👐 fix: Open/Close Sidebar Button Animation UX Regression from #10521 (#10694)

Problem:
--------
Commit 5ed1f2991 introduced a layout shift regression when opening the
sidebar. The UI would visibly "jump" as elements shifted right before
the animation completed. Closing the sidebar worked correctly.

Root Cause Analysis:
--------------------
The accessibility PR added a redundant `{navVisible && ...}` conditional
wrapper around the `<nav>` content inside Nav.tsx's `motion.div`. This
caused a race condition:

1. User clicks "Open Sidebar" button
2. `navVisible` state becomes `true`
3. React renders the `motion.div` AND its children simultaneously
4. The inner `{navVisible && (<nav>...)}` renders content at full width
   (320px/260px) BEFORE framer-motion applies `initial={{ width: 0 }}`
5. Brief flash of full-width content causes visible layout shift
6. Animation then starts from width: 0, but damage is done

The ref-based focus management (passing `openSidebarRef`/`closeSidebarRef`
through context) was suspected but was not the actual cause. However,
`requestAnimationFrame` focus calls during animation start could trigger
forced layout calculations, exacerbating the issue.

Solution:
---------
1. Remove redundant conditional rendering in Nav.tsx
   - The outer `{navVisible && (<motion.div>...)}` already controls
     visibility
   - The `overflow-x-hidden` class on motion.div clips content during
     animation
   - Content should always exist inside motion.div for smooth clipping

2. Replace ref-based focus with ID-based focus management
   - Refs passed through component tree can affect React's reconciliation
   - Using `document.getElementById()` decouples focus from render cycle
   - Exported `CLOSE_SIDEBAR_ID` and `OPEN_SIDEBAR_ID` constants for
     consistency

3. Delay focus until after animation completes
   - Changed from `requestAnimationFrame` to `setTimeout(..., 250)`
   - Animation duration is 200ms; 250ms ensures completion
   - Prevents layout thrashing during animation

4. Clean up prop drilling
   - Removed `openSidebarRef`/`closeSidebarRef` from Root.tsx context
   - Simplified Nav.tsx, Header.tsx, NewChat.tsx prop signatures
   - Updated ContextType to remove ref properties

Files Changed:
--------------
- client/src/routes/Root.tsx
- client/src/components/Nav/Nav.tsx
- client/src/components/Nav/NewChat.tsx
- client/src/components/Chat/Header.tsx
- client/src/components/Chat/Menus/OpenSidebar.tsx
- client/src/common/types.ts

Accessibility Note:
-------------------
The original inner conditional was added to prevent keyboard navigation
to hidden sidebar content for screen readers. This is still handled by:
- AnimatePresence unmounting the motion.div after exit animation
- The motion.div having width: 0 during exit (content not reachable)
- Screen readers typically skip content being animated out
- Other: removed non-existant prop from BookmarkNav

Testing:
--------
- Verified smooth animation when opening sidebar (no layout shift)
- Verified smooth animation when closing sidebar (unchanged)
- Verified focus transfers correctly between open/close buttons
- Verified keyboard navigation works as expected

client/src/common/types.ts

@@ -571,8 +571,6 @@ export interface ModelItemProps {
 export type ContextType = {
   navVisible: boolean;
   setNavVisible: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
-  openSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
-  closeSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
 };
 
 export interface SwitcherProps {

client/src/components/Chat/Header.tsx

@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ const defaultInterface = getConfigDefaults().interface;
 
 export default function Header() {
   const { data: startupConfig } = useGetStartupConfig();
-  const { navVisible, setNavVisible, openSidebarRef, closeSidebarRef } =
-    useOutletContext<ContextType>();
+  const { navVisible, setNavVisible } = useOutletContext<ContextType>();
 
   const interfaceConfig = useMemo(
     () => startupConfig?.interface ?? defaultInterface,
@@ -52,12 +51,7 @@ export default function Header() {
                 transition={{ duration: 0.2 }}
                 key="header-buttons"
               >
-                <OpenSidebar
-                  ref={openSidebarRef}
-                  setNavVisible={setNavVisible}
-                  closeSidebarRef={closeSidebarRef}
-                  className="max-md:hidden"
-                />
+                <OpenSidebar setNavVisible={setNavVisible} className="max-md:hidden" />
                 <HeaderNewChat />
               </motion.div>
             )}

client/src/components/Chat/Menus/OpenSidebar.tsx

@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
-import { forwardRef } from 'react';
 import { TooltipAnchor, Button, Sidebar } from '@librechat/client';
 import { useLocalize } from '~/hooks';
 import { cn } from '~/utils';
 
-const OpenSidebar = forwardRef<
-  HTMLButtonElement,
-  {
-    setNavVisible: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
-    className?: string;
-    closeSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
-  }
->(({ setNavVisible, className, closeSidebarRef }, ref) => {
+/** Element ID for the close sidebar button - used for focus management */
+export const CLOSE_SIDEBAR_ID = 'close-sidebar-button';
+/** Element ID for the open sidebar button - used for focus management */
+export const OPEN_SIDEBAR_ID = 'open-sidebar-button';
+
+export default function OpenSidebar({
+  setNavVisible,
+  className,
+}: {
+  setNavVisible: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
+  className?: string;
+}) {
   const localize = useLocalize();
 
   const handleClick = () => {
@@ -18,9 +21,10 @@ const OpenSidebar = forwardRef<
       localStorage.setItem('navVisible', JSON.stringify(!prev));
       return !prev;
     });
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      closeSidebarRef?.current?.focus();
-    });
+    // Delay focus until after the sidebar animation completes (200ms)
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      document.getElementById(CLOSE_SIDEBAR_ID)?.focus();
+    }, 250);
   };
 
   return (
@@ -28,7 +32,7 @@ const OpenSidebar = forwardRef<
       description={localize('com_nav_open_sidebar')}
       render={
         <Button
-          ref={ref}
+          id={OPEN_SIDEBAR_ID}
           size="icon"
           variant="outline"
           data-testid="open-sidebar-button"
@@ -46,8 +50,4 @@ const OpenSidebar = forwardRef<
       }
     />
   );
-});
-
-OpenSidebar.displayName = 'OpenSidebar';
-
-export default OpenSidebar;
+}

client/src/components/Nav/Nav.tsx

@@ -50,13 +50,9 @@ const Nav = memo(
   ({
     navVisible,
     setNavVisible,
-    openSidebarRef,
-    closeSidebarRef,
   }: {
     navVisible: boolean;
     setNavVisible: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>;
-    openSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
-    closeSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
   }) => {
     const localize = useLocalize();
     const { isAuthenticated } = useAuthContext();
@@ -170,7 +166,7 @@ const Nav = memo(
             <>
               <div className="mt-1.5" />
               <Suspense fallback={null}>
-                <BookmarkNav tags={tags} setTags={setTags} isSmallScreen={isSmallScreen} />
+                <BookmarkNav tags={tags} setTags={setTags} />
               </Suspense>
             </>
           )}
@@ -211,36 +207,32 @@ const Nav = memo(
             >
               <div className="h-full w-[320px] md:w-[260px]">
                 <div className="flex h-full flex-col">
-                  {navVisible && (
-                    <nav
-                      id="chat-history-nav"
-                      aria-label={localize('com_ui_chat_history')}
-                      className="flex h-full flex-col px-2 pb-3.5 md:px-3"
-                    >
-                      <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col" ref={outerContainerRef}>
-                        <MemoNewChat
-                          subHeaders={subHeaders}
-                          toggleNav={toggleNavVisible}
-                          headerButtons={headerButtons}
-                          isSmallScreen={isSmallScreen}
-                          openSidebarRef={openSidebarRef}
-                          closeSidebarRef={closeSidebarRef}
-                        />
-                        <Conversations
-                          conversations={conversations}
-                          moveToTop={moveToTop}
-                          toggleNav={itemToggleNav}
-                          containerRef={listRef}
-                          loadMoreConversations={loadMoreConversations}
-                          isLoading={isFetchingNextPage || showLoading || isLoading}
-                          isSearchLoading={isSearchLoading}
-                        />
-                      </div>
-                      <Suspense fallback={null}>
-                        <AccountSettings />
-                      </Suspense>
-                    </nav>
-                  )}
+                  <nav
+                    id="chat-history-nav"
+                    aria-label={localize('com_ui_chat_history')}
+                    className="flex h-full flex-col px-2 pb-3.5 md:px-3"
+                  >
+                    <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col" ref={outerContainerRef}>
+                      <MemoNewChat
+                        subHeaders={subHeaders}
+                        toggleNav={toggleNavVisible}
+                        headerButtons={headerButtons}
+                        isSmallScreen={isSmallScreen}
+                      />
+                      <Conversations
+                        conversations={conversations}
+                        moveToTop={moveToTop}
+                        toggleNav={itemToggleNav}
+                        containerRef={listRef}
+                        loadMoreConversations={loadMoreConversations}
+                        isLoading={isFetchingNextPage || showLoading || isLoading}
+                        isSearchLoading={isSearchLoading}
+                      />
+                    </div>
+                    <Suspense fallback={null}>
+                      <AccountSettings />
+                    </Suspense>
+                  </nav>
                 </div>
               </div>
             </motion.div>

client/src/components/Nav/NewChat.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { QueryKeys } from 'librechat-data-provider';
 import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { TooltipAnchor, NewChatIcon, MobileSidebar, Sidebar, Button } from '@librechat/client';
+import { CLOSE_SIDEBAR_ID, OPEN_SIDEBAR_ID } from '~/components/Chat/Menus/OpenSidebar';
 import { useLocalize, useNewConvo } from '~/hooks';
 import { clearMessagesCache } from '~/utils';
 import store from '~/store';
@@ -13,16 +14,12 @@ export default function NewChat({
   subHeaders,
   isSmallScreen,
   headerButtons,
-  openSidebarRef,
-  closeSidebarRef,
 }: {
   index?: number;
   toggleNav: () => void;
   isSmallScreen?: boolean;
   subHeaders?: React.ReactNode;
   headerButtons?: React.ReactNode;
-  openSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
-  closeSidebarRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement>;
 }) {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   /** Note: this component needs an explicit index passed if using more than one */
@@ -33,10 +30,11 @@ export default function NewChat({
 
   const handleToggleNav = useCallback(() => {
     toggleNav();
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      openSidebarRef?.current?.focus();
-    });
-  }, [toggleNav, openSidebarRef]);
+    // Delay focus until after the sidebar animation completes (200ms)
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      document.getElementById(OPEN_SIDEBAR_ID)?.focus();
+    }, 250);
+  }, [toggleNav]);
 
   const clickHandler: React.MouseEventHandler<HTMLButtonElement> = useCallback(
     (e) => {
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ export default function NewChat({
           description={localize('com_nav_close_sidebar')}
           render={
             <Button
-              ref={closeSidebarRef}
+              id={CLOSE_SIDEBAR_ID}
               size="icon"
               variant="outline"
               data-testid="close-sidebar-button"

client/src/routes/Root.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { Outlet } from 'react-router-dom';
 import type { ContextType } from '~/common';
 import {
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ export default function Root() {
     const savedNavVisible = localStorage.getItem('navVisible');
     return savedNavVisible !== null ? JSON.parse(savedNavVisible) : true;
   });
-  const openSidebarRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
-  const closeSidebarRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
 
   const { isAuthenticated, logout } = useAuthContext();
 
@@ -75,24 +73,10 @@ export default function Root() {
               <Banner onHeightChange={setBannerHeight} />
               <div className="flex" style={{ height: `calc(100dvh - ${bannerHeight}px)` }}>
                 <div className="relative z-0 flex h-full w-full overflow-hidden">
-                  <Nav
-                    navVisible={navVisible}
-                    setNavVisible={setNavVisible}
-                    openSidebarRef={openSidebarRef}
-                    closeSidebarRef={closeSidebarRef}
-                  />
+                  <Nav navVisible={navVisible} setNavVisible={setNavVisible} />
                   <div className="relative flex h-full max-w-full flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden">
                     <MobileNav navVisible={navVisible} setNavVisible={setNavVisible} />
-                    <Outlet
-                      context={
-                        {
-                          navVisible,
-                          setNavVisible,
-                          openSidebarRef,
-                          closeSidebarRef,
-                        } satisfies ContextType
-                      }
-                    />
+                    <Outlet context={{ navVisible, setNavVisible } satisfies ContextType} />
                   </div>
                 </div>
               </div>