar nav | Section navigation (docs, blog) | Left side within a section |
| Breadcrumbs | Show current location in hierarchy | Below header, above content |
| Contextual links | Related content, next steps | Within page content |

## Header Navigation Rules

- **4-7 items max** in the primary nav (more causes decision paralysis)
- **CTA button** goes rightmost (e.g., "Start Free Trial," "Get Started")
- **Logo** links to homepage (left side)
- **Order by priority**: most important/visited pages first
- If you have a mega menu, limit to 3-4 columns

## Footer Organization

Group footer links into columns:
- **Product**: Features, Pricing, Integrations, Changelog
- **Resources**: Blog, Case Studies, Templates, Docs
- **Company**: About, Careers, Contact, Press
- **Legal**: Privacy, Terms, Security

## Breadcrumb Format

```
Home > Features > Analytics
Home > Blog > SEO Category > Post Title
```

Breadcrumbs should mirror the URL hierarchy. Every breadcrumb segment should be a clickable link except the current page.