Interview frequency: …
Short answer
A Bottom Navigation Bar keeps three to five main sections visible and within thumb reach, while a Hamburger Drawer hides navigation and reduces content discovery and use.
Explanation
A well-known UX rule says "out of sight, out of mind." Studies show that use of screens hidden in a hamburger menu can drop by up to 50% compared with Bottom Tabs. Use a Bottom Navigation Bar for the app's most important daily paths, and reserve the side menu for settings and secondary pages that are rarely needed.
Common mistakes
- Putting more than five options in the Bottom Navigation Bar, making buttons cramped and crowded.
- Hiding a product's main sections inside a Hamburger menu in a store or core service app.