Angular Expandable and Collapsible Sidebar With Icons: A Step-by-Step Guide

Build an Angular Expandable and Collapsible Sidebar with Icons Creating an expandable and collapsible sidebar in Angular can significantly enhance the user experience of your application. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to building such a sidebar, complete with icons and smooth transitions. We’ll cover everything from setting up the component structure to applying styles and logic for toggling the sidebar. Why Use a Collapsible Sidebar? A collapsible sidebar improves the usability of an application by: Saving screen space. Providing easy navigation. Keeping the interface clean and organized. https://stackblitz.com/edit/angular-expand-collapse-sidebar-with-icons?file=src%2Fapp%2Fapp.component.html&embedable=true Step-by-Step Guide to Build the Sidebar 1. Set Up Your Angular Project First, ensure you have Angular CLI installed. If not, run: npm install -g @angular/cli Create a new Angular project: ng new angular-sidebar cd angular-sidebar Generate the necessary components: ng generate component sidebar 2. Define the Sidebar Structure app.component.html This will serve as the main container for the application. Add the sidebar and a button for toggling its state: Content goes here app.component.ts Add the logic to manage the sidebar's state: import { Component } from '@angular/core'; @Component({ selector: 'my-app', templateUrl: './app.component.html', styleUrls: ['./app.component.scss'], }) export class AppComponent { isSidebarCollapsed = false; onSidebarToggle() { this.isSidebarCollapsed = !this.isSidebarCollapsed; } } 3. Implement the Sidebar Component sidebar.component.html Define the sidebar's HTML structure, including a menu with nested items: {{ isSidebarCollapsed ? 'C' : 'CodeWithChintan' }} {{ item.label }} {{ child.label }} sidebar.component.ts Handle the toggle logic for menu items and sidebar: import { Component, EventEmitter, Input, Output } from '@angular/core'; interface MenuItem { icon: string; label: string; children?: MenuItem[]; isOpen?: boolean; } @Component({ selector: 'app-sidebar', templateUrl: './sidebar.component.html', styleUrls: ['./sidebar.component.scss'], }) export class SidebarComponent { @Input() isSidebarCollapsed = false; @Output() sidebarToggle = new EventEmitter (); menuItems: MenuItem[] = [ { icon: 'fas fa-home', label: 'Dashboard', isOpen: false, children: [ { icon: 'fas fa-chart-pie', label: 'Analytics' }, { icon: 'fas fa-tasks', label: 'Projects' }, ] }, { icon: 'fas fa-cog', label: 'Settings', isOpen: false, children: [ { icon: 'fas fa-user', label: 'Profile' }, { icon: 'fas fa-lock', label: 'Security' }, ] }, { icon: 'fas fa-envelope', label: 'Messages' } ]; toggleSidebar() { this.sidebarToggle.emit(); } toggleMenuItem(item: MenuItem) { // Only toggle if sidebar is not collapsed and item has children if (!this.isSidebarCollapsed && item.children) { item.isOpen = !item.isOpen; } } } 4. Style the Sidebar app.component.scss Add global styles for layout and transitions: .app-container { display: flex; height: 100vh; overflow: hidden; } .content { flex-grow: 1; margin-left: 250px; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; background-color: #f4f6f7; overflow-y: auto; &-inner { padding: 2rem; max-width: 1200px; margin: 0 auto; } &-expanded { margin-left: 50px; } } .sidebar-toggle-btn { position: absolute; top: 1rem; left: 200px; // Default position when sidebar is expanded background-color: #2c3e50; border: none; color: #fff; padding: 0.5rem; border-top-right-radius: 0.5rem; border-bottom-right-radius: 0.5rem; cursor: pointer; z-index: 1001; box-shadow: 2px 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); transition: all 0.3s ease; &:hover { background-color: #34495e; } &.sidebar-collapsed { left: 15px; // Position when sidebar is collapsed } } sidebar.component.scss Define styles for the sidebar and menu: .sidebar { background-color: #2c3e50; color: #ecf0f1; height: 100vh; width: 250px; position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 1000; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; overflow-x: hidden; box-shadow: 2px 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); } .sidebar-header { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 1.5rem; position: relative; } .sidebar-logo { color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; } .sidebar-menu { padding: 1rem 0; ul { list-style-type: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; } } .sidebar-menu-item { position: relative; } .sidebar-item { display: flex; align-items: center; color: #ecf0f1; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.75rem 1rem; transition: all 0.2s ease; cursor: pointer; &:hover { background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); } &.menu-item-active { background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); } i { margin-right: 0.75rem; &.sidebar-item-arrow { margin-left: auto; font-size: 0.8rem; transition: transform 0.3s ease; &.rotated { transform: rotate(180deg); } } } &-text { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.3s ease-in-out; } &.has-children { position: relative; } } .sidebar-submenu { background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); .sidebar-item { padding-left: 3rem; font-size: 0.9rem; } } .sidebar-collapsed { width: 50px; .sidebar-menu-item { position: static; } .sidebar-item { i { margin-right: 0; } &-text, &-arrow { opacity: 0; width: 0; overflow: hidden; } } .sidebar-submenu { display: none; } } 5. Run the Application Start the development server: ng serve Navigate to http://localhost:4200/ to see your sidebar in action. FAQs How Do I Customize Sidebar Icons? Modify the menuItems array in sidebar.component.ts and provide appropriate icon classes. Can I Add Animations for Menu Expansion? Yes, use Angular’s animation module to add smooth transitions when menus open and close. How Do I Adjust Sidebar Width? Update the width property in sidebar.component.scss for the expanded and collapsed states. This guide covers all the essential steps to create a functional expandable and collapsible sidebar in Angular. You can further customize the design and functionality to meet your application needs. Build an Angular Expandable and Collapsible Sidebar with Icons Creating an expandable and collapsible sidebar in Angular can significantly enhance the user experience of your application. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to building such a sidebar, complete with icons and smooth transitions. We’ll cover everything from setting up the component structure to applying styles and logic for toggling the sidebar. Why Use a Collapsible Sidebar? A collapsible sidebar improves the usability of an application by: Saving screen space. Providing easy navigation. Keeping the interface clean and organized. Saving screen space. Saving screen space. Providing easy navigation. Providing easy navigation. Keeping the interface clean and organized. Keeping the interface clean and organized. https://stackblitz.com/edit/angular-expand-collapse-sidebar-with-icons?file=src%2Fapp%2Fapp.component.html&embedable=true https://stackblitz.com/edit/angular-expand-collapse-sidebar-with-icons?file=src%2Fapp%2Fapp.component.html&embedable=true Step-by-Step Guide to Build the Sidebar 1. Set Up Your Angular Project Set Up Your Angular Project First, ensure you have Angular CLI installed. If not, run: npm install -g @angular/cli npm install -g @angular/cli Create a new Angular project: ng new angular-sidebar cd angular-sidebar ng new angular-sidebar cd angular-sidebar Generate the necessary components: ng generate component sidebar ng generate component sidebar 2. Define the Sidebar Structure Define the Sidebar Structure app.component.html app.component.html This will serve as the main container for the application. Add the sidebar and a button for toggling its state: Content goes here Content goes here app.component.ts app.component.ts Add the logic to manage the sidebar's state: import { Component } from '@angular/core'; @Component({ selector: 'my-app', templateUrl: './app.component.html', styleUrls: ['./app.component.scss'], }) export class AppComponent { isSidebarCollapsed = false; onSidebarToggle() { this.isSidebarCollapsed = !this.isSidebarCollapsed; } } import { Component } from '@angular/core'; @Component({ selector: 'my-app', templateUrl: './app.component.html', styleUrls: ['./app.component.scss'], }) export class AppComponent { isSidebarCollapsed = false; onSidebarToggle() { this.isSidebarCollapsed = !this.isSidebarCollapsed; } } 3. Implement the Sidebar Component Implement the Sidebar Component sidebar.component.html sidebar.component.html Define the sidebar's HTML structure, including a menu with nested items: {{ isSidebarCollapsed ? 'C' : 'CodeWithChintan' }} {{ item.label }} {{ child.label }} {{ isSidebarCollapsed ? 'C' : 'CodeWithChintan' }} {{ item.label }} {{ child.label }} sidebar.component.ts sidebar.component.ts Handle the toggle logic for menu items and sidebar: import { Component, EventEmitter, Input, Output } from '@angular/core'; interface MenuItem { icon: string; label: string; children?: MenuItem[]; isOpen?: boolean; } @Component({ selector: 'app-sidebar', templateUrl: './sidebar.component.html', styleUrls: ['./sidebar.component.scss'], }) export class SidebarComponent { @Input() isSidebarCollapsed = false; @Output() sidebarToggle = new EventEmitter (); menuItems: MenuItem[] = [ { icon: 'fas fa-home', label: 'Dashboard', isOpen: false, children: [ { icon: 'fas fa-chart-pie', label: 'Analytics' }, { icon: 'fas fa-tasks', label: 'Projects' }, ] }, { icon: 'fas fa-cog', label: 'Settings', isOpen: false, children: [ { icon: 'fas fa-user', label: 'Profile' }, { icon: 'fas fa-lock', label: 'Security' }, ] }, { icon: 'fas fa-envelope', label: 'Messages' } ]; toggleSidebar() { this.sidebarToggle.emit(); } toggleMenuItem(item: MenuItem) { // Only toggle if sidebar is not collapsed and item has children if (!this.isSidebarCollapsed && item.children) { item.isOpen = !item.isOpen; } } } import { Component, EventEmitter, Input, Output } from '@angular/core'; interface MenuItem { icon: string; label: string; children?: MenuItem[]; isOpen?: boolean; } @Component({ selector: 'app-sidebar', templateUrl: './sidebar.component.html', styleUrls: ['./sidebar.component.scss'], }) export class SidebarComponent { @Input() isSidebarCollapsed = false; @Output() sidebarToggle = new EventEmitter (); menuItems: MenuItem[] = [ { icon: 'fas fa-home', label: 'Dashboard', isOpen: false, children: [ { icon: 'fas fa-chart-pie', label: 'Analytics' }, { icon: 'fas fa-tasks', label: 'Projects' }, ] }, { icon: 'fas fa-cog', label: 'Settings', isOpen: false, children: [ { icon: 'fas fa-user', label: 'Profile' }, { icon: 'fas fa-lock', label: 'Security' }, ] }, { icon: 'fas fa-envelope', label: 'Messages' } ]; toggleSidebar() { this.sidebarToggle.emit(); } toggleMenuItem(item: MenuItem) { // Only toggle if sidebar is not collapsed and item has children if (!this.isSidebarCollapsed && item.children) { item.isOpen = !item.isOpen; } } } 4. Style the Sidebar Style the Sidebar app.component.scss app.component.scss Add global styles for layout and transitions: .app-container { display: flex; height: 100vh; overflow: hidden; } .content { flex-grow: 1; margin-left: 250px; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; background-color: #f4f6f7; overflow-y: auto; &-inner { padding: 2rem; max-width: 1200px; margin: 0 auto; } &-expanded { margin-left: 50px; } } .sidebar-toggle-btn { position: absolute; top: 1rem; left: 200px; // Default position when sidebar is expanded background-color: #2c3e50; border: none; color: #fff; padding: 0.5rem; border-top-right-radius: 0.5rem; border-bottom-right-radius: 0.5rem; cursor: pointer; z-index: 1001; box-shadow: 2px 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); transition: all 0.3s ease; &:hover { background-color: #34495e; } &.sidebar-collapsed { left: 15px; // Position when sidebar is collapsed } } .app-container { display: flex; height: 100vh; overflow: hidden; } .content { flex-grow: 1; margin-left: 250px; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; background-color: #f4f6f7; overflow-y: auto; &-inner { padding: 2rem; max-width: 1200px; margin: 0 auto; } &-expanded { margin-left: 50px; } } .sidebar-toggle-btn { position: absolute; top: 1rem; left: 200px; // Default position when sidebar is expanded background-color: #2c3e50; border: none; color: #fff; padding: 0.5rem; border-top-right-radius: 0.5rem; border-bottom-right-radius: 0.5rem; cursor: pointer; z-index: 1001; box-shadow: 2px 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); transition: all 0.3s ease; &:hover { background-color: #34495e; } &.sidebar-collapsed { left: 15px; // Position when sidebar is collapsed } } sidebar.component.scss sidebar.component.scss Define styles for the sidebar and menu: .sidebar { background-color: #2c3e50; color: #ecf0f1; height: 100vh; width: 250px; position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 1000; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; overflow-x: hidden; box-shadow: 2px 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); } .sidebar-header { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 1.5rem; position: relative; } .sidebar-logo { color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; } .sidebar-menu { padding: 1rem 0; ul { list-style-type: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; } } .sidebar-menu-item { position: relative; } .sidebar-item { display: flex; align-items: center; color: #ecf0f1; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.75rem 1rem; transition: all 0.2s ease; cursor: pointer; &:hover { background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); } &.menu-item-active { background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); } i { margin-right: 0.75rem; &.sidebar-item-arrow { margin-left: auto; font-size: 0.8rem; transition: transform 0.3s ease; &.rotated { transform: rotate(180deg); } } } &-text { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.3s ease-in-out; } &.has-children { position: relative; } } .sidebar-submenu { background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); .sidebar-item { padding-left: 3rem; font-size: 0.9rem; } } .sidebar-collapsed { width: 50px; .sidebar-menu-item { position: static; } .sidebar-item { i { margin-right: 0; } &-text, &-arrow { opacity: 0; width: 0; overflow: hidden; } } .sidebar-submenu { display: none; } } .sidebar { background-color: #2c3e50; color: #ecf0f1; height: 100vh; width: 250px; position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; z-index: 1000; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; overflow-x: hidden; box-shadow: 2px 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); } .sidebar-header { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 1.5rem; position: relative; } .sidebar-logo { color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; } .sidebar-menu { padding: 1rem 0; ul { list-style-type: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; } } .sidebar-menu-item { position: relative; } .sidebar-item { display: flex; align-items: center; color: #ecf0f1; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.75rem 1rem; transition: all 0.2s ease; cursor: pointer; &:hover { background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1); } &.menu-item-active { background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2); } i { margin-right: 0.75rem; &.sidebar-item-arrow { margin-left: auto; font-size: 0.8rem; transition: transform 0.3s ease; &.rotated { transform: rotate(180deg); } } } &-text { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.3s ease-in-out; } &.has-children { position: relative; } } .sidebar-submenu { background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); .sidebar-item { padding-left: 3rem; font-size: 0.9rem; } } .sidebar-collapsed { width: 50px; .sidebar-menu-item { position: static; } .sidebar-item { i { margin-right: 0; } &-text, &-arrow { opacity: 0; width: 0; overflow: hidden; } } .sidebar-submenu { display: none; } } 5. Run the Application Run the Application Start the development server: ng serve ng serve Navigate to http://localhost:4200/ to see your sidebar in action. http://localhost:4200/ FAQs How Do I Customize Sidebar Icons? Modify the menuItems array in sidebar.component.ts and provide appropriate icon classes. menuItems sidebar.component.ts Can I Add Animations for Menu Expansion? Yes, use Angular’s animation module to add smooth transitions when menus open and close. How Do I Adjust Sidebar Width? Update the width property in sidebar.component.scss for the expanded and collapsed states. width sidebar.component.scss This guide covers all the essential steps to create a functional expandable and collapsible sidebar in Angular. You can further customize the design and functionality to meet your application needs.