TabBars & Drawers
Implement common navigation patterns like TabBars for multiple views and Drawers for side navigation menus.
TabBars & Drawers is a free Flutter Mobile Development lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Flutter Mobile Development learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Intro to Navigation Patterns
Flutter offers powerful patterns for app navigation. Today, we explore two common ones: TabBars and Drawers.
These widgets help users navigate between different sections of your app smoothly and intuitively.
- TabBars are great for switching between related views.
- Drawers provide a side menu for global navigation or settings.
What are TabBars?
A TabBar is a horizontal row of tabs, often found at the top or bottom of a screen. Each tab represents a different view or category of content.
When a user taps a tab, the content below it changes without leaving the current screen.
Building a Basic TabBar
To use tabs, you often wrap your Scaffold with a DefaultTabController. This controller manages the selected tab.
Then, place a TabBar widget inside your AppBar's bottom property or as a BottomNavigationBar.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: DefaultTabController(
length: 3, // Number of tabs
child: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text('My Tab App'),
bottom: const TabBar(
tabs: [
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.home), text: 'Home'),
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.settings), text: 'Settings'),
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.info), text: 'Info'),
],
),
),
body: const TabBarView(
children: [
Center(child: Text('Home Content')),
Center(child: Text('Settings Content')),
Center(child: Text('Info Content')),
],
),
),
),
);
}
}TabBarView in Action
The TabBarView widget works hand-in-hand with TabBar. It displays the content corresponding to the currently selected tab.
Make sure the number of children in TabBarView matches the length of your DefaultTabController and the number of Tab widgets.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: DefaultTabController(
length: 3, // Must match the number of tabs
child: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text('Tab Views'),
bottom: const TabBar(
tabs: [
Tab(text: 'Explore'),
Tab(text: 'Favorites'),
Tab(text: 'Profile'),
],
),
),
body: TabBarView( // Content for each tab
children: [
Center(
child: Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: const [
Icon(Icons.explore, size: 80, color: Colors.blue),
Text('Explore new content!', style: TextStyle(fontSize: 20)),
],
),
),
Center(
child: Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: const [
Icon(Icons.favorite, size: 80, color: Colors.red),
Text('Your favorite items.', style: TextStyle(fontSize: 20)),
],
),
),
Center(
child: Column(
mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
children: const [
Icon(Icons.person, size: 80, color: Colors.green),
Text('Your user profile.', style: TextStyle(fontSize: 20)),
],
),
),
],
),
),
),
);
}
}Styling Your Tabs
You can customize the look of your TabBar. For example, change colors, indicator styles, or label styles.
The indicatorColor and labelColor properties are common ways to match your app's theme.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: DefaultTabController(
length: 2,
child: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text('Custom Tabs'),
bottom: TabBar(
indicatorColor: Colors.yellowAccent, // Custom indicator color
labelColor: Colors.white, // Color for selected tab
unselectedLabelColor: Colors.grey[400], // Color for unselected tabs
tabs: const [
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.call), text: 'Calls'),
Tab(icon: Icon(Icons.chat), text: 'Chats'),
],
),
),
body: const TabBarView(
children: [
Center(child: Text('Calls Log')),
Center(child: Text('Chat Messages')),
],
),
),
),
);
}
}What is a Drawer?
A Drawer is a panel that slides out from the side of the screen, typically from the left. It's often used for main navigation links or global settings.
Drawers are perfect for apps with many sections that don't fit into a TabBar or BottomNavigationBar.
Adding a Side Drawer
To add a drawer, simply include a Drawer widget as a child of your Scaffold. Flutter automatically adds a menu icon to your AppBar.
Inside the Drawer, you'll typically use a ListView to hold multiple ListTile widgets, representing navigation items.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text('My Drawer App'),
),
drawer: Drawer( // The Drawer widget
child: ListView(
padding: EdgeInsets.zero, // Remove padding
children: <Widget>[
const DrawerHeader( // Top part of the drawer
decoration: BoxDecoration(
color: Colors.blue,
),
child: Text(
'App Menu',
style: TextStyle(
color: Colors.white,
fontSize: 24,
),
),
),
ListTile( // A navigation item
leading: const Icon(Icons.message),
title: const Text('Messages'),
onTap: () {
// Handle tap
Navigator.pop(context); // Close the drawer
},
),
ListTile(
leading: const Icon(Icons.account_circle),
title: const Text('Profile'),
onTap: () {
// Handle tap
Navigator.pop(context);
},
),
ListTile(
leading: const Icon(Icons.settings),
title: const Text('Settings'),
onTap: () {
// Handle tap
Navigator.pop(context);
},
),
],
),
),
body: const Center(
child: Text('Pull from left to open drawer!'),
),
),
);
}
}Handling Drawer Taps
When a user taps an item in the drawer, you usually want to perform an action, like navigating to a new screen or updating content.
Remember to call Navigator.pop(context) after an item is tapped to close the drawer, providing a smooth user experience.
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(const MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
const MyApp({super.key});
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: const Text('Drawer Actions'),
),
drawer: Drawer(
child: ListView(
padding: EdgeInsets.zero,
children: <Widget>[
const DrawerHeader(
decoration: BoxDecoration(color: Colors.green),
child: Text('Navigation', style: TextStyle(color: Colors.white)),
),
ListTile(
leading: const Icon(Icons.home),
title: const Text('Go Home'),
onTap: () {
// Close drawer, then navigate (or just close if already on home)
Navigator.pop(context);
// Example: Navigator.push(context, MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => HomeScreen()));
},
),
ListTile(
leading: const Icon(Icons.bookmark),
title: const Text('View Bookmarks'),
onTap: () {
Navigator.pop(context); // Close drawer
// Show a snackbar as an example action
ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
const SnackBar(content: Text('Viewing Bookmarks!'))
);
},
),
],
),
),
body: const Center(
child: Text('Try opening the drawer and tapping an item.'),
),
),
);
}
}Customizing Your Drawer
Drawers can be highly customized. You can add user profile info, app version, or even search bars.
- Use
UserAccountsDrawerHeaderfor a pre-built header with user info. - Keep the number of items manageable to avoid clutter.
- Group related items logically using dividers.
TabBar vs. Drawer
Which of the following scenarios is best suited for using a Flutter TabBar?
TabBars & Drawers Recap
Great job! You've learned how to implement two essential navigation patterns:
- TabBars for switching between related views using
DefaultTabController,TabBar, andTabBarView. - Drawers for side navigation menus using the
Drawerwidget andListTiles.
Choose the right pattern based on your app's complexity and user flow. Keep exploring to build more intuitive UIs!
Frequently asked questions
Is the “TabBars & Drawers” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “TabBars & Drawers” is free to read here on the web, and the Flutter Mobile Development course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Flutter Mobile Development course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “TabBars & Drawers”?
Implement common navigation patterns like TabBars for multiple views and Drawers for side navigation menus. You practise Flutter Mobile Development with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Flutter Mobile Development?
No prior experience is required. Flutter Mobile Development on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “TabBars & Drawers” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Flutter Mobile Development lesson?
Yes. Every Flutter Mobile Development lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.