Nested drawer menu in react-native
Tags: reactnative, android, ios, react
Published: 2020-12-04 07:42:48

Create a react-native app with a nested multi-level drawer menu.
In this article, we'll use [react-navigation](https://reactnavigation.org/) to manage the drawer menu.

The code of the whole app build here is available at [https://github.com/Merlier/rn_example_menu_drawer_nested.git](https://github.com/Merlier/rn_example_menu_drawer_nested.git)

Note: The app.js show here is simplified. To code cleanly you have to export all your navigation and screen functions in separated jsx files.

## Get started

Requirements:
* react-native >= 0.60

First just init a new react-native project:

```bash
$ npx react-native init rn_example_menu_drawer_nested
```

Install the react-navigation module:

```bash
$ npm install --save @react-navigation/native
```

```bash
$ npm install --save react-native-reanimated react-native-gesture-handler react-native-screens react-native-safe-area-context @react-native-community/masked-view
```

Add the thwo screens Home and Settings by modifying the app.js:

```javascript
/**
 * Sample React Native App
 * https://github.com/facebook/react-native
 *
 * @format
 * @flow strict-local
 */

import 'react-native-gesture-handler';
import React from 'react';
import {StyleSheet, View, Text} from 'react-native';
import {NavigationContainer} from '@react-navigation/native';
import {createStackNavigator} from '@react-navigation/stack';

function HomeScreen() {
  return (
    <View style={{flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center'}}>
      <Text>Home Screen</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

function SettingsScreen() {
  return (
    <View style={{flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center'}}>
      <Text>Settings Screen</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

const Stack = createStackNavigator();

const App: () => React$Node = () => {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator>
        <Stack.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
        <Stack.Screen name="Settings" component={SettingsScreen} />
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
};

const styles = StyleSheet.create({});

export default App;

```

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/q1dtsb0uzynisxaefk3w.png)

## Just a simple drawer

We will now build a simple drawer menu.
First install the corresponding drawer module:

```bash
$ npm install --save @react-navigation/drawer
```

Add the drawerItemsMain.js which will contain all the drawer route definition:

```javascript
export const drawerItemsMain = [
  {
    key: 'Home',
    title: 'Home',
    route: {nav: 'MainDrawer', routeName: 'Home', title: 'Home'},
  },
  {
    key: 'Settings',
    title: 'Settings',
    route: {nav: 'MainDrawer', routeName: 'Settings', title: 'Settings'},
  },
];

```

Create the CustomDrawerContent.js to make the rendering of our custom drawer:

```javascript
import React from 'react';
import {
  StyleSheet,
  ScrollView,
  View,
  Text,
  TouchableOpacity,
  SafeAreaView,
  Image,
} from 'react-native';

function CustomDrawerContent(props) {
  const onItemPress = (key) => {
    const filteredMainDrawerRoutes = props.drawerItems.find((e) => {
      return e.key === key;
    });
    const selectedRoute = filteredMainDrawerRoutes.route;
    props.navigation.toggleDrawer();
    props.navigation.navigate(selectedRoute.nav, {
      screen: selectedRoute.routeName,
    });
  };

  const logOut = async () => console.log('log out');

  function renderMainDrawer() {
    return (
      <View>
        {props.drawerItems.map((parent) => (
          <View key={parent.key}>
            <TouchableOpacity
              key={parent.key}
              testID={parent.key}
              onPress={() => {
                onItemPress(parent.key);
              }}>
              <View style={styles.parentItem}>
                <Text style={[styles.icon, styles.title]}>{parent.title}</Text>
              </View>
            </TouchableOpacity>
          </View>
        ))}
        {renderLogoutBtn()}
      </View>
    );
  }

  function renderLogoutBtn() {
    return (
      <View>
        <TouchableOpacity onPress={logOut} testID="customDrawer-logout">
          <View style={styles.parentItem}>
            <Text style={styles.title}>{'Log out'}</Text>
          </View>
        </TouchableOpacity>
      </View>
    );
  }

  return (
    <ScrollView style={styles.drawerContainer}>
      <SafeAreaView
        style={styles.container}
        forceInset={{top: 'always', horizontal: 'never'}}>
        <View style={styles.centered}>
          <Image
            source={{uri: 'https://reactjs.org/logo-og.png'}}
            style={styles.logo}
          />
        </View>
        {renderMainDrawer()}
      </SafeAreaView>
    </ScrollView>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  headerContainer: {
    height: 100,
    flexDirection: 'row',
    paddingVertical: 28,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  logo: {
    width: 100,
    height: 75,
  },
  drawerContainer: {
    backgroundColor: '#222222',
  },
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    zIndex: 1000,
  },
  centered: {
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  parentItem: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
    alignItems: 'center',
    borderBottomWidth: 1,
    borderBottomColor: '#F0F0F0',
    paddingTop: 4,
    paddingBottom: 4,
  },
  title: {
    margin: 16,
    fontWeight: 'bold',
    color: '#F0F0F0',
    textAlign: 'center',
  },
});

export default CustomDrawerContent;

```

Then just add a CustomHeader.js to make your custom header:

```javascript
import React from 'react';
import {
  StyleSheet,
  TouchableOpacity,
  View,
  Text,
  SafeAreaView,
} from 'react-native';
import {DrawerActions} from '@react-navigation/native';

function CustomHeader(props) {
  const toggleDrawer = () =>
    props.navigation.dispatch(DrawerActions.toggleDrawer());

  return (
    <SafeAreaView>
      <View style={styles.headerContainer}>
        <View style={styles.headerLeft}>
          <TouchableOpacity
            onPress={toggleDrawer}
            style={styles.leftButton}
            testID="CustomHeader-toggleDrawer">
            <Text style={styles.buttonTxt}>MENU</Text>
          </TouchableOpacity>
        </View>
        <View style={styles.header}>
          <Text style={styles.headerTxt}>HEADER</Text>
        </View>
      </View>
    </SafeAreaView>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  headerContainer: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
    justifyContent: 'space-around',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#222222',
    minHeight: 40,
  },
  headerLeft: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
  },
  leftButton: {
    marginLeft: 10,
  },
  header: {
    flex: 1,
    flexDirection: 'row',
    justifyContent: 'center',
    paddingRight: 40,
  },
  buttonTxt: {
    color: '#ddd',
    fontWeight: 'bold',
  },
  headerTxt: {
    color: '#ddd',
  },
});

export default CustomHeader;

```

Modify the app.js like this:
```javascript

...

import {createDrawerNavigator} from '@react-navigation/drawer';

import {drawerItemsMain} from './drawerItemsMain';
import CustomDrawerContent from './CustomDrawerContent.js';
import CustomHeader from './CustomHeader';

const Drawer = createDrawerNavigator();

...

function MainDrawerNavigation() {
  return (
    <Drawer.Navigator
      initialRouteName="Home"
      drawerContent={(props) => (
        <CustomDrawerContent drawerItems={drawerItemsMain} {...props} />
      )}>
      <Drawer.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
      <Drawer.Screen name="Settings" component={SettingsScreen} />
    </Drawer.Navigator>
  );
}

const App: () => React$Node = () => {
  return (
    <NavigationContainer>
      <Stack.Navigator
        screenOptions={{
          headerMode: 'screen',
          headerTintColor: '#404554',
          headerTitleStyle: {
            fontWeight: 'bold',
          },
          header: (props) => {
            return <CustomHeader {...props} />;
          },
        }}>
        <Stack.Screen name="MainDrawer" component={MainDrawerNavigation} />
      </Stack.Navigator>
    </NavigationContainer>
  );
};

...

```

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/7nmu5w5hekyaj0xijctq.png)

## Finally a nested multi-level drawer

Modify the draweritemsMain.js like this:
```javascript
export const drawerItemsMain = [
  {
    key: 'Home',
    title: 'Home',
    routes: [{nav: 'MainDrawer', routeName: 'Home', title: 'Home'}],
  },
  {
    key: 'Settings',
    title: 'Settings',
    routes: [
      {nav: 'MainDrawer', routeName: 'Settings1', title: 'Settings 1'},
      {nav: 'MainDrawer', routeName: 'Settings2', title: 'Settings 2'},
    ],
  },
];

```

the CustomDrawerContent.js like this:

```javascript
import React, {useState, useRef, useEffect} from 'react';
import {
  StyleSheet,
  ScrollView,
  View,
  Text,
  TouchableOpacity,
  SafeAreaView,
  Image,
} from 'react-native';

function CustomDrawerContent(props) {
  const [mainDrawer, setMainDrawer] = useState(true);
  const [filteredItems, setFilteredItems] = useState([]);

  const toggleMainDrawer = () => {
    setMainDrawer(true);
    setFilteredItems([]);
  };

  const onItemParentPress = (key) => {
    const filteredMainDrawerRoutes = props.drawerItems.find((e) => {
      return e.key === key;
    });
    if (filteredMainDrawerRoutes.routes.length === 1) {
      const selectedRoute = filteredMainDrawerRoutes.routes[0];
      props.navigation.toggleDrawer();
      props.navigation.navigate(selectedRoute.nav, {
        screen: selectedRoute.routeName,
      });
    } else {
      setMainDrawer(false);
      setFilteredItems(filteredMainDrawerRoutes);
    }
  };

  const logOut = async () => console.log('log out');

  function renderMainDrawer() {
    return (
      <View>
        {props.drawerItems.map((parent) => (
          <View key={parent.key}>
            <TouchableOpacity
              key={parent.key}
              testID={parent.key}
              onPress={() => {
                onItemParentPress(parent.key);
              }}>
              <View style={styles.parentItem}>
                <Text style={[styles.icon, styles.title]}>{parent.title}</Text>
              </View>
            </TouchableOpacity>
          </View>
        ))}
        {renderLogoutBtn()}
      </View>
    );
  }

  function renderFilteredItemsDrawer() {
    return (
      <View>
        <TouchableOpacity
          onPress={() => toggleMainDrawer()}
          style={styles.backButtonRow}>
          <Text style={[styles.backButtonText, styles.title]}>{'BACK'}</Text>
        </TouchableOpacity>
        {filteredItems.routes.map((route) => {
          return (
            <TouchableOpacity
              key={route.routeName}
              testID={route.routeName}
              onPress={() =>
                props.navigation.navigate(route.nav, {
                  screen: route.routeName,
                })
              }
              style={styles.item}>
              <Text style={styles.title}>{route.title}</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
          );
        })}
      </View>
    );
  }

  function renderLogoutBtn() {
    return (
      <View>
        <TouchableOpacity onPress={logOut} testID="customDrawer-logout">
          <View style={styles.parentItem}>
            <Text style={styles.title}>{'Log out'}</Text>
          </View>
        </TouchableOpacity>
      </View>
    );
  }

  return (
    <ScrollView style={styles.drawerContainer}>
      <SafeAreaView
        style={styles.container}
        forceInset={{top: 'always', horizontal: 'never'}}>
        <View style={styles.centered}>
          <Image
            source={{uri: 'https://reactjs.org/logo-og.png'}}
            style={styles.logo}
          />
        </View>
        {mainDrawer ? renderMainDrawer() : renderFilteredItemsDrawer()}
      </SafeAreaView>
    </ScrollView>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  headerContainer: {
    height: 100,
    flexDirection: 'row',
    paddingVertical: 28,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  logo: {
    width: 100,
    height: 75,
  },
  drawerContainer: {
    backgroundColor: '#222222',
  },
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    zIndex: 1000,
  },
  centered: {
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  parentItem: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
    alignItems: 'center',
    borderBottomWidth: 1,
    borderBottomColor: '#F0F0F0',
    paddingTop: 4,
    paddingBottom: 4,
  },
  title: {
    margin: 16,
    fontWeight: 'bold',
    color: '#F0F0F0',
    textAlign: 'center',
  },
  backButtonRow: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
    alignItems: 'center',
    paddingBottom: 17,
    paddingLeft: 3,
    borderBottomColor: '#F0F0F0',
    borderBottomWidth: 1,
  },
  backButtonText: {
    marginLeft: 10,
    color: '#F0F0F0',
  },
});

export default CustomDrawerContent;

```

Then we add two different settings screen in app.js:

```javascript
...

function Settings1Screen() {
  return (
    <View style={{flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center'}}>
      <Text>Settings 1 Screen</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

function Settings2Screen() {
  return (
    <View style={{flex: 1, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center'}}>
      <Text>Settings 2 Screen</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

function MainDrawerNavigation() {
  return (
    <Drawer.Navigator
      initialRouteName="Home"
      drawerContent={(props) => (
        <CustomDrawerContent drawerItems={drawerItemsMain} {...props} />
      )}>
      <Drawer.Screen name="Home" component={HomeScreen} />
      <Drawer.Screen name="Settings1" component={Settings1Screen} />
      <Drawer.Screen name="Settings2" component={Settings2Screen} />
    </Drawer.Navigator>
  );
}
```

```bash
$ npx react-native run-android
```

We have now a fully nested multi-level drawer in our react-native app! :)

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/iz9nytk8trvv18wyvap9.png)

Hope it will help you!
Have fun :)