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
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Menus should be contextual and predictable. Standard items in standard locations. Follow platform conventions for ordering and grouping.
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Use standard button styles. System-defined styles communicate affordance and maintain visual consistency. Prefer them over custom designs.
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Toolbars for frequent actions. Most commonly used commands in the toolbar. Rarely used actions belong in menus.
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Menu bar is the primary command interface on macOS. Every command reachable from the menu bar. Toolbars and context menus supplement, not replace.
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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.
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Pop-up buttons for mutually exclusive choices. Select exactly one option from a set.
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Pull-down buttons for action lists. No current selection; they offer a set of commands.