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ASP Digital Design System

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Accordion

The accordion component lets users show and hide sections of related content on a page.  

The component loads with all sections hidden. To show a section, the user can interact anywhere in the heading button.   

Open this example in a new tab: accordion

<details class="asp-accordion">
  <summary class="asp-accordion__summary">
    <span class="asp-accordion__title">
      <span class="asp-accordion__function">Accordion summary</span>
      <span class="asp-accordion__chevron" aria-hidden="true">
        <span class="asp-accordion__text--hide">Hide </span>
        <span class="asp-accordion__text--show">Show </span>
      </span>
    </span>
  </summary>
  <div class="asp-accordion__content">
    <p>Accordion content (html) with a <a href="#">link</a>.</p>
  </div>
</details>
Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name Type Description
summary string Required. The accordion summary text.
content string Required. The accordion component content. See content.

Options for content

Name Type Description
html string Required. HTML for the accordion component content. If 'html' is provided, the 'text' parameter will be ignored.
text string Required. Text for the accordion component content. If 'html' is provided, the 'text' parameter will be ignored. 
{% from "components/accordion/macro.njk" import aspAccordion %}


{{ aspAccordion({
  summary: "Accordion summary",
  content: {
    html: "<p>Accordion content (html) with a <a href=</span>"#">link</a>.</p>"
  }
}) }}
Twig macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name Type Description
summary string Required. The accordion summary text.
content string Required. The accordion component content. See content.

Options for content

Name Type Description
html string Required. HTML for the accordion component content. If 'html' is provided, the 'text' parameter will be ignored.
text string Required. Text for the accordion component content. If 'html' is provided, the 'text' parameter will be ignored. 
{% from "components/accordion/macro.njk" import aspAccordion %}


{{ aspAccordion({
  summary: "Accordion summary",
  content: {
    html: "<p>Accordion content (html) with a <a href=</span>"#">link</a>.</p>"
  }
}) }}

Name Type Description
HeaderText string Required. This is a text input for the component header text shown.
BodyHTMLText string Required. This is a text input for the component body text shown when expanded.
BodyTextSize number Required. Number input for body text size.
DarkMode boolean Required. Input to determine if the component should be dark mode or not. Set by named formula variable varDarkMode.
TextBoxHeight string Required. This is an output property which is then used as the component Height property for example cmp_ASP_Accordian.TextBoxHeight.

When to use this component

Use an accordion to help users: 

  • see an overview of multiple, related sections of content 

  • choose to show and hide sections that are relevant to them 

  • look across information that might otherwise be on different pages

 

For example, an accordion can work well if the user needs to reveal and compare information that’s relevant to them. 

When not to use this component

Accordions hide content from the user. Not all users will notice them or understand how they work. For this reason, you should only use them in specific situations and if user research supports it. 

Do not use an accordion for content that all users need to see. 

Test your content without an accordion first. Well-written and structured content can remove the need to use an accordion. 

It’s usually better to: 

  • simplify and reduce the amount of content 

  • keep the content on a single page, separated by headings 

  • use a list of links at the start of the page (known as ‘anchor links’) to take the user to particular sections of a page

 

Accordions work best for simple content and links. Do not use accordions to split up a series of questions. Use separate pages instead. 

Do not put accordions within accordions, as it will make content difficult to find. 

Example of where we have used this component

This component is used on: 

  • Public-facing website 

  • Pocketbook

 

This list is not exhaustive.  

Status of development

The below criteria all need to be met for a component to be considered as fully developed for use within the ASP Digital Design System.

Development criteria Status
WCAG 2.2 compliant Not started
WCAG 2.1 compliant Completed
HTML / Nunjucks version Completed
Figma version Not started
M365 versions Not started
Documentation In progress

Make a change to the Design System

Suggest an edit to this system, or any of the components in it, by submitting a Design System change request.

Published 3 May 2024
Last updated 12 June 2026