How can I create a CSS-only sliding drawer menu?
Ava W
ava w profile pic

Creating a CSS-only sliding drawer menu involves utilizing CSS transitions, transforms, and the checkbox hack technique. The checkbox hack allows us to toggle the sliding animation using the:checked pseudo-class. Here's a step-by-step approach to achieve this: Step 1: HTML Structure Start by creating the HTML structure for your sliding drawer menu. Typically, this includes a checkbox input element, a label, and a menu container.

1
2
3
4
5
input type="checkbox" id="toggle" />
<label for="toggle"></label>
<div class="menu">
  <!-- Menu items go here -->
</div>

Step 2: CSS Styling Apply basic styles to the elements, such as position, dimensions, and colors. Set thedisplay property of the menu tonone initially to hide it.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
bel {
  position: absolute;
  top: 10px;
  left: 10px;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.menu {
  position: fixed;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  width: 250px;
  height: 100%;
  background-color: #fff;
  transform: translateX(-100%);
  transition: transform 0.3s ease;
}

input[type="checkbox"] {
  display: none;
}

In the above code, we set the initial position of the menu to be off-screen by translating it 100% to the left usingtransform: translateX(-100%). Thetransition property specifies that the transformation should occur over a duration of 0.3 seconds with an ease timing function. Step 3: Sliding Animation Use the:checked pseudo-class to target the checkbox and update the menu's transform property when it is checked. This will slide the menu into view.

1
2
3
put[type="checkbox"]:checked ~ .menu {
  transform: translateX(0);
}

By using the general sibling combinator~, we select the.menu element that follows the checked checkbox. When the checkbox is checked, thetranslateX(0) transformation is applied, sliding the menu into the viewport. Step 4: Customize and Add Menu Items Customize the menu's appearance by adding your desired styles and menu items within the.menu container.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
enu {
  /* Other styles for the menu */
}

.menu ul {
  list-style: none;
  padding: 0;
}

.menu li {
  padding: 10px;
  border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc;
}

.menu a {
  text-decoration: none;
  color: #333;
}

Step 5: Add Additional Functionality If desired, you can add further functionality using CSS transitions or JavaScript to close the menu when an item is clicked or when a user clicks outside the menu.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
enu a {
  /* Other styles */

  /* Close the menu when an item is clicked */
  transition: transform 0.3s ease;
}

.menu a:hover {
  transform: translateX(10px);
}

/* Close the menu when clicking outside */
input[type="checkbox"]:checked ~ .menu-overlay {
  display: block;
}

.menu-overlay {
  position: fixed;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  opacity: 0;
  z-index: -1;
  pointer-events: none;
  transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
}

input[type="checkbox"]:checked ~ .menu-overlay {
  opacity: 0.5;
  z-index: 1;
  pointer-events: auto;
}

In this example, when hovering over menu items, a slight translation is applied using a CSS transition. Additionally, a.menu-overlay element is introduced to cover the screen when the menu is open, allowing users to close it by clicking outside the menu. By following these steps, you can create a CSS-only sliding drawer menu. The menu will slide into view when the checkbox is checked, and slide out when unchecked. This approach eliminates the need for JavaScript and provides a smooth and interactive user experience.