# Navigation Views  `NavigationView` is an easy way to display a navigation menu from a menu resource. This is most commonly used in conjunction with [`DrawerLayout`](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/support/v4/widget/DrawerLayout.html) to implement [Material navigation drawers](https://material.io/guidelines/patterns/navigation-drawer.html#). Navigation drawers are modal elevated dialogs that come from the start/left side, used to display in-app navigation links. ## Design & API Documentation - [Class definition](https://github.com/material-components/material-components-android/tree/master/lib/java/com/google/android/material/navigation/NavigationView.java) - [Class overview](https://developer.android.com/reference/com/google/android/material/navigation/NavigationView.html) ## Usage `NavigationView` is a scrollable view that renders a menu resource (`R.menu.`) as a vertical list. It also renders a header view above the menu. ```xml ``` ### Available flags * `app:menu` points to a menu resource that will be rendered by `NavigationView` * `app:headerLayout` points to a layout resource to use as a header for the `NavigationView` ### Handling selection You can use `setNavigationItemSelectedListener` to listen to item selection and implement your navigation logic. ### Header views You can add one header in the XML layout, but you can add multiple header views programatically with `addHeaderView(View)` (even if you already added one in the XML layout). You can use `getHeaderView(int)` to get any of the header views at runtime. If you need to access the header view you added in the XML layout, that will always be the first header view, so you can get it with `getHeaderView(0)`. ### Implementing Material navigation drawers Implementing navigation drawers is the most common use for `NavigationView`, this section guides you on how to use `NavigationView` in that context. 1. Wrap your activity's content in a `DrawerLayout`. *In the example below, the activity's content is the CoordinatorLayout* 2. Keep your main content as the first child of that `DrawerLayout`. 3. Add your `NavigationView` with `android:layout_gravity="start|left"` and `android:height="match_parent"` Assuming your Activity's content is in a CoordinatorLayout you may have something like this: ```xml ``` ## Related Concepts There are other navigation patterns you should be aware of - [Hierarchical navigation](https://developer.android.com/training/implementing-navigation/index.html). *See also [Navigation with Back and Up](https://developer.android.com/design/patterns/navigation.html)* - Swipeable tabs using [TabLayout](TabLayout.md) and [ViewPager](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/support/v4/view/ViewPager.html) - [BottomNavigationView](BottomNavigationView.md) for when you have only 3 to 5 very well defined navigation categories You should familiarize yourself with the most common use for `NavigationView`, [Creating a Navigation Drawer - Guide](https://developer.android.com/training/implementing-navigation/nav-drawer.html)