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Edit Mode & Navigation+

When to Use

When you need to understand or configure the Edit Mode toggle, the Photoshop-like toolbar, and how Navigation+ orchestrates the editing experience.

How Edit Mode Works

Edit Mode replaces the traditional Edit/Layout tabs with a unified editing experience accessible from the Navigation sidebar. When activated:

  1. Cookie-based state: Mode stored in navigationMode cookie (e.g., edit)
  2. Toolbar transforms: Navigation sidebar becomes a tool palette
  3. WYSIWYG rendering: Published page renders with editing capabilities overlaid
  4. Tool system activates: Tools like Place Block, Move, Trash become available

Activation Flow

User clicks Edit Mode button in Navigation sidebar
  → JavaScript sets cookie: navigationMode=edit
  → Page reloads
  → navigation_plus_preprocess_navigation() detects cookie
  → Edit mode toolbar renders with tool buttons
  → Layout Builder element replaced with LayoutBuilderPlus element
  → User sees WYSIWYG page with tool indicators

Configuration Per Content Type

Navigate to Structure → Content Types → [Type] → Edit. Under "Navigation+" section:

Setting Purpose
Initial Mode Which mode activates when first editing (default: edit)
Enabled Modes Toggle Edit Mode on/off per bundle
Default Tool Which tool is active when entering Edit Mode (default: place_block)

These are stored as third-party settings on node.type.*:

third_party_settings:
  navigation_plus:
    initial_mode: edit
    status:
      edit: true
    modes:
      edit:
        default_tool: place_block

Global Settings

Navigate to Admin → Configuration → Content → Plus Suite (/admin/config/content/plus-suite):

Setting Purpose
Main color Primary UI color (hex)
Secondary color Secondary UI color
Highlight color Active element highlight

ShouldNotEditMode Event

Controls when Edit Mode should NOT activate. Default conditions:

  • Bundle doesn't have Edit Mode enabled
  • User lacks use toolbar plus edit mode permission
  • Route is admin page, node add form, or node edit form
  • Path is / (front page — use EditFrontPage mode instead)
  • User lacks edit access to entity

Modules can subscribe to ShouldNotEditModeEvent to add custom conditions.

Decision

Scenario Action
Content type doesn't use Layout Builder Don't enable Edit Mode
Read-only content types (API-sourced) Disable Edit Mode
Content type uses custom admin forms Disable Edit Mode
All page-building content types Enable Edit Mode with place_block default tool

Common Mistakes

  • Enabling Edit Mode on a content type without Layout Builder — enable Layout Builder first, then configure Edit Mode.
  • Forgetting per-bundle configuration — Edit Mode must be enabled individually per content type under Navigation+ settings.

See Also