Breadcrumbs are an essential navigation tool that helps users understand their location on a website. Drupal offers various breadcrumb modules, each with its unique features and functionalities. In this article, we will compare four popular Drupal breadcrumb modules: Easy Breadcrumb, Menu Breadcrumb, Current Page Crumb, and Crouton. We will discuss their features, use cases, and configurations, enabling you to make an informed decision when choosing the right module for your project.
| Feature | Easy Breadcrumb | Menu Breadcrumb | Current Page Crumb | Crouton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Include the current page title | ✅ (configurable) | ✅ (configurable) | ✅ | ✅ (configurable) |
| Use menu items for breadcrumbs | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Use URL structure for breadcrumbs | ✅ | Only if not in menu | ❌ | ❌ |
| Customizable front page segment | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Hide breadcrumb if only the front page link | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Include taxonomy hierarchy | ✅ (optional) | ✅ (optional) | ❌ | ❌ |
| Truncate maximum length of crumb title | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| JsonLD metadata for breadcrumbs | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Configurable admin path inclusion | ✅ | ❌ | Admin paths unmodified | ❌ |
| Aria-current="page" accessibility support | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Easy Breadcrumb
Easy Breadcrumb is a user-friendly module that automatically includes the current page title in the breadcrumb. It leverages the URL and page title to create breadcrumb segments, providing a simple yet customizable solution.
Key features:
- Works out of the box with customization options
- Compatible with Pathauto and Breadcrumb Extra field modules
- Offers various settings for inclusion/exclusion of segments and paths
- Allows truncating segment titles and using simple regex for title replacement
Use case: Ideal for projects that require minimal setup and customization, while still offering a robust breadcrumb solution.
Menu Breadcrumb
Menu Breadcrumb generates breadcrumbs based on parent menu titles. It provides more control over the menu-based breadcrumb structure, making it suitable for projects that rely heavily on menu organization.
Key features:
- Allows reordering and selection of menus for breadcrumb generation
- Supports appending the page title to breadcrumb (clickable or not)
- Hides breadcrumb if it only contains the front page link
- Generates breadcrumb from URL structure if the content is not in the menu
Use case: Perfect for websites with a strong menu structure, where breadcrumb navigation closely follows the menu hierarchy.
Current Page Crumb
Current Page Crumb is a lightweight module that extends the Drupal 8 core system breadcrumbs by appending the current page title as a text-only breadcrumb. It requires no configuration and does not modify admin paths.
Key features:
- Appends current page title as a text-only breadcrumb
- Simple installation process
- No configuration required
Use case: Suitable for projects that require a straightforward solution to include the current page title in the breadcrumb, without additional customization options.
Link: Current Page Crumb Drupal module
Crouton
Crouton replaces the default path-based breadcrumb builder with a menu-based alternative, offering maximum flexibility by using menu items for breadcrumb generation. This module provides various configuration options for greater control over breadcrumb display.
Key features:
- Processes active menu trail for the configured menu
- Decouples breadcrumb labels from target content
- Supports automatic aria-current="page" marking
- Configurable options for Home and current page links, disabled menu items, and structural-only menu items
Use case: Ideal for projects that require a highly customizable menu-based breadcrumb solution with enhanced accessibility features.
Link: Crouton Drupal module
Breadcrumb modules Drupal core compatibility
| Module Name | Drupal 7 | Drupal 8 | Drupal 9 | Drupal 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Breadcrumb | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Menu Breadcrumb | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Current Page Crumb | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Crouton | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Conclusion
Each of the four Drupal breadcrumb modules has its strengths and use cases. Easy Breadcrumb offers a simple, out-of-the-box solution, while Menu Breadcrumb is better suited for menu-centric websites. Current Page Crumb provides a no-frills approach to including the current page title in the breadcrumb, and Crouton delivers a highly customizable and accessible menu-based breadcrumb solution. Assess your project requirements and choose the module that best aligns with your needs for an optimized user experience.