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How to create a pill navigation menu with CSS?

CSS Web Development Front End Technology

A pill navigation menu features rounded, button-like navigation links that resemble pills. This design provides an intuitive and modern user interface for website navigation. The pill shape is achieved using CSS border-radius property to create rounded corners.

Syntax

nav {
    /* Container styles */
}

nav a {
    border-radius: value;
    /* Other pill styling */
}

Example: Creating a Pill Navigation Menu

The following example demonstrates how to create a complete pill navigation menu with hover effects and active states −

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
    nav {
        width: 100%;
        background-color: #f8f9fa;
        padding: 10px;
        overflow: auto;
    }
    
    .links {
        display: inline-block;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 12px 20px;
        margin: 0 5px;
        text-decoration: none;
        font-size: 16px;
        border-radius: 25px;
        color: #333;
        background-color: transparent;
        transition: all 0.3s ease;
    }
    
    .links:hover {
        background-color: #e9ecef;
        transform: translateY(-2px);
    }
    
    .selected {
        background-color: #007bff;
        color: white;
    }
    
    .selected:hover {
        background-color: #0056b3;
    }
</style>
</head>
<body>
    <h2>Pill Navigation Menu</h2>
    <nav>
        <a class="links selected" href="#">Home</a>
        <a class="links" href="#">About</a>
        <a class="links" href="#">Services</a>
        <a class="links" href="#">Portfolio</a>
        <a class="links" href="#">Contact</a>
    </nav>
</body>
</html>

A horizontal navigation menu with pill-shaped buttons appears. The "Home" button is highlighted in blue with white text. Other buttons have gray text on a light background. Hovering over buttons shows a gray background and slight upward movement effect.

Key Properties for Pill Navigation

Property Purpose Typical Value
border-radius Creates rounded pill shape 20px-30px
padding Adds space inside buttons 12px 20px
display Arranges links horizontally inline-block
transition Smooth hover effects all 0.3s ease

Conclusion

Pill navigation menus combine aesthetic appeal with functionality through rounded borders and smooth transitions. The key is using appropriate border-radius values and hover effects to create an engaging user experience.

Updated on: 2026-03-15T14:22:56+05:30

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