You can define menu links in modulename.links.menu.yml:
example.admin:
title: 'Example settings'
description: 'Manage example settings for your site'
parent: system.admin_config_development
route_name: example.admin
weight: 100
route_parameters: { key: 'value' }
#If menu_name is omitted, the "Tools" menu will be used.
menu_name: devel
options:
attributes:
target: _blank
Additionally, hook_menu_links_discovered_alter() can be used to dynamically generate new and alter existing links.
Local tasks are what generate the tabs on top of pages.
You can define static tasks by specifying in modulename.links.task.yml:
For example, the block_content module defines the following local tasks:
entity.block_content.collection:
title: 'Custom block library'
route_name: entity.block_content.collection
base_route: block.admin_display
block_content.list_sub:
title: Blocks
route_name: entity.block_content.collection
parent_id: entity.block_content.collection
entity.block_content_type.collection:
title: Block types
route_name: entity.block_content_type.collection
parent_id: entity.block_content.collection
weight: 1
The above code adds the Custom block library tab as a top-level tab, and Blocks and Block types as sub-navigation to the Custom block library tab.
Actions define operations to add to the admin panel.
You can define static actions using modulename.links.action.yml.
For example, the menu_ui module defines the following actions:
entity.menu.add_link_form:
route_name: entity.menu.add_link_form
title: 'Add link'
class: \Drupal\menu_ui\Plugin\Menu\LocalAction\MenuLinkAdd
appears_on:
- entity.menu.edit_form
entity.menu.add_form:
route_name: entity.menu.add_form
title: 'Add menu'
appears_on:
- entity.menu.collection
The above code adds an Add menu button to the menu page and an Add link button to the drop-down button for the individual menus.
Contextual links provide contextual operations to users on the frontend.
You can define contextual links using modulename.links.contextual.yml.
For example, the blocks module defines the following contextual links:
block_configure:
title: 'Configure block'
route_name: 'entity.block.edit_form'
group: 'block'
The above code adds a Configure block contextual link to the block group. When a block is rendered for a user that has the appropriate permissions, a contextual link is displayed.
Contextual links are rendered when they are included in a render array. (See: Render API).
For example, the BlockViewBuilder adds this to the render array:
<?php
protected static function buildPreRenderableBlock($entity, ModuleHandlerInterface $module_handler) {
// ...
// All blocks get a "Configure block" contextual link.
'#contextual_links' => [
'block' => [
'route_parameters' => ['block' => $entity->id()],
],
],
// ...
}
?>In the above example 'block' refers to the contextual link group called 'block'.
Additionally, hook_contextual_links_view_alter() or hook_contextual_links_alter() can be used to dynamically generate new and alter existing contextual links.