hig-components-menus

Apple HIG: Menus and Buttons

Check for .claude/apple-design-context.md before asking questions. Use existing context and only ask for information not already covered.

Key Principles

1. Menus should be contextual and predictable. Standard items in standard locations. Follow platform conventions for ordering and grouping.

1. Use standard button styles. System-defined styles communicate affordance and maintain visual consistency. Prefer them over custom designs.

1. Toolbars for frequent actions. Most commonly used commands in the toolbar. Rarely used actions belong in menus.

1. Menu bar is the primary command interface on macOS. Every command reachable from the menu bar. Toolbars and context menus supplement, not replace.

1. Context menus for secondary actions. Right-click or long-press, relevant to the item under the pointer. Never put a command only in a context menu.

1. Pop-up buttons for mutually exclusive choices. Select exactly one option from a set.

1. Pull-down buttons for action lists. No current selection; they offer a set of commands.

1. Action buttons consolidate related actions behind a single icon in toolbars or title bars.

1. Disclosure controls for progressive disclosure. Show or hide additional content.

1. Dock menus: short and focused on the most useful actions when the app is running.

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