---
name: Top bar
category: Structure
keywords:
  - global chrome
  - global features
  - topbar
  - top bar
  - nav bar
  - bar
  - navbar
  - brand
  - search
  - user
  - menu
  - logo
---

# Top bar

Merchants can use the top bar component to search, access menus, and navigate by clicking on the logo. It’s always visible at the top of non-embedded interfaces like Shopify or Shopify Plus. Third-party apps that use the top bar can customize the color to match their brand using the [app provider](/components/structure/app-provider) component and are required to use their own logo.

---

## Required components

The top bar component must be passed to the [frame](/components/structure/frame) component.

---

## Best practices

The top bar component should:

- Not provide global navigation for an application
  - Use the [navigation component](/components/structure/navigation) instead
- Include search to help merchants find resources and navigate an application
- Include a user menu component to indicate the logged-in merchant and provide them with global actions
- Provide a color through the [app provider](/components/structure/app-provider) component to style the background
- The global menu text should contrast with the rest of the top bar and pass the minimum contrast ratio of the WCAG 2.0 guidelines
- Use an SVG file for the logo
- Use a logo that passes the minimum contrast ratio of the WCAG 2.0 guidelines when compared to the top bar background color
- Show the navigation toggle so it appears on small screen

---

## Content guidelines

### Placeholder content

The placeholder content for the search field should:

- Always say "Search"
- Never include an ellipsis

<!-- usagelist -->

#### Do

- Search

#### Don’t

- search...

<!-- end -->

---

<a name="subcomponent-menu"></a>

## Top bar menu

A component that composes together an activator and a popover containing an action list to create a dropdown menu.

### Menu properties

| Prop             | Type                          | Description                                                                                        |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| activatorContent | React.ReactNode               | Accepts an activator component that renders inside of a button that opens the menu                 |
| actions          | ActionListProps['sections']   | An array of action objects that are rendered inside of a popover triggered by this menu            |
| message          | [MessageProps](#type-message) | Accepts a message that facilitates direct, urgent communication with the merchant through the menu |
| open             | boolean                       | A boolean property indicating whether the menu is currently open                                   |
| onOpen()         | function                      | A callback function to handle opening the menu popover                                             |
| onClose()        | function                      | A callback function to handle closing the menu popover                                             |

<a name="subcomponent-user-menu"></a>

## Top bar user menu

A specialized menu component that is activated by a user avatar.

### Menu properties

| Prop       | Type                          | Description                                                                                             |
| ---------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| actions    | {items: IconableAction[]}[]   | An array of action objects that are rendered inside of a popover triggered by this menu                 |
| message    | [MessageProps](#type-message) | Accepts a message that facilitates direct, urgent communication with the merchant through the user menu |
| name       | string                        | A string detailing the merchant’s full name to be displayed in the user menu                            |
| detail     | string                        | A string allowing further details on the merchant’s name displayed in the user menu                     |
| initials   | AvatarProps['initials']       | The merchant’s initials, rendered in place of an avatar image when not provided                         |
| avatar     | AvatarProps['source']         | An avatar image representing the merchant                                                               |
| open       | boolean                       | A boolean property indicating whether the user menu is currently open                                   |
| onToggle() | function                      | A callback function to handle opening and closing the user menu                                         |

<a name="type-message"></a>

### Top bar menu message

#### Message properties

| Prop        | Type                                            | Description                               |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| title       | string                                          | A title for the message                   |
| description | string                                          | A description for the message             |
| action      | {onClick(): void; content: string}              | An action to render near the message      |
| link        | {to: string; content: string}                   | A link to view the content of the message |
| badge       | {content: string; status: BadgeProps['status']} | A badge to render near the message        |

---

<a name="subcomponent-search-field"></a>

## Top bar search field

A text field component that is tailor-made for a search use-case.

### Search field properties

| Prop                    | Type     | Description                                                                      |
| ----------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| value                   | string   | Initial value for the input                                                      |
| placeholder             | string   | Hint text to display                                                             |
| focused                 | boolean  | Force the focus state on the input                                               |
| active                  | boolean  | Force a state where search is active but the text field component is not focused |
| onChange(value: string) | function | Callback when value is changed                                                   |
| onFocus()               | function | Callback when input is focused                                                   |
| onBlur()                | function | Callback when focus is removed                                                   |

---

## Examples

### Top bar with all of its elements

Use to provide structure for the top of an application. Style the top bar component using the app provider component with a theme. Providing just the `background` key for the top bar component theme will result in intelligent defaults being set for complementary colors with contrasting text.

```jsx
class TopBarExample extends React.Component {
  state = {
    userMenuOpen: false,
    searchActive: false,
    searchText: '',
  };

  render() {
    const {
      state,
      handleSearchChange,
      handleSearchResultsDismiss,
      toggleUserMenu,
    } = this;
    const {userMenuOpen, searchText, searchActive} = state;

    const theme = {
      colors: {
        topBar: {
          background: '#357997',
        },
      },
      logo: {
        width: 124,
        topBarSource:
          'https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0446/6937/files/jaded-pixel-logo-color.svg?6215648040070010999',
        url: 'http://jadedpixel.com',
        accessibilityLabel: 'Jaded Pixel',
      },
    };

    const userMenuMarkup = (
      <TopBar.UserMenu
        actions={[
          {
            items: [{content: 'Back to Shopify', icon: ArrowLeftMinor}],
          },
          {
            items: [{content: 'Community forums'}],
          },
        ]}
        name="Dharma"
        detail="Jaded Pixel"
        initials="D"
        open={userMenuOpen}
        onToggle={toggleUserMenu}
      />
    );

    const searchResultsMarkup = (
      <Card>
        <ActionList
          items={[
            {content: 'Shopify help center'},
            {content: 'Community forums'},
          ]}
        />
      </Card>
    );

    const searchFieldMarkup = (
      <TopBar.SearchField
        onChange={handleSearchChange}
        value={searchText}
        placeholder="Search"
      />
    );

    const topBarMarkup = (
      <TopBar
        showNavigationToggle={true}
        userMenu={userMenuMarkup}
        searchResultsVisible={searchActive}
        searchField={searchFieldMarkup}
        searchResults={searchResultsMarkup}
        onSearchResultsDismiss={handleSearchResultsDismiss}
        onNavigationToggle={() => {
          console.log('toggle navigation visibility');
        }}
      />
    );

    return (
      <div style={{height: '250px'}}>
        <AppProvider
          theme={theme}
          i18n={{
            Polaris: {
              Avatar: {
                label: 'Avatar',
                labelWithInitials: 'Avatar with initials {initials}',
              },
              Frame: {skipToContent: 'Skip to content'},
              TopBar: {
                toggleMenuLabel: 'Toggle menu',
                SearchField: {
                  clearButtonLabel: 'Clear',
                  search: 'Search',
                },
              },
            },
          }}
        >
          <Frame topBar={topBarMarkup} />
        </AppProvider>
      </div>
    );
  }

  toggleUserMenu = () => {
    this.setState(({userMenuOpen}) => ({userMenuOpen: !userMenuOpen}));
  };

  handleSearchResultsDismiss = () => {
    this.setState(() => {
      return {
        searchActive: false,
        searchText: '',
      };
    });
  };

  handleSearchChange = (value) => {
    this.setState({searchText: value});
    if (value.length > 0) {
      this.setState({searchActive: true});
    } else {
      this.setState({searchActive: false});
    }
  };
}
```

### Top bar themed with keys

Provide specific keys and corresponding colors to the top bar theme for finer control. When giving more than just the `background`, providing all keys is necessary to prevent falling back to default colors.

```jsx
class TopBarExample extends React.Component {
  state = {
    userMenuOpen: false,
    searchActive: false,
    searchText: '',
  };

  render() {
    const {
      state,
      handleSearchChange,
      handleSearchResultsDismiss,
      toggleUserMenu,
    } = this;
    const {userMenuOpen, searchText, searchActive} = state;

    const theme = {
      colors: {
        topBar: {
          background: '#357997',
          backgroundLighter: '#6192a9',
          color: '#FFFFFF',
        },
      },
      logo: {
        width: 124,
        topBarSource:
          'https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0446/6937/files/jaded-pixel-logo-color.svg?6215648040070010999',
        url: 'http://jadedpixel.com',
        accessibilityLabel: 'Jaded Pixel',
      },
    };

    const userMenuMarkup = (
      <TopBar.UserMenu
        actions={[
          {
            items: [{content: 'Back to Shopify', icon: ArrowLeftMinor}],
          },
          {
            items: [{content: 'Community forums'}],
          },
        ]}
        name="Dharma"
        detail="Jaded Pixel"
        initials="D"
        open={userMenuOpen}
        onToggle={toggleUserMenu}
      />
    );

    const searchResultsMarkup = (
      <Card>
        <ActionList
          items={[
            {content: 'Shopify help center'},
            {content: 'Community forums'},
          ]}
        />
      </Card>
    );

    const searchFieldMarkup = (
      <TopBar.SearchField
        onChange={handleSearchChange}
        value={searchText}
        placeholder="Search"
      />
    );

    const topBarMarkup = (
      <TopBar
        showNavigationToggle={true}
        userMenu={userMenuMarkup}
        searchResultsVisible={searchActive}
        searchField={searchFieldMarkup}
        searchResults={searchResultsMarkup}
        onSearchResultsDismiss={handleSearchResultsDismiss}
        onNavigationToggle={() => {
          console.log('toggle navigation visibility');
        }}
      />
    );

    return (
      <div style={{height: '250px'}}>
        <AppProvider
          theme={theme}
          i18n={{
            Polaris: {
              Frame: {skipToContent: 'Skip to content'},
              Avatar: {
                label: 'Avatar',
                labelWithInitials: 'Avatar with initials {initials}',
              },
              TopBar: {
                toggleMenuLabel: 'Toggle menu',
                SearchField: {
                  clearButtonLabel: 'Clear',
                  search: 'Search',
                },
              },
            },
          }}
        >
          <Frame topBar={topBarMarkup} />
        </AppProvider>
      </div>
    );
  }

  toggleUserMenu = () => {
    this.setState(({userMenuOpen}) => ({userMenuOpen: !userMenuOpen}));
  };

  handleSearchResultsDismiss = () => {
    this.setState(() => {
      return {
        searchActive: false,
        searchText: '',
      };
    });
  };

  handleSearchChange = (value) => {
    this.setState({searchText: value});
    if (value.length > 0) {
      this.setState({searchActive: true});
    } else {
      this.setState({searchActive: false});
    }
  };
}
```

---

## Related components

- To provide the structure for the top bar component, as well as the primary navigation use the [frame](/components/structure/frame) component.
- To display the primary navigation within the frame of a non-embedded application, use the [navigation](/components/structure/navigation) component.
- To tell merchants their options once they have made changes to a form on the page use the [contextual save bar](/components/forms/contextual-save-bar) component.
- To provide quick, at-a-glance feedback on the outcome of an action, use the [toast](/components/feedback-indicators/toast) component.
- To indicate to merchants that a page is loading or an upload is processing use the [loading](/components/feedback-indicators/loading) component.
