Update the navigation menu management / edit experience in the site editor

[jameskoster]

In WordPress 6.6 managing pages, templates, and patterns in the site editor transitioned from ad hoc implementations to utilise the new Data Views component. This issue explores how the Navigation section in the site editor might work if it followed this path.

Menu list

• Navigation menu item takes the user to a list of existing menus.
• By default this would utilise Data Views List layout to include a preview.
• Clicking a menu selects it and updates the preview frame.
• Users can switch to Table layout for performing bulk actions.
• Page header includes 'Add menu' action.
• Ellipsis menu includes actions, for example; rename, delete, duplicate.
• Clicking the pencil icon drills down to an edit interface for the menu...

Editing a menu

• Header contains:
  • Breadcrumb trail,
  • Primary action: Add menu item,
  • Additional actions (same as the previous ellipsis menu; rename, delete, duplicate, etc.).
• In the content area each menu item is listed.
• Menu items can be dragged/dropped to re-order.
• Ellipsis menu contains actions relating to menu items, for example: move up/down, add submenu, delete.
• Clicking the pencil icon drills down to an edit interface for the menu item...

Editing a menu item

• Largely reuses the existing menu item edit interface from the site editor.
• Menu item being edited is spotlighted in the preview.
• Breadcrumb provides quick access back through levels of navigation.

Would this be an improvement on what is currently shipping? Are there alternative approaches to elevate the menu management experience in the site editor?

[dhanson-wp]

This approach is like you read my mind! Since managing menus in the site editor, I've missed the abstraction of the classic menu editing experience. It feels awkward jumping around so many places to edit menus and almost redundant to do a bulk of the editing in the right hand panel when the left hand panel could handle the experience in one location.

I also think removing the step to go into the editor canvas and edit blocks is a much better experience. When I want to edit menus, I want to edit just the architecture of the menus. This abstracted approach makes a lot more sense.