UI Design
Breadcrumb
A breadcrumb is a small trail of links showing where the current page sits within a site or app's hierarchy. Each step usually links back to a higher level.
Why it matters
Breadcrumbs tell people where they are and give them a reliable way to step back up the structure. This is steadier than the browser back button, which only retraces clicks rather than the structure itself.
In depth
Breadcrumbs are a wayfinding tool, most useful in deep hierarchies like online stores or documentation. They reflect the structure of the content, not the path a person happened to take, so they complement navigation rather than replace it. Keep them compact and secondary; they support orientation without competing with the main navigation.
Real-world example
On a shopping site, a breadcrumb like Home › Shoes › Running Shoes shows the path and lets you jump back to Shoes in one click.
You are here: Running Shoes
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