Tooltip¶

Tooltips provide consice supplementary information when users hover over or focus on a UI element, typically buttons or icons.

Usage ---¶

Tooltips are overlay components that briefly appear over other content to provide additional context. They are triggered by hover or focus, making them particularly useful for desktop interactions. Since tooltips are temporary and generally not accessible on touch devices, they should not contain critical or primary information.

When to use¶

• To clarify an element’s function or provide extra context for icons or buttons.
• For supplementary, non-essential information only.

Best practices¶

• Keep text brief.
• Text should rarely exceed min. width of tooltip display box.
• Tooltips are display-only and must not contain clickable elements.
• Use sparingly. Avoid overloading the interface with too many tooltips.
• Use tooltips only on interactive, keyboard-focusable elements to ensure accessibility.
• When implementing tooltips on touch devices, ensure they appear on tap and that this interaction does not conflict with other functionalities.

Design ---¶

Elements¶

1. Container, 2. Text content, 3. Tip

Placement¶

Four position options are available: top, end, bottom and start. Besides that, auto option may be used to detect a position that fits the component on the screen.

Alternatives to tooltips¶

Tooltips are temporary, implicit interactions that can interrupt the user’s flow. Because of these limitations, tooltips should be considered a last resort. Consider these strategies instead:

Reevaluate the need for tooltips¶

Consider whether the tooltip is actually needed. Avoid using them to repeat information that users can easily access.

The right time and place¶

Think about where and when information will be most useful to users. Place key details directly on the interface in a clear, accessible spot, ensuring information is available at the right moment.

Use disclosures¶

Leverage expandable elements like dropdowns, accordions, or show/hide buttons to reveal additional information as needed, providing deeper context only when required.

Use intuitive icons and labels¶

Tooltips should only replace labels for universally understood icons (e.g., edit, share). For complex or less intuitive icons, always display labels. If space is limited, ensure the legend is accessible elsewhere for users to understand the meaning.

Use popovers¶

For information that needs detailed explanation, use popovers, which are triggered explicitly and can hold more content.

Code ---¶

Usage¶

Use siTooltip directive to display the tooltip.

import { SiTooltipDirective } from '@siemens/element-ng/tooltip';

@Component({
  imports: [SiTooltipDirective, ...]
})