Plan navigation tabs

AI-generated Key Takeaways

• Structuring a media app begins by deciding on top-level content categories for the app bar.

• Car makers handle the implementation and appearance of the app bar, with app developers deciding the tab categories, icons, and labels.

• App developers must implement no more than 4 tabs and provide a label and a monochrome vector icon for each tab.

• App developers should keep tab labels short to avoid truncation.

The first step in structuring your media app is determining which content categories you want to appear as top-level navigation options on the app bar.

Car makers take care of implementing the app bar and determining most aspects of its appearance.

Basically, you need to decide the following:

• Which top-level content categories you want represented as tabs on the app bar
• What icons and labels you will supply for each tab

For examples of the navigation interface, visit Navigating media apps.

Note: Top-level content categories are browseable media items that are the children of the root media item in your content hierarchy. Icons and labels are provided as resources associated with these browseable media items. For details, consult Build your content hierarchy.

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Navigation tab guidelines

Requirement level	Guidelines
MUST	App developers must: Implement no more than 4 tabs Provide a label and a monochrome (black or white) vector icon for each tab
SHOULD	App developers should: Keep tab labels as short as possible, to prevent their being truncated

Rationale:

• Simplify UX: Support consistent navigation model for media apps.
• Accommodate all screens: Allow car makers to use only labels when both icons and labels won’t fit.