How to Create a Responsive Navigation Bar with Hamburger Menu (HTML & CSS for Beginners)

A responsive navigation bar is a key element in modern website design. Whether you're building a personal blog, portfolio, or business site, having a navigation bar that adapts to all screen sizes is essential. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to build a responsive navigation bar with a hamburger menu using only HTML and CSS — perfect for beginners!

Why a Responsive Navigation Bar Matters

A responsive navbar improves user experience on mobile devices, reduces bounce rates, and increases your website's overall usability. As more people browse the internet on their phones, having a mobile-friendly navigation menu is no longer optional—it’s a necessity.

What You'll Learn

How to structure your navigation bar with HTML
How to style it for desktop and mobile using CSS
How to create a hamburger menu icon
How to toggle the menu on smaller screens (using CSS only!)

HTML Code

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>Responsive Navbar</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
</head>
<body>
  <nav>
    <ul class="sidebar">
      <li onclick=hideSidebar()><a href="#"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="26" viewBox="0 96 960 960" width="26"><path d="m249 849-42-42 231-231-231-231 42-42 231 231 231-231 42 42-231 231 231 231-42 42-231-231-231 231Z"/></svg></a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Blog</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Products</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">About</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Forum</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Login</a></li>
    </ul>
    <ul>
      <li><a href="#">Mirox Dev</a></li>
      <li class="hideOnMobile"><a href="#">Blog</a></li>
      <li class="hideOnMobile"><a href="#">Products</a></li>
      <li class="hideOnMobile"><a href="#">About</a></li>
      <li class="hideOnMobile"><a href="#">Forum</a></li>
      <li class="hideOnMobile"><a href="#">Login</a></li>
      <li class="menu-button" onclick=showSidebar()><a href="#"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="26" viewBox="0 96 960 960" width="26"><path d="M120 816v-60h720v60H120Zm0-210v-60h720v60H120Zm0-210v-60h720v60H120Z"/></svg></a></li>
    </ul>
  </nav>

  <script>
    function showSidebar(){
      const sidebar = document.querySelector('.sidebar')
      sidebar.style.display = 'flex'
    }
    function hideSidebar(){
      const sidebar = document.querySelector('.sidebar')
      sidebar.style.display = 'none'
    }
  </script>
</body>
</html>

CSS Code

*{
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}
body{
  min-height: 100vh;
  background:linear-gradient(#7F66FF,#3240E1) ;
  background-size: cover;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-position: center;
  font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
}
nav{
  background-color: white;
  box-shadow: 3px 3px 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}
nav ul{
  width: 100%;
  list-style: none;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: flex-end;
  align-items: center;
}
nav li{
  height: 50px;
}
nav a{
  height: 100%;
  padding: 0 30px;
  text-decoration: none;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  color: black;
}
nav a:hover{
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
}
nav li:first-child{
  margin-right: auto;
}
.sidebar{
  position: fixed;
  top: 0; 
  right: 0;
  height: 100vh;
  width: 250px;
  background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15);
  backdrop-filter: blur(12px);
  box-shadow: -10px 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
  list-style: none;
  display: none;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: flex-start;
  justify-content: flex-start;
}
.sidebar li{
  width: 100%;
}
.sidebar a{
  width: 100%;
}
.menu-button{
  display: none;
}
@media(max-width: 800px){
  .hideOnMobile{
    display: none;
  }
  .menu-button{
    display: block;
  }
}
@media(max-width: 400px){
  .sidebar{
    width: 100%;
  }
}

Final Result

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a fully functional, responsive navbar that looks great on both desktop and mobile screens.

Conclusion

A responsive navigation bar with a hamburger menu is one of the most useful features you can add to your website. It makes your site more accessible, modern, and mobile-friendly. With just HTML and CSS, you can achieve a professional look in no time.

Stay tuned for more tutorials and design tips every week!

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