diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_side_menu.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_side_menu.py
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_side_menu.py
@@ -0,0 +1,366 @@
+from typing import Literal
+
+import pytest
+from qtpy.QtCore import Qt
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
+
+from bec_widgets.qt_utils.side_panel import SidePanel
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(params=["left", "right", "top", "bottom"])
+def side_panel_fixture(qtbot, request):
+    """
+    Parametrized fixture to create SidePanel with different orientations.
+
+    Yields:
+        tuple: (SidePanel instance, orientation string)
+    """
+    orientation: Literal["left", "right", "top", "bottom"] = request.param
+    panel = SidePanel(orientation=orientation)
+    qtbot.addWidget(panel)
+    qtbot.waitExposed(panel)
+    yield panel, orientation
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def menu_widget(qtbot):
+    """Fixture to create a simple widget to add to the SidePanel."""
+    widget = QWidget()
+    layout = QVBoxLayout(widget)
+    label = QLabel("Test Widget")
+    layout.addWidget(label)
+    widget.setLayout(layout)
+    return widget
+
+
+def test_initialization(side_panel_fixture):
+    """Test that SidePanel initializes correctly with different orientations."""
+    panel, orientation = side_panel_fixture
+
+    assert panel._orientation == orientation
+    assert panel.panel_max_width == 200
+    assert panel.animation_duration == 200
+    assert panel.animations_enabled is True
+    assert panel.panel_visible is False
+    assert panel.current_action is None
+    assert panel.current_index is None
+    assert panel.switching_actions is False
+
+    if orientation in ("left", "right"):
+        assert panel.toolbar.orientation() == Qt.Vertical
+        assert isinstance(panel.main_layout, QHBoxLayout)
+    else:
+        assert panel.toolbar.orientation() == Qt.Horizontal
+        assert isinstance(panel.main_layout, QVBoxLayout)
+
+
+def test_set_panel_max_width(side_panel_fixture, qtbot):
+    """Test setting the panel_max_width property."""
+    panel, orientation = side_panel_fixture
+    new_max_width = 300
+    panel.panel_max_width = new_max_width
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    assert panel.panel_max_width == new_max_width
+    if orientation in ("left", "right"):
+        assert panel.stack_widget.maximumWidth() == new_max_width
+    else:
+        assert panel.stack_widget.maximumHeight() == new_max_width
+
+
+def test_set_animation_duration(side_panel_fixture, qtbot):
+    """Test setting the animationDuration property."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+    new_duration = 500
+    panel.animation_duration = new_duration
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    assert panel.animation_duration == new_duration
+    assert panel.menu_anim.duration() == new_duration
+
+
+def test_set_animations_enabled(side_panel_fixture, qtbot):
+    """Test setting the animationsEnabled property."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+    panel.animationsEnabled = False
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    assert panel.animationsEnabled is False
+
+    panel.animationsEnabled = True
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    assert panel.animationsEnabled is True
+
+
+def test_show_hide_panel_with_animation(side_panel_fixture, qtbot):
+    """Test showing and hiding the panel with animations enabled."""
+    panel, orientation = side_panel_fixture
+    panel.animationsEnabled = True
+
+    # Show panel
+    panel.show_panel(0)
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)  # Wait for animation to complete
+
+    final_size = panel.panel_max_width
+    if orientation in ("left", "right"):
+        assert panel.panel_width == final_size
+    else:
+        assert panel.panel_height == final_size
+    assert panel.panel_visible is True
+
+    # Hide panel
+    panel.hide_panel()
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)  # Wait for animation to complete
+
+    if orientation in ("left", "right"):
+        assert panel.panel_width == 0
+    else:
+        assert panel.panel_height == 0
+    assert panel.panel_visible is False
+
+
+def test_add_menu(side_panel_fixture, menu_widget, qtbot):
+    """Test adding a menu to the SidePanel."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+    initial_count = panel.stack_widget.count()
+
+    panel.add_menu(
+        action_id="test_action",
+        icon_name="counter_1",
+        tooltip="Test Tooltip",
+        widget=menu_widget,
+        title="Test Panel",
+    )
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    assert panel.stack_widget.count() == initial_count + 1
+    # Verify the action is added to the toolbar
+    action = panel.toolbar.widgets.get("test_action")
+    assert action is not None
+    assert action.tooltip == "Test Tooltip"
+    assert action.action in panel.toolbar.actions()
+
+
+def test_toggle_action_show_panel(side_panel_fixture, menu_widget, qtbot):
+    """Test that toggling an action shows the corresponding panel."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+
+    panel.add_menu(
+        action_id="toggle_action",
+        icon_name="counter_1",
+        tooltip="Toggle Tooltip",
+        widget=menu_widget,
+        title="Toggle Panel",
+    )
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    action = panel.toolbar.widgets.get("toggle_action")
+    assert action is not None
+
+    # Initially, panel should be hidden
+    assert panel.panel_visible is False
+
+    # Toggle the action to show the panel
+    action.action.trigger()
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)
+
+    assert panel.panel_visible is True
+    assert panel.current_action == action.action
+    assert panel.current_index == panel.stack_widget.count() - 1
+
+    # Toggle the action again to hide the panel
+    action.action.trigger()
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)
+
+    assert panel.panel_visible is False
+    assert panel.current_action is None
+    assert panel.current_index is None
+
+
+def test_switch_actions(side_panel_fixture, menu_widget, qtbot):
+    """Test switching between multiple actions and panels."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+
+    # Add two menus
+    panel.add_menu(
+        action_id="action1",
+        icon_name="counter_1",
+        tooltip="Tooltip1",
+        widget=menu_widget,
+        title="Panel 1",
+    )
+    panel.add_menu(
+        action_id="action2",
+        icon_name="counter_2",
+        tooltip="Tooltip2",
+        widget=menu_widget,
+        title="Panel 2",
+    )
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    action1 = panel.toolbar.widgets.get("action1")
+    action2 = panel.toolbar.widgets.get("action2")
+    assert action1 is not None
+    assert action2 is not None
+
+    # Activate first action
+    action1.action.trigger()
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)
+    assert panel.panel_visible is True
+    assert panel.current_action == action1.action
+    assert panel.current_index == 0
+
+    # Activate second action
+    action2.action.trigger()
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)
+    assert panel.panel_visible is True
+    assert panel.current_action == action2.action
+    assert panel.current_index == 1
+
+    # Deactivate second action
+    action2.action.trigger()
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)
+    assert panel.panel_visible is False
+    assert panel.current_action is None
+    assert panel.current_index is None
+
+
+def test_multiple_add_menu(side_panel_fixture, menu_widget, qtbot):
+    """Test adding multiple menus and ensure they are all added correctly."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+    initial_count = panel.stack_widget.count()
+
+    for i in range(3):
+        panel.add_menu(
+            action_id=f"action{i}",
+            icon_name=f"counter_{i}",
+            tooltip=f"Tooltip{i}",
+            widget=menu_widget,
+            title=f"Panel {i}",
+        )
+        qtbot.wait(100)
+        assert panel.stack_widget.count() == initial_count + i + 1
+        action = panel.toolbar.widgets.get(f"action{i}")
+        assert action is not None
+        assert action.tooltip == f"Tooltip{i}"
+        assert action.action in panel.toolbar.actions()
+
+
+def test_switch_to_method(side_panel_fixture, menu_widget, qtbot):
+    """Test the switch_to method to change panels without animation."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+
+    # Add two menus
+    panel.add_menu(
+        action_id="action1",
+        icon_name="counter_1",
+        tooltip="Tooltip1",
+        widget=menu_widget,
+        title="Panel 1",
+    )
+    panel.add_menu(
+        action_id="action2",
+        icon_name="counter_2",
+        tooltip="Tooltip2",
+        widget=menu_widget,
+        title="Panel 2",
+    )
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+
+    # Show first panel
+    panel.show_panel(0)
+    qtbot.wait(panel.animation_duration + 100)
+    assert panel.current_index == 0
+
+    # Switch to second panel
+    panel.switch_to(1)
+    qtbot.wait(100)
+    assert panel.current_index == 1
+
+
+def test_animation_enabled_parametrization(qtbot):
+    """Test SidePanel with animations enabled and disabled."""
+    for animations_enabled in [True, False]:
+        panel = SidePanel(animations_enabled=animations_enabled)
+        qtbot.addWidget(panel)
+        qtbot.waitExposed(panel)
+
+        assert panel.animations_enabled == animations_enabled
+
+        panel.close()
+
+
+def test_orientation_layouts(qtbot):
+    """Test that the layouts are correctly set based on orientation."""
+    orientations = {
+        "left": ("horizontal", Qt.Vertical),
+        "right": ("horizontal", Qt.Vertical),
+        "top": ("vertical", Qt.Horizontal),
+        "bottom": ("vertical", Qt.Horizontal),
+    }
+
+    for orientation, (main_layout_dir, toolbar_orientation) in orientations.items():
+        panel = SidePanel(orientation=orientation)
+        qtbot.addWidget(panel)
+        qtbot.waitExposed(panel)
+
+        # Verify main layout direction
+        if main_layout_dir == "horizontal":
+            assert isinstance(panel.main_layout, QHBoxLayout)
+        else:
+            assert isinstance(panel.main_layout, QVBoxLayout)
+
+        # Verify toolbar orientation
+        bar_orientation = panel.toolbar.orientation()
+        assert bar_orientation == toolbar_orientation
+
+        panel.close()
+
+
+def test_panel_width_height_properties(side_panel_fixture, qtbot):
+    """Test that setting panel_width and panel_height works correctly."""
+    panel, orientation = side_panel_fixture
+
+    if orientation in ("left", "right"):
+        panel.panel_width = 150
+        qtbot.wait(100)
+        assert panel.panel_width == 150
+        assert panel.stack_widget.width() == 150
+    else:
+        panel.panel_height = 150
+        qtbot.wait(100)
+        assert panel.panel_height == 150
+        assert panel.stack_widget.height() == 150
+
+
+def test_no_panel_initially(side_panel_fixture, qtbot):
+    """Test that the panel is initially hidden."""
+    panel, orientation = side_panel_fixture
+
+    if orientation in ("left", "right"):
+        assert panel.panel_width == 0
+    else:
+        assert panel.panel_height == 0
+    assert panel.panel_visible is False
+
+
+def test_add_multiple_menus(side_panel_fixture, menu_widget, qtbot):
+    """Test adding multiple menus and ensure they are all added correctly."""
+    panel, _ = side_panel_fixture
+    initial_count = panel.stack_widget.count()
+
+    for i in range(3):
+        panel.add_menu(
+            action_id=f"action{i}",
+            icon_name=f"counter_{i}",
+            tooltip=f"Tooltip{i}",
+            widget=menu_widget,
+            title=f"Panel {i}",
+        )
+        qtbot.wait(100)
+        assert panel.stack_widget.count() == initial_count + i + 1
+        action = panel.toolbar.widgets.get(f"action{i}")
+        assert action is not None
+        assert action.tooltip == f"Tooltip{i}"
+        assert action.action in panel.toolbar.actions()