30 CSS Sidebar Layouts18 / 30

Pure CSSMIT licensed

Push Content Sidebar Navigation Layout with Smooth CSS Transitions

The drawer that pushes instead of covering: when it opens, the entire canvas slides right by exactly the drawer's width, staying fully visible — the interaction pattern of Material's 'standard drawer' — with both elements sharing one width variable and one transition curve so they can never drift out of sync.

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The code

<section class="sbl-18">
  <input type="checkbox" id="sbl18-p" class="sbl-18__state">
  <aside class="sbl-18__drawer" aria-label="Layers">
    <h2>Layers</h2>
    <nav><a href="#" aria-current="page">Base map</a><a href="#">Traffic density</a><a href="#">Transit lines</a><a href="#">Bike network</a><a href="#">3D buildings</a></nav>
  </aside>
  <div class="sbl-18__canvas">
    <header class="sbl-18__bar"><label for="sbl18-p" class="sbl-18__toggle"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M4 6h16M4 12h16M4 18h16"/></svg><span>Layers</span></label><strong>Metroview</strong></header>
    <main class="sbl-18__map"><p>Open Layers — the whole canvas slides right by exactly 280px (one shared variable), never squeezing. Both moves are GPU transforms.</p></main>
  </div>
</section>
.sbl-18,
.sbl-18 *,
.sbl-18 *::before,
.sbl-18 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.sbl-18 {
  --w: 280px;
  --panel: oklch(0.18 0.015 220);
  --ink: oklch(0.94 0.005 220);
  --mut: oklch(0.64 0.012 220);
  --line: oklch(0.29 0.016 220);
  --accent: oklch(0.75 0.13 220);
  position: relative;
  height: 100vh;
  height: 100dvh;
  overflow: hidden;
  font-family: system-ui,'Segoe UI',sans-serif;
  background: oklch(0.14 0.012 220);
  color: var(--ink);
}

.sbl-18__state {
  position: absolute;
  opacity: 0;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
}

.sbl-18__drawer {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  left: 0;
  width: var(--w);
  background: var(--panel);
  border-right: 1px solid var(--line);
  padding: 20px 14px;
  transform: translate3d(-100%,0,0);
  transition: transform .32s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1);
  z-index: 2;
}

.sbl-18:has(#sbl18-p:checked) .sbl-18__drawer {
  transform: translate3d(0,0,0);
}

.sbl-18__drawer h2 {
  font: 600 12px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  letter-spacing: .08em;
  color: var(--mut);
  padding: 0 10px 14px;
}

.sbl-18__drawer nav {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 2px;
}

.sbl-18__drawer a {
  padding: 11px 14px;
  border-radius: 10px;
  font: 500 14px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
  color: var(--mut);
  text-decoration: none;
  transition: background-color .18s ease,color .18s ease;
}

.sbl-18__drawer a:hover {
  color: var(--ink);
  background: color-mix(in oklab,var(--ink) 6%,transparent);
}

.sbl-18__drawer a[aria-current="page"] {
  color: var(--accent);
  background: color-mix(in oklab,var(--accent) 14%,transparent);
}

.sbl-18__drawer a:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.sbl-18__canvas {
  height: 100%;
  display: grid;
  grid-template-rows: auto 1fr;
  transform: translate3d(0,0,0);
  transition: transform .32s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1);
}

.sbl-18:has(#sbl18-p:checked) .sbl-18__canvas {
  transform: translate3d(var(--w),0,0);
}

.sbl-18__bar {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 14px;
  height: 54px;
  padding: 0 16px;
  background: var(--panel);
  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
  font: 600 15px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
}

.sbl-18__toggle {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 8px;
  padding: 9px 13px;
  margin-left: -4px;
  border-radius: 10px;
  border: 1px solid var(--line);
  font: 500 13px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
  color: var(--ink);
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: background-color .2s ease;
}

.sbl-18__toggle:hover {
  background: color-mix(in oklab,var(--ink) 7%,transparent);
}

.sbl-18:has(#sbl18-p:focus-visible) .sbl-18__toggle {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.sbl-18__toggle svg {
  width: 16px;
  height: 16px;
  fill: none;
  stroke: currentColor;
  stroke-width: 1.9;
  stroke-linecap: round;
}

.sbl-18__map {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  background: repeating-linear-gradient(0deg,transparent 0 39px,oklch(0.2 0.014 220) 39px 40px),repeating-linear-gradient(90deg,transparent 0 39px,oklch(0.2 0.014 220) 39px 40px),oklch(0.16 0.012 220);
}

.sbl-18__map p {
  color: var(--mut);
  font-size: 14px;
  line-height: 1.6;
  max-width: 40ch;
  text-align: center;
  padding: 0 24px;
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .sbl-18__drawer,
    .sbl-18__canvas,
    .sbl-18__toggle {
    transition: none;
  }
}
/* No JavaScript — drawer and canvas move as one welded unit: both transition translate3d over the same curve, displaced by one shared --w variable. */
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or any coding assistant. The block below is pre-framed with everything the AI needs to integrate this demo into your project — markup, styles, scoping notes, and the source URL. Hit Copy and paste straight into your chat.
Here's a working CSS Sidebar Layout from CodeFronts. Use it as-is or adapt to your framework. All classes are scoped under a unique prefix so the code won't collide with your existing styles. MIT licensed.
Demo: Push Content Sidebar Navigation Layout with Smooth CSS Transitions
Source: https://codefronts.com/layouts/css-sidebar-layouts/push-content-sidebar/

The drawer that pushes instead of covering: when it opens, the entire canvas slides right by exactly the drawer's width, staying fully visible — the interaction pattern of Material's 'standard drawer' — with both elements sharing one width variable and one transition curve so they can never drift out of sync.
## HTML
```html
<section class="sbl-18">
  <input type="checkbox" id="sbl18-p" class="sbl-18__state">
  <aside class="sbl-18__drawer" aria-label="Layers">
    <h2>Layers</h2>
    <nav><a href="#" aria-current="page">Base map</a><a href="#">Traffic density</a><a href="#">Transit lines</a><a href="#">Bike network</a><a href="#">3D buildings</a></nav>
  </aside>
  <div class="sbl-18__canvas">
    <header class="sbl-18__bar"><label for="sbl18-p" class="sbl-18__toggle"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M4 6h16M4 12h16M4 18h16"/></svg><span>Layers</span></label><strong>Metroview</strong></header>
    <main class="sbl-18__map"><p>Open Layers — the whole canvas slides right by exactly 280px (one shared variable), never squeezing. Both moves are GPU transforms.</p></main>
  </div>
</section>
```
## CSS
```css
.sbl-18,
.sbl-18 *,
.sbl-18 *::before,
.sbl-18 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.sbl-18 {
  --w: 280px;
  --panel: oklch(0.18 0.015 220);
  --ink: oklch(0.94 0.005 220);
  --mut: oklch(0.64 0.012 220);
  --line: oklch(0.29 0.016 220);
  --accent: oklch(0.75 0.13 220);
  position: relative;
  height: 100vh;
  height: 100dvh;
  overflow: hidden;
  font-family: system-ui,'Segoe UI',sans-serif;
  background: oklch(0.14 0.012 220);
  color: var(--ink);
}

.sbl-18__state {
  position: absolute;
  opacity: 0;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
}

.sbl-18__drawer {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  left: 0;
  width: var(--w);
  background: var(--panel);
  border-right: 1px solid var(--line);
  padding: 20px 14px;
  transform: translate3d(-100%,0,0);
  transition: transform .32s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1);
  z-index: 2;
}

.sbl-18:has(#sbl18-p:checked) .sbl-18__drawer {
  transform: translate3d(0,0,0);
}

.sbl-18__drawer h2 {
  font: 600 12px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  letter-spacing: .08em;
  color: var(--mut);
  padding: 0 10px 14px;
}

.sbl-18__drawer nav {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 2px;
}

.sbl-18__drawer a {
  padding: 11px 14px;
  border-radius: 10px;
  font: 500 14px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
  color: var(--mut);
  text-decoration: none;
  transition: background-color .18s ease,color .18s ease;
}

.sbl-18__drawer a:hover {
  color: var(--ink);
  background: color-mix(in oklab,var(--ink) 6%,transparent);
}

.sbl-18__drawer a[aria-current="page"] {
  color: var(--accent);
  background: color-mix(in oklab,var(--accent) 14%,transparent);
}

.sbl-18__drawer a:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.sbl-18__canvas {
  height: 100%;
  display: grid;
  grid-template-rows: auto 1fr;
  transform: translate3d(0,0,0);
  transition: transform .32s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1);
}

.sbl-18:has(#sbl18-p:checked) .sbl-18__canvas {
  transform: translate3d(var(--w),0,0);
}

.sbl-18__bar {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 14px;
  height: 54px;
  padding: 0 16px;
  background: var(--panel);
  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
  font: 600 15px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
}

.sbl-18__toggle {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 8px;
  padding: 9px 13px;
  margin-left: -4px;
  border-radius: 10px;
  border: 1px solid var(--line);
  font: 500 13px/1 system-ui,sans-serif;
  color: var(--ink);
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: background-color .2s ease;
}

.sbl-18__toggle:hover {
  background: color-mix(in oklab,var(--ink) 7%,transparent);
}

.sbl-18:has(#sbl18-p:focus-visible) .sbl-18__toggle {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.sbl-18__toggle svg {
  width: 16px;
  height: 16px;
  fill: none;
  stroke: currentColor;
  stroke-width: 1.9;
  stroke-linecap: round;
}

.sbl-18__map {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  background: repeating-linear-gradient(0deg,transparent 0 39px,oklch(0.2 0.014 220) 39px 40px),repeating-linear-gradient(90deg,transparent 0 39px,oklch(0.2 0.014 220) 39px 40px),oklch(0.16 0.012 220);
}

.sbl-18__map p {
  color: var(--mut);
  font-size: 14px;
  line-height: 1.6;
  max-width: 40ch;
  text-align: center;
  padding: 0 24px;
  text-wrap: pretty;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .sbl-18__drawer,
    .sbl-18__canvas,
    .sbl-18__toggle {
    transition: none;
  }
}
```

## JavaScript
```js
/* No JavaScript — drawer and canvas move as one welded unit: both transition translate3d over the same curve, displaced by one shared --w variable. */
```

How this works

The naive push transitions margin-left on the content — a layout property, re-flowing every frame, visibly janky on complex pages. The performant push moves BOTH elements with transform:translate3d(): the drawer sits absolutely at translate3d(-100%,0,0), the main pane at zero; opening moves drawer to 0 and main to translate3d(var(--w),0,0). Transforms don't reflow — the entire push is compositor-side, and because both movements are the same distance on the same 320ms curve, drawer edge and content edge travel as one welded unit.

The single source of truth is --w:280px, consumed by the drawer's width AND the canvas displacement — change one variable, the whole mechanism recalibrates. The pushed pane keeps its own width (it slides off-edge rather than squeezing), which is what distinguishes push from demo 02/09's shrink-collapse: push preserves the canvas layout exactly, making it right for editors and maps where mid-animation reflow would be disruptive.

Make it yours

  • Squeeze instead of slide: swap the transform displacement for a grid track (demo 09) when content should REFLOW into the reduced width.
  • Partial push: displace by calc(var(--w) / 2) while the drawer overlaps the rest — the hybrid feel of iPad split view.
  • The same variable can drive a matching topbar shift for full-shell coherence.
  • Add inertia with linear() easing: linear(0, 1.05 70%, 1) gives the push a physical settle.

Gotchas — read before shipping

  • Transformed ancestors capture position:fixed descendants — anything fixed inside the pushed main (modals, toasts) will travel with the push. Portal them outside or use top-layer popovers.
  • The pushed content's right edge goes off-viewport — acceptable for temporary drawers, but keep critical actions on the left half or use squeeze-collapse instead.
  • overflow-x:hidden on the shell is mandatory or the displaced canvas creates a horizontal scrollbar.

Browser support

ChromeSafariFirefoxEdge
114+17.5+121+114+

Floor set by :has(), oklch(), color-mix(), text-wrap as this demo is written. The core technique itself goes back further — Chrome 105+.

:has() gates the state wiring; the translate3d push itself works in every engine since 2013.

Techniques used in this demo

:has()MDN ↗text-wrap: prettyMDN ↗color-mix()MDN ↗grid-templateMDN ↗place-items / place-contentMDN ↗oklch()MDN ↗

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