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Inline tabs allow you to organize multiple inline formsets into a tabbed interface, making it easier to manage models with many related objects.

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Overview

When you have multiple inlines on a single model, you can organize them into tabs by setting the tab attribute on each inline class. This creates a cleaner interface and improves the user experience.
Inline tabs showing different related models

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Basic Setup

To enable inline tabs, add the tab attribute to your inline class:
admin.py
from django.contrib import admin
from unfold.admin import ModelAdmin, TabularInline, StackedInline
from .models import Author, Book, Review, Award

class BookInline(TabularInline):
    model = Book
    extra = 1
    tab = True  # Enable tab for this inline

class ReviewInline(StackedInline):
    model = Review
    extra = 0
    tab = True  # Enable tab for this inline

class AwardInline(TabularInline):
    model = Award
    extra = 0
    tab = True  # Enable tab for this inline

@admin.register(Author)
class AuthorAdmin(ModelAdmin):
    inlines = [BookInline, ReviewInline, AwardInline]
When tab=True is set on an inline, it will be displayed in a separate tab instead of being stacked vertically with other inlines.

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Tab with Custom Label

The tab label is automatically derived from the model’s verbose name, but you can customize it:
admin.py
class BookInline(TabularInline):
    model = Book
    extra = 1
    tab = True
    verbose_name = "Published Book"
    verbose_name_plural = "Published Books"

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Mixing Tabs and Regular Inlines

You can mix inlines with and without tabs. Inlines without tab=True will display normally above the tabbed interface:
admin.py
class PrimaryContactInline(StackedInline):
    model = PrimaryContact
    extra = 0
    max_num = 1
    # No tab attribute - displays normally

class BookInline(TabularInline):
    model = Book
    extra = 1
    tab = True  # Displays in tabs

class ReviewInline(TabularInline):
    model = Review
    extra = 0
    tab = True  # Displays in tabs

@admin.register(Author)
class AuthorAdmin(ModelAdmin):
    inlines = [
        PrimaryContactInline,  # Displays above tabs
        BookInline,            # Tab 1
        ReviewInline,          # Tab 2
    ]

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Tab Error Indication

When an inline formset has validation errors, the tab will be highlighted to indicate which tab contains errors:
admin.py
class BookInline(TabularInline):
    model = Book
    extra = 1
    tab = True
    
    def get_formset(self, request, obj=None, **kwargs):
        formset = super().get_formset(request, obj, **kwargs)
        # Errors in this formset will highlight the tab
        return formset
The system automatically detects errors in inline formsets and highlights the corresponding tab. You don’t need to implement this manually.

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Combining with Pagination

Inline tabs work seamlessly with pagination for large datasets:
admin.py
class BookInline(TabularInline):
    model = Book
    extra = 1
    tab = True
    per_page = 10  # Enable pagination with tabs

class ReviewInline(TabularInline):
    model = Review
    extra = 0
    tab = True
    per_page = 20  # Each tab can have different pagination

@admin.register(Author)
class AuthorAdmin(ModelAdmin):
    inlines = [BookInline, ReviewInline]
Learn more about pagination in Paginated Inlines.

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Combining with Sortable Inlines

You can make inline tabs sortable for drag-and-drop ordering:
admin.py
class BookInline(TabularInline):
    model = Book
    extra = 1
    tab = True
    ordering_field = 'order'  # Enable sorting
    hide_ordering_field = True

@admin.register(Author)
class AuthorAdmin(ModelAdmin):
    inlines = [BookInline]
Learn more about sortable functionality in Sortable Inlines.

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Active Tab Detection

The first tab with validation errors is automatically activated. If there are no errors, the first tab is active by default:
admin.py
from unfold.admin import ModelAdmin

@admin.register(Author)
class AuthorAdmin(ModelAdmin):
    inlines = [BookInline, ReviewInline, AwardInline]
    
    # The system automatically:
    # 1. Shows the first tab by default
    # 2. Switches to the first tab with errors on validation
    # 3. Highlights all tabs containing errors

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Best Practices

Group logically related inlines in the same tab to make navigation intuitive for users.
Set clear verbose_name_plural values on your models so tab labels are meaningful.
Too many tabs can be overwhelming. Consider grouping related models or using a different organization strategy if you have more than 5-6 tabs.
For complex forms, consider making some inlines collapsible while keeping others in tabs:
class OptionalInfoInline(TabularInline):
    model = OptionalInfo
    tab = True
    collapsible = True  # Can be collapsed within its tab

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Technical Details

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tab
bool
default:"False"
When set to True, the inline will be displayed in a separate tab.
The tab system uses the unfold/helpers/tab_list.html template and integrates with:
  • Error detection via unfold.templatetags.unfold.tabs_primary_active
  • Error counting via unfold.templatetags.unfold.tabs_errors_count
Inline tabs are automatically detected when rendering the change form. No additional configuration is needed beyond setting tab=True.

Fieldset Tabs

Create tabs within fieldsets

Model Tabs

Configure navigation tabs for models

Paginated Inlines

Add pagination to your inline tabs

Sortable Inlines

Enable drag-and-drop ordering

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