Navigation Project Tracking Issue

[getdave]

This issue captures ongoing work for Navigation project.

Here are some suggested guiding principles for work on this project.

The Navigation Overview Issue provides more detail about the current focus of work on this block for Phase 2.

This isn't a tracking Issue for a particular WordPress release. Rather it is somewhere to track the high level issues that need to be addressed for Navigation within the Editor as a whole.

This Issue is based on an assessment of user feedback and community defined goals for the wider Navigation system.

Bugs should be reported with the [Type] Bug label and added directly to the Navigation Project Board.

High Priority

The following Issues are considered essential to the next iteration of block-based navigation menus.

Managing and editing menus

• Navigation Focus Mode: Ability to access/edit Navigation Post items in isolation #37950
• Improve adding and managing links with the Link UI within the Navigation block #38121
• Communicate sync'd nature of Navigation blocks #49158
• Add Post Type Archive variation to core/navigation-link block #31452
• Navigation on Browse Mode: Add pages #50580
• Provide more choice when manually creating a new Navigation Menu #56245

Foundational work

• Refactor Navigation block render function to be open for extension #52470
• Improve Navigation block tests #44920
• Tidy and refactor Navigation block codebase #44921
• Nav block use slug to reference Navigation Menu #45512
• Improve Navigation block loading speed #49155
• Avoid automated behaviours in the Navigation block when in preview mode #45887
• Improve fallback behaviour
• Find "most suitable" Navigation Menu fallback based on Nav block insertion location context #56247

Theming & Customisation

• Mobile menu customisation (needs single Issue):
  • Style Navigation block differently for "mobile menu" #39142
  • Navigation Overlay customisation via Template Parts #43852
  • Ability to have different links in the "mobile" menu vs the standard menu. #38201
• Customise and control the Navigation block at different screen sizes ("responsive") #49156
• Navigation block: current menu item styles #42299
• Improve Navigation block color controls #44712
• Add a way to style current menu item in the Navigation block #23225
• Home link block doesn't use current-menu-item class when on front page #34770
• Improve theme.json support for Navigation block #39052

---

Normal Priority

The following issues are "nice to haves" but are unable to be considered for the next iteration of the block.

• Consider Bulk Add Mode for Navigation #50831
• Auto-inserting Blocks #39439 - ability to programmatically insert blocks at run time
• Add ability to style and/or use a custom icon for responsive menu  #37930
• Nav block accessibility improvements #38786
• Only allow a Classic Menu to be imported once (avoid duplication) #43856
• Add 'categories block' to a menu item in the 'navigation block'. Automattic/wp-calypso#65012
• Introduce "Browser" and surface main navigation UI #36667
• Automatically insert a Page List block on insertion of Submenu block #42598
• Navigation Block: Toolbar overlaps with submenu links when opening sidebar or using smaller viewport #40382
• Navigation block: Delay creating entities until changes are saved #40050
• Home link block doesn't use current-menu-item class when on front page #34770
• Enable Login/out block in the Navigation block #38512
• Navigation: Loading the fallback creates multiple wp_navigation CPTs #46194
• Allow selecting the default core/navigation-link variant in the core/navigation block #50982

---

Backlog

The following are issues we are aware of which may be addressed in the future.

• [Block] Navigation: Long Menu Titles do not break-word in order to wrap within Columns block #52298
• Ability to save Nav blocks locally without creating a wp_navigation post. #38278
• Change the navigation menu add block button tooltip #39602
• Add Post Type Archive variation to core/navigation-link block #31452
• Home Link: Allow setting as icon-only #31688
• Nav block/editor - can't save a post-format  #31348
• Navigation block: Hide more than N items #27131
• Only show one + at a time on link adding #34962
• Navigation Block: Make it clearer how to delete a Link Block without a link #30116
• Navigation block: Add support for separators between menu items. #23293
• Make the 'Insert Before' / 'Insert After' options work for block lists that don't allow the default block type #23603
• Improve experience of using social icons in the navigation block #35261
• Navigation block: Hide more than N items #27131
• Spacer markup could be more flexible #33018
• Navigation block: Make it easier to add a spacer block #41010
• Navigation block: Make nested menus fully customizable (Megamenus) #23745
• Navigation block: allow extending the list of allowed inner blocks #31387
• List block: allow transformation of text links lists into navigation blocks #31733

[getdave]

Update 1st Feb 2022

• We created a new tracking Issue for the Nav block. This supersedes Navigation Block Tracking Issue i2 #35521.
• Lots of great discussion ongoing including:
  • Add filter allow modification of navigation block menu items #37717
  • Navigation Focus Mode: Ability to access/edit Navigation Post items in isolation #37950
  • Introduce "Browser" and surface main navigation UI #36667
  • Ability to have different links in the "mobile" menu vs the standard menu. #38201
• @adamziel has highlighted need to preserve Navigation automatically on Theme switch.
• @jasmussen has been steadily improving the placeholder state:
  • Navigation: Remove blobs that look like a loading state #37099
  • Navigation: Try inheriting orientation in setup state. #36778
  • Navigation: Try removing "Add all pages" from placeholder. #36775
• PR to include button to revert submenu block to link block is nearly merged.
• There is renewed focus on a11y (see priorities in the tracking Issue).

[getdave]

Update 9th Feb 2022

• Exploration started on a persistent sidebar for Navigation outside of the block.
• Worked continue on refactoring the block to reduce bugs and introduce more test coverage.
• More UI/UX refinement including ability to revert Submenus back to Links when empty.
• Work ongoing on refining the Tracking Issue and preparing for what's next for WP 6.0.

[getdave]

Update 16th Feb 2022

• Exploration continues around Introduce "Browser" and surface main navigation UI #36667.
• Work continues on Make the navigation block more internally consistent #37190.
• A new Issue was created to track Nav block accessibility improvements #38786.
• A new button was added to convert Submenu blocks back to Link blocks if they are empty.
• Folk have also been iterating on various other UX/UI fixes and improvements.

[getdave]

Update 23rd Feb 2022

• Exploration continues around Introduce "Browser" and surface main navigation UI #36667.
• Select menu now filters out any currently selected Menu to avoid accidental creation of duplicate Navigation posts.
• Work continues on Make the navigation block more internally consistent #37190. Specifically
  • Refactor classic menu conversion process #38858
  • Improve Nav block loading and placeholder states #38907
• The Core Accessibility team are going to be helping with reviewing Nav block PRs for accessibility where possible. Nav block contributors are encouraged to use their time considerately and judiciously.
• We're looking for more folk to help contribute to the next iteration of the Nav block. If you're interested in working on the block please drop a message in #feature-navigation-block-editor on WordPress Core Slack.

[getdave]

Update 2nd March 2022

• Progress is currently a little slow - we're seeking more folk to help contribute. Please drop a message in #feature-navigation-block-editor if you are interested.
• A prototype of a Navigation Menu sidebar is available for feedback.
• PR refactoring Nav block loading and placeholder states is nearly ready to merge.
• Work continues on Make the navigation block more internally consistent #37190 more generally.
• Improvements continue to accessibility - specifically: Add aria label to Nav block on front of site #39161

[getdave]

Update March 9th 2022

• PRs now exploring editing Navigation menus in isolation from the Nav block would benefit from feedback and/or testing:
  • Navigation: add dedicated sidebar for managing layout of navigation menus #39290
  • Add focus mode for Navigation Menus #39286
• Work continued on making the Nav block more internally consistent - specifically: Improve create new UI feedback in Nav block #39219
• Accessibility continues to be a focus.
• Some improvements are in the works to improve integration of the block with Themes - specifically Enable navigation nesting to be filtered and manually set #38621

[getdave]

Update March 23rd 2022

• PR to add a dedicated Navigation sidebar has been simplified as far as possible so as to reduce scope. It is ready for review.
• @draganescu continues to iterate on maxNesting for the Nav block.
• A fix was needed for a block crash when toggling open the Advanced panel in the block inspector controls.
• @Trapsta is working on a solution to closing the overlay menu when the nav item is an anchor link to content on the same page.

[gziolo]

@getdave, is there any feature that you think could still land until Wednesday next week to be included in WordPress 6.0 release? To increase visibility, we can add it to the WordPress Editor 6.0 project board.

[getdave]

@gziolo realistically "feature" wise it's probably:

• Enable navigation nesting to be filtered and manually set #38621
• Navigation: add dedicated sidebar for managing layout of navigation menus #39290

[gziolo]

Awesome, thank you. We track now both PRs. The one that is merged #39290, is it behind the feature flag? Otherwise, it should be just included out of the box since it's ready.

[getdave]

The one that is merged #39290, is it behind the feature flag? Otherwise, it should be just included out of the box since it's ready.

Still being discussed. May be dropped from inclusion if deemed not ready. The PR was merged in order to get the basic code into the repo, but the feature isn't necessary "finished". If it doesn't make the cut then I'll disable it or place behind feature flag prior to Gutenberg code cut off date.

[getdave]

Update April 6th 2022

• A PR was merged to automatically set the first available Navigation Menu to be active on the Nav block if only a single one exists. This should help the Theme switch experience be more intuitive for a majority of users.
• A PR was merged which should help avoid multiple Navigation Menus (wp_navigation) being accidentally created by users. This fixes things so that Nav blocks created from uncontrolled inner blocks will not auto-convert to a Navigation Menu entity until the user modifies the nav items.
• Due to outstanding issues, the new Navigation sidebar is unlikely to make it into WP 6.0. A PR to exclude it from the release will be raised. The sidebar will remain in the Gutenberg Plugin however (cc @alexstine).
• In a win for Theme authors, @draganescu merged his PR to allow the maximum nesting level of Navigation blocks to be configurable.

[getdave]

Update May 18th 2022

Two regressions were spotted on the block during testing for WP 6.0:

1. When the navigation block only contains a page list, there are no color options #41080
2. Child Navigation default background with Dark Header  #40908

The former has been fixed thanks to great work from @draganescu 🙇

The other still needs attention but will not make it in time for WP 6.0.

[getdave]

Update 15th June 2022

#40908 still needs to be fixed.

Aside from this, contributors are largely focused on Issues which are complementary to the block such as #38277.

We are actively seeking more contributors to help progress the block.

The complementary Navigation Block Overview Issue also has a list of tasks grouped by focus area.

[getdave]

Update 29th June 2022

Contributors are aligning around next steps to make preserving Navigation Menus on Theme switch a reality. This is a highly nuanced topic with a lot of moving parts so a few contributors have outlined how they think this should work. We'd be grateful for more opinions however.

Various bug fixes have also been committed including a fix for a permissions issue in #41862.

[getdave]

Update 21st July 2022

It's been a while since the last update, principally due to AFK.

• The High Priority issues have been updated to include some new Issues which add detail around fallback states and preserving the Nav on Theme switch.
• Additional issues have been added to track wider improvements to the overall system of managing "Navigation" on a WP site.
• Given that the list of contributors is still relatively small, we will be looking to define a clear priority for tackling the High Priority items.
• Given the above, we are of course still on the look out for more folks to contribute to the block whether that is code, design or review/discussion of Issues. Please do drop into the Slack channel and say hi - you will be very welcome!

[getdave]

Fixing the flows

Contributors have been discussing fixing the key flows on the Navigation block. We've created the following issues:

Update: I moved these to #50165 (comment).

[getdave]

I've created a new Overview Issue to track what contributors are focusing on for 6.3. This is currently a WIP but we will try to firm it up in the next few weeks.

[getdave]

Updates for this project in the 6.3 cycle will continue to be posted on #50165.

[getdave]

Just collating some things I'm thinking about as potential low hanging fruit for the Navigation block in the 6.4 cycle. Larger tasks will be collated separately:

• Make it easier to rename a Navigation from the block
• Ability to target "current" item
• Add Post Type Archive variation to core/navigation-link block #31452
• Customise and control the Navigation block at different screen sizes ("responsive") #49156

[getdave]

Update 7th September 2023

WP 6.4 is heavily focused on consolidating existing features and tightening up the interface. As a result there has not been any significant progress specifically on the Navigation system.

Contributors have continue to engage with ongoing work to improve the Link creation interface as that has a major impact on the ability to manage Navigation.

Contributors will try to address the following issues but there may be insufficient time due to the short release window in the 6.4 cycle:

• Navigation block: current menu item styles #42299
• Move individual menu management to the menu list view tab (or more intuitive location) #51536

[getdave]

Update 27th September

WP 6.4 is heavily focused on consolidating existing features and tightening up the interface. As a result, there have not been any further PRs merged which focus on the Navigation system.

However, contributors have made some progress in a PR on adding "current item" control to theme.json. As with many things related to Navigation this looks like it will require significant modifications to the existing Theme JSON system and so it's much more complex than contributors expected.

Bug fixes will continue to be actioned during the 6.4 release period.

[getdave]

Update 6th Dec 2023

Contributors are primarily focused on two long standing feature requests:

• Ability to customise the "mobile" overlay for the Navigation block - see this PR
• Improved breakpoint for the Navigation block

These are complex endeavours with a lot of backwards compatibility concerns so feedback is encouraged on the linked PRs.

[getdave]

Update 11th Jan 2023

Since returning from the holiday season, contributors undertook a research spike on enabling the ability to custom the Navigation Overlay via Template Parts.

The spike produced a working prototype but also uncovered a lot of complexity. As a result the proposal is now that this is not targeted for WP 6.5 but rather a later release. Opinions are welcomed.

Contributors are also hard at work on an opt-in "auto-wrapping" feature which aims to detect when the Navigation block needs to wrap and handles that automatically (rather than relying on a fix breakpoint). Feedback and contributions welcomed.