Ensuring Consistent Navigation Across Themes

Introduction

In theming systems, maintaining consistency across different themes can be a challenge. A seemingly small feature, like a share button, can easily be overlooked when implementing custom designs. This post details how a missing LinkedIn share button was identified and added to ensure a consistent user experience across all themes in the landing page project.

The Problem

The devlog-ist/landing project allows for custom themes, some of which override the default header layout with their own custom navigation. After adding a LinkedIn share button to the mobile menu, it was discovered that the desktop navigation in certain custom themes (nan, retro, corporate-nan, and corporate-retro) lacked this button. This inconsistency created a fragmented user experience, particularly for users accessing the site on desktop devices.

The Solution

The solution involved identifying the themes with custom desktop navigations and adding the LinkedIn share button to their respective navigation templates. The process included:

1. Identifying Affected Themes: Pinpointing the themes that implemented custom header layouts.
2. Modifying Navigation Templates: Adding the LinkedIn share button code to the appropriate template files.
3. Testing: Ensuring the button appeared and functioned correctly on desktop devices for each affected theme.

Here's an example of how the LinkedIn share button might be added to a navigation template:

<div class="nav-item">
    <a href="#" class="linkedin-share-button">
        Share on LinkedIn
    </a>
</div>

Results

By adding the LinkedIn share button to the desktop navigation of the custom themes, a consistent user experience was ensured across all themes and devices. This small addition helps maintain brand consistency and provides users with a seamless way to share content, regardless of the theme they are viewing.

Key Takeaways

• Thoroughness in Theming: When implementing theming systems, ensure all features are consistently applied across all themes.
• Cross-Device Testing: Always test new features on various devices to catch inconsistencies.
• User Experience Consistency: Strive for a seamless user experience, regardless of the theme or device used.