require-navbar-dropdown-items

Require an items array for Docusaurus navbar dropdown items.

Targeted pattern scope

This rule focuses on docusaurus.config.* files and specifically on navbar item objects that declare:

type: "dropdown"

It expects those dropdown objects to also declare:

items

When items is authored statically, this rule also expects it to be an array.

What this rule reports

This rule reports two invalid dropdown shapes:

dropdown objects that omit items
dropdown objects whose static items value is not an array

Why this rule exists

Docusaurus dropdowns are containers for nested navbar items.

When a dropdown omits items or uses the wrong static shape, the config becomes misleading and no longer matches the documented dropdown contract.

This rule keeps authored navbar dropdown objects structurally aligned with what Docusaurus expects.

❌ Incorrect

export default {
    themeConfig: {
        navbar: {
            items: [
                {
                    type: "dropdown",
                    label: "Community",
                },
                {
                    type: "dropdown",
                    label: "Resources",
                    items: "docs",
                },
            ],
        },
    },
};

✅ Correct

export default {
    themeConfig: {
        navbar: {
            items: [
                {
                    type: "dropdown",
                    label: "Community",
                    items: [{ label: "Docs", to: "/docs/intro" }],
                },
            ],
        },
    },
};

Behavior and migration notes

This rule reports only. It does not autofix.

Maintainers still need to decide which nested navbar items belong in the dropdown.

Additional examples

const dropdownItems = [{ label: "Docs", to: "/docs/intro" }];

export default {
    themeConfig: {
        navbar: {
            items: [
                {
                    type: "dropdown",
                    label: "Community",
                    items: dropdownItems,
                },
            ],
        },
    },
};

ESLint flat config example

import docusaurus2 from "eslint-plugin-docusaurus-2";

export default [docusaurus2.configs.recommended];

When not to use it

Do not use this rule if your project intentionally permits incomplete navbar dropdown placeholders and you do not want linting to enforce the documented Docusaurus dropdown schema.

Rule catalog ID: R029

Targeted pattern scope​

What this rule reports​

Why this rule exists​

❌ Incorrect​

✅ Correct​

Behavior and migration notes​

Additional examples​

✅ Correct — identifier-backed dropdown items​

ESLint flat config example​

When not to use it​

Further reading​