How to Build Interactive Tabs and Accordions

Building interactive tabs and accordions on your website can significantly enhance user experience by optimizing space and providing easy access to information. This guide will walk you through the process of creating these engaging UI components effectively.

Understanding Tabs and Accordions

Interactive tabs allow users to switch between different content sections without refreshing the page. On the other hand, accordions display content in a stacked layout, where only one section is expanded at a time. Both elements can improve navigation and streamline content presentation.

Step 1: HTML Structure

The first step in creating interactive tabs and accordions is to define the HTML structure. For tabs, you can use a simple unordered list with a corresponding content div for each tab:



  Tab 1
  Tab 2
  Tab 3

Content for Tab 1
Content for Tab 2
Content for Tab 3

For an accordion, you can organize it with headings and content:



  Section 1
  Content for section 1.
  Section 2
  Content for section 2.
  Section 3
  Content for section 3.

Step 2: Styling with CSS

To ensure that your tabs and accordions look appealing, you’ll need to apply some CSS. Here’s a basic example: