Navigation

Design information architecture that aligns with user needs.

The navigation property in docs.json controls the structure and information hierarchy of your documentation.

With proper navigation configuration, you can organize your content so that users can find exactly what they’re looking for.

Pages

Pages are the most fundamental navigation component. Pages map to the MDX files that make up your documentation.

In the navigation object, pages is an array where each entry must reference the path to a page file.

{
  "navigation": {
    "pages": [
      "settings",
      "pages",
      "navigation",
      "themes",
      "custom-domain"
    ]
  }
}

Groups

Use groups to organize your sidebar navigation into sections. Groups can be nested within each other, labeled with tags, and styled with icons.

In the navigation object, groups is an array where each entry is an object that requires a group field and a pages field. The icon, tag, and expanded fields are optional.

{
  "navigation": {
    "groups": [
      {
        "group": "Getting started",
        "icon": "play",
        "expanded": false,
        "pages": [
          "quickstart",
          {
            "group": "Editing",
            "icon": "pencil",
            "pages": [
              "installation",
              "editor"
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "group": "Writing content",
        "icon": "notebook-text",
        "tag": "NEW",
        "pages": [
          "writing-content/page",
          "writing-content/text"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Default expanded state

Use the expanded property to control the default state of a group in the navigation sidebar.

• expanded: true: Group is expanded by default.
• expanded: false or omitted: Group is collapsed by default.

This is useful for highlighting important sections or improving discoverability of key content.

{
  "group": "Getting started",
  "expanded": true,
  "pages": ["quickstart", "installation"]
}

Tabs

Tabs create distinct sections of your documentation with separate URL paths. Tabs create a horizontal navigation bar at the top of your documentation that lets users switch between sections.

In the navigation object, tabs is an array where each entry is an object that requires a tab field and can contain other navigation fields such as groups, pages, icons, or links to external pages.

{
  "navigation": {
    "tabs": [
      {
        "tab": "API reference",
        "icon": "square-terminal",
        "pages": [
          "api-reference/get",
          "api-reference/post",
          "api-reference/delete"
        ]
      },
      {
        "tab": "SDKs",
        "icon": "code",
        "pages": [
          "sdk/fetch",
          "sdk/create",
          "sdk/delete"
        ]
      },
      {
        "tab": "Blog",
        "icon": "newspaper",
        "href": "https://external-link.com/blog"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Menus

Menus add dropdown navigation items to a tab. Use menus to help users go directly to specific pages within a tab.

In the navigation object, menu is an array where each entry is an object that requires an item field and can contain other navigation fields such as groups, pages, icons, or links to external pages.

{
  "navigation": {
    "tabs": [
      {
        "tab": "Developer tools",
        "icon": "square-terminal",
        "menu": [
          {
            "item": "API reference",
            "icon": "rocket",
            "groups": [
              {
                "group": "Core endpoints",
                "icon": "square-terminal",
                "pages": [
                  "api-reference/get",
                  "api-reference/post",
                  "api-reference/delete"
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "item": "SDKs",
            "icon": "code",
            "description": "SDKs are used to interact with the API.",
            "pages": [
              "sdk/fetch",
              "sdk/create",
              "sdk/delete"
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Anchors

Anchors add persistent navigation items to the top of your sidebar. Use anchors to section your content, provide quick access to external resources, or create prominent calls to action.

In the navigation object, anchors is an array where each entry is an object that requires an anchor field and can contain other navigation fields such as groups, pages, icons, or links to external pages.

{
  "navigation": {
    "anchors": [
      {
        "anchor": "Documentation",
        "icon": "book-open",
        "pages": [
          "quickstart",
          "development",
          "navigation"
        ]
      },
      {
        "anchor": "API reference",
        "icon": "square-terminal",
        "pages": [
          "api-reference/get",
          "api-reference/post",
          "api-reference/delete"
        ]
      },
      {
        "anchor": "Blog",
        "href": "https://external-link.com/blog"
      }
    ]
  }
}

For anchors that direct to external links only, use the global keyword. Anchors in a global object must have an href field and cannot point to a relative path.

Global anchors are particularly useful for linking to resources that are not part of your documentation, but should be readily accessible to your users like a blog or support portal.

{
  "navigation": {
    "global":  {
      "anchors": [
        {
          "anchor": "Community",
          "icon": "house",
          "href": "https://slack.com"
        },
        {
          "anchor": "Blog",
          "icon": "pencil",
          "href": "https://mintlify.com/blog"
        }
      ]
    },
    "tabs": /*...*/
  }
}

Dropdowns

Dropdowns are contained in an expandable menu at the top of your sidebar navigation. Each item in a dropdown directs to a section of your documentation.

In the navigation object, dropdowns is an array where each entry is an object that requires a dropdown field and can contain other navigation fields such as groups, pages, icons, or links to external pages.

{
  "navigation": {
    "dropdowns": [
      {
        "dropdown": "Documentation",
        "icon": "book-open",
        "pages": [
          "quickstart",
          "development",
          "navigation"
        ]
      },
      {
        "dropdown": "API reference",
        "icon": "square-terminal",
        "pages": [
          "api-reference/get",
          "api-reference/post",
          "api-reference/delete"
        ]
      },
      {
        "dropdown": "Blog",
        "href": "https://external-link.com/blog"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Products

Products create a dedicated navigation division for organizing product-specific documentation. Use products to separate different offerings, services, or major feature sets within your documentation.

In the navigation object, products is an array where each entry is an object that requires a product field and can contain other navigation fields such as groups, pages, icons, or links to external pages.

{
  "navigation": {
    "products": [
      {
        "product": "Core API",
        "description": "Core API description",    
        "icon": "api",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Getting started",
            "pages": [
              "core-api/quickstart",
              "core-api/authentication"
            ]
          },
          {
            "group": "Endpoints",
            "pages": [
              "core-api/users",
              "core-api/orders"
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "product": "Analytics Platform",
        "description": "Analytics Platform description",
        "icon": "chart-bar",
        "pages": [
          "analytics/overview",
          "analytics/dashboard",
          "analytics/reports"
        ]
      },
      {
        "product": "Mobile SDK",
        "description": "Mobile SDK description",
        "icon": "smartphone",
        "href": "https://mobile-sdk-docs.example.com"
      }
    ]
  }
}

OpenAPI

Integrate OpenAPI specifications directly into your navigation structure to automatically generate API documentation. Create dedicated API sections or place endpoint pages within other navigation components.

Set a default OpenAPI specification at any level of your navigation hierarchy. Child elements will inherit this specification unless they define their own specification.

{
  "navigation": {
    "groups": [
      {
        "group": "API reference",
        "openapi": "/path/to/openapi-v1.json",
        "pages": [
          "overview",
          "authentication",
          "GET /users",
          "POST /users",
          {
            "group": "Products",
            "openapi": "/path/to/openapi-v2.json",
            "pages": [
              "GET /products",
              "POST /products"
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

For more information about referencing OpenAPI endpoints in your docs, see the OpenAPI setup.

Versions

Partition your navigation into different versions. Versions are selectable from a dropdown menu.

In the navigation object, versions is an array where each entry is an object that requires a version field and can contain any other navigation fields.

{
  "navigation": {
    "versions": [
      {
        "version": "1.0.0",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Getting started",
            "pages": ["v1/overview", "v1/quickstart", "v1/development"]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "version": "2.0.0",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Getting started",
            "pages": ["v2/overview", "v2/quickstart", "v2/development"]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Languages

Partition your navigation into different languages. Languages are selectable from a dropdown menu.

In the navigation object, languages is an array where each entry is an object that requires a language field and can contain any other navigation fields.

We currently support the following languages for localization:

Arabic (ar)

Chinese (cn)

Chinese (zh-Hant)

Dutch (nl)

English (en)

French (fr)

German (de)

Indonesian (id)

Italian (it)

Japanese (jp)

Korean (ko)

Latvian (lv)

Norwegian (no)

Portuguese (pt-BR)

Russian (ru)

Spanish (es)

Swedish (sv)

Turkish (tr)

{
  "navigation": {
    "languages": [
      {
        "language": "en",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Getting started",
            "pages": ["en/overview", "en/quickstart", "en/development"]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "language": "es",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Getting started",
            "pages": ["es/overview", "es/quickstart", "es/development"]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

For automated translations, contact our sales team to discuss solutions.

Nesting

You can use any combination of anchors, tabs, dropdowns, and products. The components can be nested within each other interchangeably to create your desired navigation structure.

Anchors

{
  "navigation": {
    "anchors": [
      {
        "anchor": "Anchor 1",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Group 1",
            "pages": [
              "some-folder/file-1",
              "another-folder/file-2",
              "just-a-file"
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "anchor": "Anchor 2",
        "groups": [
          {
            "group": "Group 2",
            "pages": [
              "some-other-folder/file-1",
              "various-different-folders/file-2",
              "another-file"
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs display the full navigation path at the top of pages. Some themes have breadcrumbs enabled by default and others do not. You can control whether breadcrumbs are enabled for your site using the styling property in your docs.json.

Display full breadcrumbs

"styling": {
  "eyebrows": "breadcrumbs"
}

Interaction configuration

Control how users interact with navigation elements using the interaction property in your docs.json.

Enable auto-navigation for groups

When a user expands a navigation group, some themes will automatically navigate to the first page in the group. You can override a theme’s default behavior using the drilldown option.

• Set to true to force automatic navigation to the first page when a navigation group is selected.
• Set to false to prevent navigation and only expand or collapse the group when it is selected.
• Leave unset to use the theme’s default behavior.

Force navigation

"interaction": {
  "drilldown": true  // Force navigation to first page when a user expands a dropdown
}