When working with Material-UI Steppers, specifically the “small dot stepper,” you may encounter the challenge of connecting the dots with a line. By default, Material-UI does not provide a built-in solution for this. However, there is a workaround that you can implement to achieve the desired effect.
Implementing a Custom Line Connector
To connect the dots with a line in the Material-UI Stepper, you can create a custom line connector using pseudo-elements (::before and ::after). Although this solution is not responsive, it can serve your needs in many cases. Here’s how you can do it:
- Add Custom CSS Classes: First, add the necessary CSS classes to your stepper component. These classes will be used to style the line connector. For example:
codeimport styles from "./styles";
import { makeStyles } from "@material-ui/core";
const useStyles = makeStyles(styles);
const classes = useStyles();
- Style the Line Connector: Define the styles for the line connector using CSS. You can use the
::beforeand::afterpseudo-elements to create the line. Here’s an example:
code.MuiStepConnector-line {
position: relative;
width: 1px;
background-color: #eaeaf0;
}
.MuiStepConnector-line:before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
top: -4px;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 4px;
background-color: #2e5bff;
}
.MuiStepConnector-line:after {
content: "";
position: absolute;
bottom: -4px;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 4px;
background-color: #2e5bff;
}
- Apply the Custom Styles: Finally, apply the custom styles to the line connector in your stepper component. This can be done by adding the
classesprop to theStepConnectorcomponent and passing the custom class name. For example:
code<Stepper
orientation="vertical"
connector={<StepConnector classes={{ line: classes.MuiStepConnectorLine }} />}
>
{/* Steps */}
</Stepper>
By following these steps, you can create a custom line connector that connects the dots in the Material-UI Stepper. Remember to adjust the CSS styles according to your specific design requirements.
Customizing Material-UI Stepper with a Connected Line
Material-UI Stepper is a powerful component that allows you to create step-by-step progress indicators in your application. However, sometimes you may want to customize the appearance of the stepper, such as connecting the dots with a line. In this blog post, we will explore how to achieve this customization using Material-UI.
Creating a Custom Stepper Component
To customize the Material-UI Stepper and connect the dots with a line, you can create a custom stepper component. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Import the required dependencies To get started, import the necessary components and styles from Material-UI:
codeimport React from 'react';
import { makeStyles, withStyles } from '@material-ui/core/styles';
import { Stepper, Step, StepLabel, StepConnector } from '@material-ui/core';
Define the styles for the custom stepper
Create a makeStyles hook to define the styles for your custom stepper:
codeconst useStyles = makeStyles((theme) => ({
// Add your custom styles here
}));
Create a custom step connector
Next, create a custom step connector component using the withStyles higher-order component (HOC). This component will be responsible for connecting the dots with a line:
codeconst CustomStepConnector = withStyles((theme) => ({
line: {
// Customize the line styles here
},
}))(StepConnector);
Define the custom stepper component
Now, define your custom stepper component by wrapping the Material-UI Stepper component with your custom styles and connectors:
codeconst CustomStepper = () => {
const classes = useStyles();
return (
<Stepper
className={classes.stepper}
connector={<CustomStepConnector />}
// Add any additional props you need
>
{/* Add your steps here */}
</Stepper>
);
};
Customize the styles and connectors
In the makeStyles hook, add your custom styles for the stepper and the step connector:
codeconst useStyles = makeStyles((theme) => ({
stepper: {
// Add your custom styles for the stepper here
},
}));
// ...
const CustomStepConnector = withStyles((theme) => ({
line: {
// Add your custom styles for the line connector here
},
}))(StepConnector);
Implement the custom stepper in your application
Finally, use your custom stepper component in your application, replacing the default Material-UI Stepper:
codeconst App = () => {
// Your application code
return (
<div>
{/* Your other components */}
<CustomStepper />
</div>
);
};
Conclusion
Although Material-UI does not provide a direct solution for connecting the dots with a line in the Stepper component, you can implement a custom line connector using CSS. By adding custom CSS classes, styling the line connector with pseudo-elements, and applying the styles to the StepConnector component, you can achieve the desired effect. Remember to adjust the styles to match your specific design needs.

