Actions & selectionExplore · Adapt · Compose
Button Group
Groups related actions with shared borders and focus rings; nest groups for spacing; pair with Input, InputGroup, Dropdown, Select, and Popover (shadcn Button Group pattern). Make the next action easy to recognize. Use visual emphasis deliberately and distinguish an action from a persistent selection or a navigation link. Explore the live examples, inspect their source and choose the composition that fits your interface before connecting it to your application's data.
The examples use @/components/kamod-ui/button-group in a Preact project. Follow the live result and its source together: compare supported options in the API reference, refine presentation with the component styles guide, and use shared theme tokens for consistent colors and surfaces. Preserve keyboard behavior and meaningful labels as you replace the sample content.
In this guide 7 sections
Installation
Import ButtonGroup, ButtonGroupSeparator, and ButtonGroupText from @/components/kamod-ui/button-group.
pnpm add @kamod-ch/uiThe @/components/kamod-ui/… imports in these examples refer to local source files. Configure that alias when copying source, or use the corresponding exports from @kamod-ch/ui when installing the package. Connect the global theme CSS and Tailwind source detection before your first render.
Usage
Groups related actions with shared borders and focus rings; nest groups for spacing; pair with Input, InputGroup, Dropdown, Select, and Popover (shadcn Button Group pattern).
import { Button } from "@/components/kamod-ui/button"
import { ButtonGroup } from "@/components/kamod-ui/button-group";<ButtonGroup>
<Button>Button 1</Button>
<Button>Button 2</Button>
</ButtonGroup>Accessibility
Build the complete interaction, including the parts outside Button Group. The notes below distinguish the current implementation from the labels, content and behavior your application supplies. Start with the live preview, check the props and data reference, and test the finished composition with real content rather than assuming that an unchanged visual example covers every use case.
Built-in behavior and defaults
ButtonGroup is a grouping wrapper with role="group"; it does not turn its children into a toolbar with managed arrow-key focus. Each button or link retains its own behavior and tab stop.
Labels and relationships
Give the group a name when its relationship is not obvious from a nearby heading, and keep each action individually understandable. Do not repeat a long group description in every button name. Name icon-only actions even when adjacent buttons have visible text.
Keyboard and focus
Use Tab to visit child controls in document order. Choose explicit button types within forms. If the controls represent persistent choices, use ToggleGroup or RadioGroup instead of manually coloring ordinary buttons as selected.
States and integration details
Shared borders can hide an individual button's focus ring. Check each edge and the separators when controls wrap or become disabled. A compact group still needs practical pointer and touch targets.
Verify the complete interaction
Check behavior as well as markup. Work through these scenarios in the application where the component will be used. Automated checks can help find structural problems; also review the reading experience with a screen reader, keyboard focus and the actual feedback from your application.
- Tab through every available action and identify the focused control independently of its neighbors.
- Verify wrapping preserves logical order and does not separate icons from their labels.
- Check that disabled controls are actually unavailable and that the group name describes its purpose.
Recheck the result after changing theme tokens, translations or class overrides. Include text enlargement, narrow layouts and reduced-motion settings where animation is present. Inspect the component source when a behavior differs from your expectation; a role or state attribute does not implement keyboard interaction by itself.
For background, read the WAI-ARIA authoring guidance and keyboard interface guidance. These explain the patterns; verify browser and assistive-technology behavior for the implementation and audience you actually support.
Component examples & variants
Explore Button Group in different contexts, from the starting pattern to the compositions below. Begin with Button group vs toggle group, then compare the examples that match your content, state and layout. These are working patterns to adapt, not a list of interchangeable variant values: check the API reference before using a prop or combining behaviors. Look at the surrounding labels, supporting text and spacing as well as the component itself.
Read the result and its implementation together. Use each showcase’s Code view to inspect imports and composition, or its Prompt view to prepare a setup or adaptation brief. Try the narrow preview and local theme controls before connecting real data, and use Reset to return an example to its initial state. Keep layout changes in class utilities where appropriate; follow the component styles guide for hierarchy and the theming guide for shared surfaces and colors. The accessibility notes explain what to preserve when making those changes.
Button group vs toggle group
Use ButtonGroup for actions (submit, navigate, open menus). Use a toggle group pattern when buttons represent exclusive or multi selection state — Kamod exposes separate primitives for that use case.
Group text
Optional label text before actions, or ButtonGroupText asChild with Label for form fields.
Orientation
Set orientation="vertical" for stacked controls (for example media + / −).
Size
Control density with each Button’s size prop (sm, default, lg, icon variants).
Nested
Nest ButtonGroup components to add gap between clusters while keeping flush joins inside each cluster.
Separator
Use ButtonGroupSeparator between solid (non-outline) buttons so the hierarchy stays clear. Outline buttons usually do not need a separator.
Split
Primary action plus a compact icon action, separated by ButtonGroupSeparator.
Input
Place a full-width Input beside a button; the group applies flex-1 to direct input children.
Input group
Pill-shaped bar with nested groups: icon button + InputGroup with addons (voice toggle example).
Dropdown
Split row: text button plus dropdown trigger sharing one continuous outline.
Select
Currency (or similar) Select next to an amount field and a send button.
Popover
Split control with a popover panel on the trailing chevron button.
Props and data
Configure Button Group using the contracts below. Read the documented options alongside the source definitions to understand which values your application supplies and which details the component owns. Start with a prop or helper, then follow its type link to inspect the declaration without leaving the page.
Props for ButtonGroup, ButtonGroupSeparator, and ButtonGroupText.
TypeScript source at build time. Props inherited through HTMLAttributes, Omit or variant helpers remain references in those declarations; their fields are not flattened here. Match the reference to your installed version, and check a package’s exports before writing an import type. A type exported by a source file is not necessarily re-exported by @kamod-ch/ui.TypeScriptComponent props
? means a field can be omitted; it does not promise a fallback value. Existing documented defaults remain alongside the descriptions. For callbacks, check the argument and return types before connecting your own state or services.Button Group
| Prop / type | Description |
|---|---|
orientation | Documented orientation option for Button Group. Check its type alongside the usage examples before supplying a value. Documented default |
class | Documented class option for Button Group. Check its type alongside the usage examples before supplying a value. Documented default |
Button Group Separator
| Prop / type | Description |
|---|---|
orientation | Documented orientation option for Button Group Separator. Check its type alongside the usage examples before supplying a value. Documented default |
class | Documented class option for Button Group Separator. Check its type alongside the usage examples before supplying a value. Documented default |
Button Group Text
| Prop / type | Description |
|---|---|
asChild | Documented asChild option for Button Group Text. Check its type alongside the usage examples before supplying a value. Documented default |
class | Documented class option for Button Group Text. Check its type alongside the usage examples before supplying a value. Documented default |
Data type reference
Expand a card to inspect and copy the exact declaration. The code header identifies its repository file; follow imported or inherited types in the implementation source when you need the complete dependency chain. Required-field summaries cover fields declared directly in that type. Source-only helpers and inferred schema outputs describe the local implementation, not additional props you can pass to every component.
ButtonGroupPropsButtonGroupSeparatorPropsButtonGroupTextPropsBuild it into your interface
Use the Button Group examples as a starting point, then review the behavior in the context of your own screen. Layout, state and content should work together.
Connect the behavior
Use an action label that describes the result. Within a form, choose button types deliberately so a secondary action does not submit accidentally. Use the supported selected or pressed state for persistent choices, and provide an accessible name for icon-only controls.
Copy the composition, then connect its intent. Replace sample records and callbacks with your own data flow. For options such as value, defaultValue, open or onChange, use only those documented in this component's API; different components expose different contracts.
Give each piece of state one owner. Keep a temporary selection inside the interface when nothing else needs it; lift shared values into a parent when other controls depend on them. Read the prop reference before combining controlled values with defaults. A default normally initializes a control; it is not a substitute for updating its current value.
Connect requests in an event handler or your application’s data layer, never as a side effect of rendering. Keep pending, completed and failed outcomes distinct, preserve useful input after an error, and offer a clear recovery action. If the integration subscribes to an external source, remove that subscription when its owner unmounts; cancel or ignore obsolete requests so an earlier response cannot replace newer results.
Start with the live preview, then exercise the same interaction with your actual data. The type definitions describe accepted values; they do not implement persistence, navigation or server-side validation for you. Keep those responsibilities in the application that composes the UI.
Refine the presentation
Let a parent own the surrounding spacing. Keep related elements together with gap and use semantic surface/foreground pairs so the composition follows the active theme. The wrapper below changes the surrounding layout without assuming extra props on Button Group.
import type { ComponentChildren } from "preact";
export function ExampleSurface({ children }: { children: ComponentChildren }) {
return (
<div class="grid min-w-0 gap-4 rounded-lg border border-border bg-card p-4 text-card-foreground sm:p-6">
{children}
</div>
);
}Put the chosen example inside ExampleSurface, then refine supported variants and sizes using the API above. For application-wide changes, adjust theme tokens instead of repeating fixed colors. See Component styles for hierarchy, density and focus treatments.
Review the complete interaction
- Check hover, focus, pressed and disabled states using both pointer and keyboard.
- For asynchronous actions, prevent duplicate submissions and show a useful pending label.
- Keep the primary action recognizable when labels wrap, text is enlarged or the theme changes.
The preview's narrow control changes its container width. Also resize the browser when checking viewport-based Tailwind utilities such as sm: and md:, and test overlays in the full page where their portals render.
Compose a complete interface
Button Group is one part of the interaction. Choose companion components for the information or actions that still need a place on the screen. The references below are suggestions to compose deliberately, not extra dependencies you must add to every example.
Keep one source of truth for the operation and let each component communicate a different part of it. For example, waiting, no results and failure need different explanations. Avoid showing contradictory states together, and keep recovery actions close to the message that explains them.
Start with the smallest composition that explains the task. Browse the component library for individual controls or the block collections for complete layouts. Reuse shared theme tokens so these pieces feel consistent in light and dark mode.
Sources & design references
Follow Button Group from its implementation to the ideas behind your own composition. Start with the local API, explore a visual direction, then bring the result back to your app’s shared styles.
Bring it back to your app
A reference becomes useful when it fits your real content. Work through these decisions in order:
- Keep the behavior grounded. Start with the interactive examples, then connect your data and callbacks using the integration guidance. Preserve labels, keyboard access and disabled states as you change the presentation.
- Make the styling repeatable. Use the styles guide for local
classadjustments and theming documentation for shared color decisions. Keep semantic surface and foreground pairs together in both light and dark mode. - Check the complete screen. See how components combine in the block collections, then try long labels, loading states and narrow layouts in your own composition. The Theme Toggle guide helps you expose a scheme switch in the finished interface.