Nested menus can be a UX challenge, especially when the entire menu closes inadvertently while trying to hover over a nested menu. However, Costa Alexoglou has come up with a straightforward solution using SVG and mouse tracking to prevent this issue.

The concept of the “safe triangle” solves the problem of nested menus closing unintentionally. While there have been various approaches to tackle this issue, Costa Alexoglou’s method is relatively simple. He uses SVG and tracks the user’s mouse position to ensure that nested menus stay open.

Using hover interactions for menus can be problematic since not all devices have a mouse or pointer. Click or tap interactions are often considered better alternatives. For example, Amazon’s main navigation requires clicks to open both the main menu and nested menus.

Despite the debate between hover and tap interactions, hover interactions have their appeal as they save users from extra clicks. This article aims to address this issue by presenting a practical solution based on examples from other platforms.

The solution involves using safe triangles, a concept popularized by Amazon. Other platforms like VS Code and macOS also implement safe triangles in their menus. Costa Alexoglou discovered these examples and used them as inspiration for his own implementation.

The article provides a step-by-step breakdown of how to implement safe triangles in nested menus. It involves using SVG to draw the safe triangle and the CSS pointer-events property to ensure that the nested menu stays open as long as the cursor is within the safe area.

While the solution presented in the article is relatively simple, there are some limitations. For example, it may not capture diagonal movements of the cursor or may not be suitable for all menu designs. However, these limitations can be addressed with additional creative solutions.

In conclusion, nested menus that reveal on hover can be a challenging UX issue. Costa Alexoglou’s solution using safe triangles and mouse tracking offers a practical approach to prevent nested menus from closing inadvertently. Whether to use hover or click interactions for menus depends on the specific use case and the trade-off between usability and user experience.