Button and Icon Placement

This section covers best practices for adapting buttons, icons, and interactive UI elements to different scripts, accounting for cultural norms and layout directionality.

10.2.1 UI Mirroring for RTL Scripts

Challenge: In RTL scripts, the interface layout, including buttons and icons, needs to be flipped horizontally to maintain usability and cultural expectations.
Examples:
A "Back" button with a left-pointing arrow in English (LTR) should point right in Arabic (RTL).
Pagination controls must also flip: "Previous" on the left in LTR becomes "Previous" on the right in RTL.

Use logical CSS properties for padding and alignment:

.button {
padding-inline-start: 1em; /* Adapts to LTR/RTL */
}

Flip icons dynamically for RTL layouts:

[dir="rtl"] .icon {
transform: scaleX(-1); /* Flips the icon */
}

10.2.2 Text Alignment in Buttons

Challenge: Text alignment within buttons must match the reading direction of the script.
Examples:
In LTR scripts, text aligns left by default.
In RTL scripts like Arabic or Hebrew, button text aligns to the right.

Use text-align with direction-aware properties:

.button {
text-align: start; /* Adapts to LTR/RTL */
}

10.2.3 Iconography for Cultural Context

Challenge: Icons are not always universally understood and may need localization based on cultural norms.
Examples:
A mailbox icon for "email" may look unfamiliar in some regions where postal mailboxes are rare.
The checkmark symbol for "done" or "completed" might not be universally understood (e.g., some cultures use a circle or tick instead).
Localize icons where appropriate, or use universally recognized symbols. For example:
Use a globe icon for "language" instead of a flag.
Replace unclear icons with explanatory text or tooltips.

10.2.4 Interaction Design for RTL and LTR

Challenge: Button placement and sequencing must respect the reading order of the script.
Examples:
A dialog box with "Cancel" on the left and "OK" on the right in LTR scripts should reverse this order in RTL scripts.

Use flexbox with row-reverse for RTL layouts:

.button-group {
display: flex;
flex-direction: row;
}
[dir="rtl"] .button-group {
flex-direction: row-reverse;
}

10.2.5 Padding and Sizing Adjustments

Challenge: Scripts like Arabic often need slightly larger buttons due to longer phrases or more complex glyphs.
Examples:
A "Submit" button in English may translate to "إرسال الطلب" (meaning "Send Request") in Arabic, requiring a larger button.

Use responsive sizing and padding to adjust dynamically:

.button {
padding: 0.5em 1em;
}
[lang="ar"] .button {
padding: 0.7em 1.2em; /* Adjust for Arabic */
}

10.2.6 Icon Placement in Buttons

Challenge: Buttons with icons must ensure that the icon placement aligns with the text direction.
Examples:
A button with a right-pointing arrow for "Next" in LTR scripts should have a left-pointing arrow in RTL.

Dynamically adjust icon placement with flexbox and order:

.icon-button {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
}
.icon-button .icon {
order: 1; /* Default for LTR */
margin-right: 0.5em;
}
[dir="rtl"] .icon-button .icon {
order: -1; /* Flip order for RTL */
margin-left: 0.5em;
margin-right: 0;
}

10.2.7 Accessible Buttons and Icons

Challenge: Buttons and icons must be accessible, including proper labeling and focus indicators.
Examples:
A button with only an icon (e.g., a magnifying glass for "search") should include accessible text for screen readers.

Use aria-label or visually hidden text for accessibility:

<button aria-label="Search">
<span class="icon">🔍</span>
</button>