Hamburger menu vs alternatives for sites

1. What does a hamburger menu replace?
2. What can I use instead of hamburger icon?
3. What is a hamburger menu on a website?
4. Should I use a hamburger menu on desktop?

What does a hamburger menu replace?

It's quite common to have burger menus to replace standard horizontal menus on small viewports. This way, the menu becomes completely responsive and provides the best experience depending on the viewport size.

What can I use instead of hamburger icon?

Simple Tab Bar

If you have several categories on your website or app, then tab bars can be a good option for you. It allows users to rapidly switch between the categories without having to search for the right one in a hamburger menu. The tab bar is thought of as one of the most straightforward navigation patterns.

What is a hamburger menu on a website?

A hamburger menu is an icon used on a website and in apps that, when clicked or tapped, opens a side menu or navigation drawer. It's called a “hamburger menu” because it takes the form of the famous sandwich.

Should I use a hamburger menu on desktop?

Hamburger menus might be a great solution for mobile devices with limited screen space, however, translating the same mobile-first design into your desktop without any changes may cause a bad user experience. Putting your most important pages in hidden navigation could sabotage them.