File Tree

Last updated: October 15, 2026

An animated, fully keyboard-navigable file tree with expand/collapse height animation and typeahead.

Installation

npx smoothui-cli add file-tree

Features

Recursive items data structure with files and folders
Controlled and uncontrolled expanded state and selection
Height-animated expand/collapse with a rotating chevron
Optional vertical guide lines connecting nested levels (showLines)
Full keyboard navigation with roving tabindex and typeahead
Custom per-item icons and badges
Respects prefers-reduced-motion

Accessibility

ARIA Attributes

Attribute	Element	Purpose
`role="tree"`	Root container	Identifies the widget as a tree
`role="treeitem"`	Each row	Identifies a selectable/expandable node
`role="group"`	Children wrapper	Groups a folder's nested items
`aria-expanded`	Folder rows only	Whether the folder's children are visible
`aria-level`	Each row	Depth of the node within the tree
`aria-selected`	Each row	Whether the node is the current selection

Keyboard

Key	Action
`Arrow Down` / `Arrow Up`	Move focus to the next/previous visible node
`Arrow Right`	Expand a collapsed folder, or move into its first child
`Arrow Left`	Collapse an expanded folder, or move to its parent
`Home` / `End`	Jump to the first/last visible node
`Enter` / `Space`	Select the focused node
Letter key	Jump to the next visible node starting with that letter

Only one node is in the tab sequence at a time (roving tabindex); arrow keys move a virtual focus that screen readers announce via aria-level, aria-expanded and aria-selected.
Nested children are wrapped in role="group" so their depth and relationship to the parent folder are announced correctly.

Reduced Motion

When prefers-reduced-motion is enabled, folders expand and collapse instantly with no height transition, and the chevron snaps to its rotated state instead of animating.