# Creating a Navigation Menu Based on User Roles
In the previous tutorial, you created a role-based access control system using admin, teacher and student accounts. In this tutorial, you will build a navigation menu that changes depending on the role of the logged-in user.
This allows different users to see different menu options.
---
## Current Situation
At the moment, every user sees the same page after logging in.
Example:
```text
Welcome, admin
Role: admin
Logout
```
We can improve this by displaying different navigation links based on the user's role.
---
## Create a Navigation Section
Open:
```text
members.php
```
Add the following code underneath the welcome message:
```php
Navigation
```
The page should now display a simple menu.
[](https://mr.napper.au/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/image-1780909901613.png)
## Add an Admin Link
Add the following code inside the navigation list:
```php
Admin Area
```
This link will only appear for administrators.
---
## Create a Teacher Page
Create a new file called:
```text
teacher.php
```
Add the following code:
```php
Teacher Area
Teacher Area
Welcome,
```
Save the file.
---
## Add a Teacher Link
Add the following code to your navigation menu:
```php
Teacher Area
```
Only teachers will see this link.
---
## Create a Student Page
Create a new file called:
```text
student.php
```
Add:
```php
Student Area
Student Area
Welcome,
```
Save the file.
---
## Add a Student Link
Add:
```php
Student Area
```
Only students will see this link.
---
## Add a Logout Link
Add:
```php
Logout
```
This link should be visible to all logged-in users.
---
## Complete Navigation Menu
Your completed navigation menu should look like:
```php
Navigation
```
---
## Test as an Administrator
Log in as:
```text
admin
```
You should see:
```text
Home
Admin Area
Logout
```
## Test as a Teacher
Log in as:
```text
teacher
```
You should see:
```text
Home
Teacher Area
Logout
```
## Test as a Student
Log in as:
```text
student
```
You should see:
```text
Home
Student Area
Logout
```
## Prevent Direct Access
The navigation menu improves the user experience, but it does not secure the pages.
The following checks should still exist in:
```text
admin.php
teacher.php
student.php
```
Example:
```php
if ($_SESSION["role"] != "admin") {
die("Access denied.");
}
```
This prevents users from manually typing the page URL into their browser.
---
## Next Steps
You now have:
* User registration
* Password hashing
* Login system
* Sessions
* Protected pages
* Logout functionality
* Role-based access control
* Dynamic navigation menus