Navigation / The visual dictionary
Breadcrumbs.
A trail of links showing the current location within a hierarchy.
Also calledbreadcrumb traillocation trail
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UI illustrationSee it in context
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What it is
A trail of links showing the current location within a hierarchy. List ancestors in order and identify the current location without making it look like another ancestor link.
When to use it
Use it in deep websites and file-like hierarchies.
Know the difference
Breadcrumbs show ancestry; navigation history shows the actual route taken, which may differ.
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Across platforms
WebmacOSWindowsLinux
Web · macOS · Windows · Linux
Breadcrumbs are common on web and file browsers; compact phone layouts often rely on a back stack.
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Go to the source
Primary documentation for the pattern and its platform conventions.