Bootstrap NavBar with left, center or right aligned items

Question

In Bootstrap, what is the most platform-friendly way to create a navigation bar that has Logo A on the left, menu items in the center, and Logo B on the right?

Here is what I've tried so far, and it ends up being aligned so that Logo A is on the left, menu items next to the logo on the left and Logo B on the right.

<div class="navbar navbar-fixed-top navbar-custom ">
  <div class="container" >
    <div class="navbar-header">
      <button type="button" class="navbar-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".navbar-collapse">
        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
      </button>
      <a class="navbar-brand" href="#"><span class="navbar-logo">Logo_A</span></a>
    </div>
    <div class="collapse navbar-collapse">
      <ul class="nav navbar-nav">
        <li class="active"><a href="#">Home</a></li>
        <li><a href="#about">Menu Item 1</a></li>
        <li><a href="#contact">Menu Item 2</a></li>
        <li><a href="#about">Menu Item 3</a></li>
      </ul>
      <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right">
        <li><a href="#"><img src="images/Logo_B.png" class="img-responsive"></a></li>
      </ul>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Answer 1

2020 Update

Bootstrap 4

Now that Bootstrap 4 has flexbox, Navbar alignment is much easier. Here are updated examples for left, right and center in the Bootstrap 4 Navbar, and many other alignment scenarios demonstrated here.

The flexbox, auto-margins, and ordering utility classes can be used to align Navbar content as needed. There are many things to consider including the order and alignment of Navbar items (brand, links, toggler) on both large screens and the mobile/collapsed views. Don't use the grid classes (row,col) for the Navbar.

Here are various examples...

Left, center(brand) and right links:

<nav class="navbar navbar-expand-md navbar-dark bg-dark">
    <div class="navbar-collapse collapse w-100 order-1 order-md-0 dual-collapse2">
        <ul class="navbar-nav mr-auto">
            <li class="nav-item active">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Left</a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="//codeply.com">Codeply</a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="mx-auto order-0">
        <a class="navbar-brand mx-auto" href="#">Navbar 2</a>
        <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".dual-collapse2">
            <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
        </button>
    </div>
    <div class="navbar-collapse collapse w-100 order-3 dual-collapse2">
        <ul class="navbar-nav ml-auto">
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Right</a>
            </li>
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
        </ul>
    </div>
</nav>

http://codeply.com/go/qhaBrcWp3v

Another BS4 Navbar option with center links and overlay logo image:

<nav class="navbar navbar-expand-lg navbar-dark bg-dark">
    <div class="navbar-collapse collapse w-100 dual-collapse2 order-1 order-md-0">
        <ul class="navbar-nav ml-auto text-center">
            <li class="nav-item active">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
        </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="mx-auto my-2 order-0 order-md-1 position-relative">
        <a class="mx-auto" href="#">
            <img src="//placehold.it/120/ccff00" class="rounded-circle">
        </a>
        <button class="navbar-toggler" type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".dual-collapse2">
            <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
        </button>
    </div>
    <div class="navbar-collapse collapse w-100 dual-collapse2 order-2 order-md-2">
        <ul class="navbar-nav mr-auto text-center">
            <li class="nav-item">
                <a class="nav-link" href="#">Link</a>
            </li>
        </ul>
    </div>
</nav>

Or, these other Bootstrap 4 alignment scenarios:

brand left, dead center links, (empty right)

---

brand and links center, icons left and right

---

More Bootstrap 4 examples:

toggler left on mobile, brand right
center brand and links on mobile
right align links on desktop, center links on mobile
left links & toggler, center brand, search right

---

Also see: Bootstrap 4 align navbar items to the right
Bootstrap 4 navbar right align with button that doesn't collapse on mobile
Center an element in Bootstrap 4 Navbar

---

Bootstrap 3

Option 1 - Brand center, with left/right nav links:

<nav class="navbar navbar-default" role="navigation">
  <div class="navbar-header">
    <button type="button" class="navbar-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".navbar-collapse">
      <span class="icon-bar"></span>
      <span class="icon-bar"></span>
      <span class="icon-bar"></span>
    </button>    
  </div>
  <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Brand</a>
  <div class="navbar-collapse collapse">
    <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-left">
        <li><a href="#">Left</a></li>
        <li><a href="#about">Left</a></li>
    </ul>
    <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right">
      <li><a href="#about">Right</a></li>
      <li><a href="#contact">Right</a></li>
    </ul>
  </div>
</nav>

.navbar-brand
{
    position: absolute;
    width: 100%;
    left: 0;
    text-align: center;
    margin:0 auto;
}
.navbar-toggle {
    z-index:3;
}

http://bootply.com/98314 (3.x)

---

Option 2 - Left, center and right nav links:

<nav class="navbar navbar-default" role="navigation">
  <div class="navbar-header">
    <button type="button" class="navbar-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".navbar-collapse">
      <span class="icon-bar"></span>
      <span class="icon-bar"></span>
      <span class="icon-bar"></span>
    </button>    
  </div>
  <div class="navbar-collapse collapse">
    <ul class="nav navbar-nav">
        <li><a href="#">Left</a></li>
    </ul>
    <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-center">
        <li><a href="#">Center</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Center</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Center</a></li>
    </ul>
    <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right">
        <li><a href="#">Right</a></li>
    </ul>
  </div>
</nav>

@media (min-width: 768px) {
  .navbar-nav.navbar-center {
    position: absolute;
    left: 50%;
    transform: translatex(-50%);
  }
}

http://bootply.com/SGYC6BWeBK

Option 3 - Center both brand and links

.navbar .navbar-header,
.navbar-collapse {
    float:none;
    display:inline-block;
    vertical-align: top;
}

@media (max-width: 768px) {
    .navbar-collapse  {
        display: block;
    }
}

http://codeply.com/go/1lrdvNH9GI

More examples:

Left brand, center links
Left toggler, center brand

For 3.x also see nav-justified: Bootstrap center navbar

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Center Navbar in Bootstrap
Bootstrap 4 align navbar items to the right