Hamburger menus: A design guide with examples

A hamburger menu is a design feature used on websites to hide navigation behind a compact icon, commonly employed to save screen space on mobile devices but also beneficial for desktop designs by reducing visual clutter. Typically represented by three stacked horizontal lines, a hamburger menu is clicked to reveal the navigation bar, allowing users to select their desired pages while keeping the interface clean when not in use. While it offers advantages like additional styling opportunities and more layout space, it also introduces potential drawbacks such as requiring an extra interaction step and possible accessibility issues if not properly adapted for keyboard and screen reader use. Designers can creatively customize hamburger menus with animation or unique styling, as demonstrated by examples like Pico Play and Incredible Marketing Plus, which effectively balance aesthetics and functionality.