> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ebay.gitbook.io/mindpatterns/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ebay.gitbook.io/mindpatterns/techniques/roving-tabindex.md).

# Roving Tabindex

A roving tab index is a technique whereby only one collection element is in the sequential tab order and can have focus at any given time (i.e. has a tabindex value of zero). All other elements have a negative tabindex. We can say the collection is now more widget-like, as it takes one TAB key press to enter the widget, and one TAB key press to exit the widget. A user changes the roving tabindex state and focus by using the ARROW keys.

Compare this to [active-descendant](/mindpatterns/techniques/active-descendant.md) based navigation where focus always remains on one element (usually a textbox), but has the *appearance* of moving elsewhere when using the arrow keys.

Patterns that utilize a roving tab index are: grid, [menu](https://github.com/ebay/mindpatterns/tree/6c14ac7802634b97b44038d80935b912adbcd5cf/input/menu/README.md) and [tabs](https://github.com/ebay/mindpatterns/tree/6c14ac7802634b97b44038d80935b912adbcd5cf/disclosure/tabs/README.md).

### Code Example

Todo

### Utilities

* [makeup-roving-tabindex](https://github.com/makeup/makeup-js/tree/master/packages/makeup-roving-tabindex)


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