What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

Bootstrap breadcrumbs use a labeled <nav>, a .breadcrumb list, and .breadcrumb-item entries to show a page’s position in a site hierarchy. Link the ancestor pages and mark the current page with aria-current="page":

<nav aria-label="breadcrumb">
  <ol class="breadcrumb">
    <li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="/">Home</a></li>
    <li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="/library">Library</a></li>
    <li class="breadcrumb-item active" aria-current="page">Data</li>
  </ol>
</nav>

This pattern follows the Bootstrap v5.3 breadcrumb component. Bootstrap supplies the separator through CSS, so you do not need to add slash characters between list items.

Label the navigation and identify the current page

The aria-label="breadcrumb" on <nav> gives the navigation region a meaningful name. On the final list item, aria-current="page" identifies the page the visitor is viewing. Use links for navigable ancestors; the current page is presented as the active, non-linked item.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Bootstrap’s component guidance provides this accessible markup pattern, but Bootstrap does not make a page accessible automatically. Authors remain responsible for the quality of the markup, styling, and scripting. The component documentation links to the WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices breadcrumb pattern for additional guidance.

Change the Bootstrap breadcrumb separator

Bootstrap’s default divider is a slash generated by a CSS pseudo-element. The v5.3 docs demonstrate three ways to adjust it:

  • Text divider: Set --bs-breadcrumb-divider on the navigation element. For example, <nav aria-label="breadcrumb" style="--bs-breadcrumb-divider: '>';"> changes the separator to a greater-than sign. This local CSS custom property does not require recompiling Bootstrap CSS.
  • SVG divider: Use an SVG as the divider value when you want a custom graphic. If placing SVG data in a CSS custom property, correctly URL-encode or escape reserved characters.
  • No divider: The component docs also show how to remove the separator when the design calls for one.

For projects that build Bootstrap from Sass, customize $breadcrumb-divider instead. The custom-property approach is convenient for a local change; the Sass variable is suited to a build workflow where the framework CSS is compiled with project-specific settings. See the component documentation for the exact text, SVG, and no-divider examples.

Rank #2
Sale
HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites
  • HTML CSS Design and Build Web Sites
  • Comes with secure packaging
  • It can be a gift option

What changed from older Bootstrap breadcrumb styling

Bootstrap’s v5 migration notes describe a simplified default breadcrumb appearance: padding, background color, and border radius were removed. They also document the CSS custom property for changing the divider without recompiling CSS. Breadcrumb CSS variables were added in Bootstrap 5.2.0. If you are adapting older Bootstrap examples, check their styles rather than assuming their former background and spacing are still defaults. See the Bootstrap v5.3 migration notes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Optional breadcrumb examples

The basic component is enough for a hierarchy trail. Bootstrap also publishes a breadcrumbs example with extensions such as custom icons and stepper components. Those are optional design patterns, not requirements for a standard breadcrumb.

This guide follows Bootstrap’s v5.3 documentation; the cited material does not establish a newer 2026 Bootstrap release. The Bootstrap v5.3 Examples index provides the broader collection of downloadable examples.

Rank #4
Sale
Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery Set
  • Brand: Wiley
  • Set of 2 Volumes
  • A handy two-book set that uniquely combines related technologies Highly visual format and accessible language makes these books highly effective learning tools Perfect for beginning web designers and front-end developers

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.