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sidebar_position: 4
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# Menus

It is possible to add an application menu to Wails projects. This is achieved by defining a [Menu](#menu) struct and
setting the [`Menu`](/docs/reference/options#menu) option, or by calling the runtime method [MenuSetApplicationMenu](/docs/reference/runtime/menu#menusetapplicationmenu).

It is also possible to dynamically update the menu, by updating the menu struct and calling
[MenuUpdateApplicationMenu](/docs/reference/runtime/menu#menuupdateapplicationmenu).

Example:

```go
	myMenu := menu.NewMenuFromItems(
		menu.SubMenu("File", menu.NewMenuFromItems(
			menu.Text("&Open", keys.CmdOrCtrl("o"), openFile),
			menu.Separator(),
			menu.Text("Quit", keys.CmdOrCtrl("q"), func(_ *menu.CallbackData) {
				runtime.Quit()
			}),
		)),
    )

    runtime.MenuSetApplicationMenu(myMenu)

```

The example above uses helper methods, however it's possible to build the menu structs manually.

## Menu

A Menu is a collection of MenuItems:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu"
type Menu struct {
	Items []*MenuItem
}
```

For the Application menu, each MenuItem represents a single menu such as "Edit".

A simple helper method is provided for building menus:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu"
func NewMenuFromItems(first *MenuItem, rest ...*MenuItem) *Menu
```

This makes the layout of the code more like that of a menu without the need to add the menu items manually after creating them.
Alternatively, you can just create the menu items and add them to the menu manually.

## MenuItem

A MenuItem represents an item within a Menu.

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu"
// MenuItem represents a menu item contained in a menu
type MenuItem struct {
	Label string
	Role Role
	Accelerator *keys.Accelerator
	Type Type
	Disabled bool
	Hidden bool
	Checked bool
	SubMenu *Menu
	Click Callback
}
```

| Field            | Type                               | Notes                                                 |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Label            | string                             | The menu text                                         |
| Accelerator      | [\*keys.Accelerator](#accelerator) | Key binding for this menu item                        |
| Type             | [Type](#type)                      | Type of MenuItem                                      |
| Disabled         | bool                               | Disables the menu item                                |
| Hidden           | bool                               | Hides this menu item                                  |
| Checked          | bool                               | Adds check to item (Checkbox & Radio types)           |
| SubMenu          | [\*Menu](#menu)                    | Sets the submenu                                      |
| Click            | [Callback](#callback)              | Callback function when menu clicked                   |
| Role             | string                             | Defines a [role](#roles) for this menu item. Mac only for now.           |

### Accelerator

Accelerators (sometimes called keyboard shortcuts) define a binding between a keystroke and a menu item. Wails defines
an Accelerator as a combination or key + [Modifier](#modifier). They are available in the `"github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu/keys"` package.

Example:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu/keys"
    // Defines cmd+o on Mac and ctrl-o on Window/Linux
    myShortcut := keys.CmdOrCtrl("o")
```

Keys are any single character on a keyboard with the exception of `+`, which is defined as `plus`.
Some keys cannot be represented as characters so there are a set of named characters that may be used:

- `backspace`
- `tab`
- `return`
- `enter`
- `escape`
- `left`
- `right`
- `up`
- `down`
- `space`
- `delete`
- `home`
- `end`
- `page up`
- `page down`
- `f1`
- `f2`
- `f3`
- `f4`
- `f5`
- `f6`
- `f7`
- `f8`
- `f9`
- `f10`
- `f11`
- `f12`
- `f13`
- `f14`
- `f15`
- `f16`
- `f17`
- `f18`
- `f19`
- `f20`
- `f21`
- `f22`
- `f23`
- `f24`
- `f25`
- `f26`
- `f27`
- `f28`
- `f29`
- `f30`
- `f31`
- `f32`
- `f33`
- `f34`
- `f35`
- `numlock`

Wails also supports parsing accelerators using the same syntax as Electron. This is useful for storing accelerators in
config files.

Example:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu/keys"
    // Defines cmd+o on Mac and ctrl-o on Window/Linux
    myShortcut, err := keys.Parse("Ctrl+Option+A")
```

#### Modifier

The following modifiers are keys that may be used in combination with the accelerator key:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu/keys"
const (
	// CmdOrCtrlKey represents Command on Mac and Control on other platforms
	CmdOrCtrlKey Modifier = "cmdorctrl"
	// OptionOrAltKey represents Option on Mac and Alt on other platforms
	OptionOrAltKey Modifier = "optionoralt"
	// ShiftKey represents the shift key on all systems
	ShiftKey Modifier = "shift"
	// ControlKey represents the control key on all systems
	ControlKey Modifier = "ctrl"
)
```
A number of helper methods are available to create Accelerators using modifiers:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu/keys"
func CmdOrCtrl(key string) *Accelerator
func OptionOrAlt(key string) *Accelerator
func Shift(key string) *Accelerator
func Control(key string) *Accelerator
```

Modifiers can be combined using `keys.Combo(key string, modifier1 Modifier, modifier2 Modifier, rest ...Modifier)`:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu/keys"
    // Defines "Ctrl+Option+A" on Mac and "Ctrl+Alt+A" on Window/Linux
    myShortcut := keys.Combo("a", ControlKey, OptionOrAltKey)
```

### Type

Each menu item must have a type and there are 5 types available:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu"
const (
	TextType Type = "Text"
	SeparatorType Type = "Separator"
	SubmenuType Type = "Submenu"
	CheckboxType Type = "Checkbox"
	RadioType Type = "Radio"
)
```

For convenience, helper methods are provided to quickly create a menu item:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu"
func Text(label string, accelerator *keys.Accelerator, click Callback) *MenuItem
func Separator() *MenuItem
func Radio(label string, selected bool, accelerator *keys.Accelerator, click Callback) *MenuItem
func Checkbox(label string, checked bool, accelerator *keys.Accelerator, click Callback) *MenuItem
func SubMenu(label string, menu *Menu) *MenuItem
```

A note on radio groups: A radio group is defined as a number of radio menu items that are next to each other in the menu.
This means that you do not need to group items together as it is automatic. However, that also means you cannot have 2
radio groups next to each other - there must be a non-radio item between them.

### Callback

Each menu item may have a callback that is executed when the item is clicked:

```go title="Package: github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/menu"
type Callback func(*CallbackData)

type CallbackData struct {
	MenuItem    *MenuItem
}
```

The function is given a `CallbackData` struct which indicates which menu item triggered the callback. This is useful when
using radio groups that may share a callback.

### Role

:::info Roles

  Roles are currently supported on Mac only.

:::

A menu item may have a role, which is essentially a pre-defined menu item. We currently support the following roles:

| Role | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| AppMenuRole | The standard Mac application menu. Can be created using `menu.AppMenu()` |
| EditMenuRole | The standard Mac edit menu. Can be created using `menu.EditMenu()` |

