diff --git a/components/article/ArticlePage.tsx b/components/article/ArticlePage.tsx
index de1d2e5f87..f7f80ecf19 100644
--- a/components/article/ArticlePage.tsx
+++ b/components/article/ArticlePage.tsx
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ export const ArticlePage = () => {
                 </div>
               )}
 
-              {includesPlatformSpecificContent && <PlatformPicker variant="underlinenav" />}
-              {includesToolSpecificContent && <ToolPicker variant="underlinenav" />}
+              {includesPlatformSpecificContent && <PlatformPicker />}
+              {includesToolSpecificContent && <ToolPicker />}
 
               {product && (
                 <Callout
diff --git a/components/article/InArticlePicker.tsx b/components/article/InArticlePicker.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de5aac1051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/article/InArticlePicker.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import Cookies from 'js-cookie'
+import { UnderlineNav } from '@primer/react'
+import { sendEvent, EventType } from 'components/lib/events'
+import { useRouter } from 'next/router'
+
+type Option = {
+  value: string
+  label: string
+}
+type Props = {
+  // Use this if not specified on the query string
+  defaultValue?: string
+  // Use this if not specified on the query string or no cookie
+  fallbackValue: string
+  cookieKey: string
+  queryStringKey: string
+  onValue: (value: string) => void
+  preferenceName: string
+  options: Option[]
+  ariaLabel: string
+}
+export const InArticlePicker = ({
+  defaultValue,
+  fallbackValue,
+  cookieKey,
+  queryStringKey,
+  onValue,
+  preferenceName,
+  options,
+  ariaLabel,
+}: Props) => {
+  const router = useRouter()
+  const { query, locale } = router
+  const [currentValue, setCurrentValue] = useState('')
+
+  // Run on mount for client-side only features
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const raw = query[queryStringKey]
+    let value = ''
+    if (raw) {
+      if (Array.isArray(raw)) value = raw[0]
+      else value = raw
+    }
+    // Only pick it up from the possible query string if its value
+    // is a valid option.
+    const possibleValues = options.map((option) => option.value)
+    if (!value || !possibleValues.includes(value)) {
+      const cookieValue = Cookies.get(cookieKey)
+      if (defaultValue) {
+        value = defaultValue
+      } else if (cookieValue && possibleValues.includes(cookieValue)) {
+        value = cookieValue
+      } else {
+        value = fallbackValue
+      }
+    }
+    setCurrentValue(value)
+  }, [query, fallbackValue, defaultValue, options])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // This will make the hook run this callback on mount and on change.
+    // That's important because even though the user hasn't interacted
+    // and made an overriding choice, we still want to run this callback
+    // because the page might need to be corrected based on *a* choice
+    // independent of whether it's a change.
+    if (currentValue) {
+      onValue(currentValue)
+    }
+  }, [currentValue])
+
+  const [asPathRoot, asPathQuery = ''] = router.asPath.split('#')[0].split('?')
+
+  function onClickChoice(value: string) {
+    const params = new URLSearchParams(asPathQuery)
+    params.set(queryStringKey, value)
+    const newPath = `/${locale}${asPathRoot}?${params}`
+    router.push(newPath, undefined, { shallow: true, locale })
+
+    sendEvent({
+      type: EventType.preference,
+      preference_name: preferenceName,
+      preference_value: value,
+    })
+
+    Cookies.set(cookieKey, value, {
+      sameSite: 'strict',
+      secure: document.location.protocol !== 'http:',
+      expires: 365,
+    })
+  }
+
+  const sharedContainerProps = {
+    'data-testid': `${queryStringKey}-picker`,
+    'aria-label': ariaLabel,
+    [`data-default-${queryStringKey}`]: defaultValue || '',
+    className: 'mb-4',
+  }
+
+  const params = new URLSearchParams(asPathQuery)
+
+  return (
+    <UnderlineNav {...sharedContainerProps}>
+      {options.map((option) => {
+        params.set(queryStringKey, option.value)
+        const linkProps = {
+          [`data-${queryStringKey}`]: option.value,
+        }
+        return (
+          <UnderlineNav.Link
+            href={`?${params}`}
+            key={option.value}
+            selected={option.value === currentValue}
+            onClick={(event) => {
+              event.preventDefault()
+              onClickChoice(option.value)
+            }}
+            {...linkProps}
+          >
+            {option.label}
+          </UnderlineNav.Link>
+        )
+      })}
+    </UnderlineNav>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/components/article/PlatformPicker.tsx b/components/article/PlatformPicker.tsx
index 234b2e5af3..579542eb3c 100644
--- a/components/article/PlatformPicker.tsx
+++ b/components/article/PlatformPicker.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
-import Cookies from 'js-cookie'
-import { SubNav, TabNav, UnderlineNav } from '@primer/react'
-import { sendEvent, EventType } from 'components/lib/events'
-import { useRouter } from 'next/router'
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { useArticleContext } from 'components/context/ArticleContext'
 import { parseUserAgent } from 'components/lib/user-agent'
+import { InArticlePicker } from './InArticlePicker'
 
 const platformQueryKey = 'platform'
 const platforms = [
-  { id: 'mac', label: 'Mac' },
-  { id: 'windows', label: 'Windows' },
-  { id: 'linux', label: 'Linux' },
+  { value: 'mac', label: 'Mac' },
+  { value: 'windows', label: 'Windows' },
+  { value: 'linux', label: 'Linux' },
 ]
 
 // Nota bene: platform === os
@@ -22,7 +19,7 @@ const platforms = [
 function showPlatformSpecificContent(platform: string) {
   const markdowns = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('.extended-markdown'))
   markdowns
-    .filter((el) => platforms.some((platform) => el.classList.contains(platform.id)))
+    .filter((el) => platforms.some((platform) => el.classList.contains(platform.value)))
     .forEach((el) => {
       el.style.display = el.classList.contains(platform) ? '' : 'none'
     })
@@ -31,7 +28,7 @@ function showPlatformSpecificContent(platform: string) {
   // example: <span class="platform-mac">inline content</span>
   const platformEls = Array.from(
     document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(
-      platforms.map((platform) => `.platform-${platform.id}`).join(', ')
+      platforms.map((platform) => `.platform-${platform.value}`).join(', ')
     )
   )
   platformEls.forEach((el) => {
@@ -39,153 +36,39 @@ function showPlatformSpecificContent(platform: string) {
   })
 }
 
-// uses the order of the supportedPlatforms array to
-// determine the default platform
-const getFallbackPlatform = (detectedPlatforms: Array<string>): string => {
-  const foundPlatform = platforms.find((platform) => detectedPlatforms.includes(platform.id))
-  return foundPlatform?.id || 'linux'
-}
-
-type Props = {
-  variant?: 'subnav' | 'tabnav' | 'underlinenav'
-}
-export const PlatformPicker = ({ variant = 'subnav' }: Props) => {
-  const router = useRouter()
-  const { query, asPath, locale } = router
+export const PlatformPicker = () => {
   const { defaultPlatform, detectedPlatforms } = useArticleContext()
-  const [currentPlatform, setCurrentPlatform] = useState(defaultPlatform || '')
 
-  // Run on mount for client-side only features
+  const [defaultUA, setDefaultUA] = useState('')
   useEffect(() => {
     let userAgent = parseUserAgent().os
     if (userAgent === 'ios') {
       userAgent = 'mac'
     }
+    setDefaultUA(userAgent)
+  }, [])
 
-    // If it's a valid platform option, set platform from query param
-    let platform =
-      query[platformQueryKey] && Array.isArray(query[platformQueryKey])
-        ? query[platformQueryKey][0]
-        : query[platformQueryKey] || ''
-    if (!platform || !platforms.some((platform) => platform.id === query.platform)) {
-      platform = defaultPlatform || Cookies.get('osPreferred') || userAgent || 'linux'
-    }
+  // Defensively, just in case some article happens to have an array
+  // but for some reasons, it might be empty, let's not have a picker
+  // at all.
+  if (!detectedPlatforms.length) return null
 
-    setCurrentPlatform(platform)
-
-    // always trigger this on initial render. if the default doesn't change the other useEffect won't fire
-    showPlatformSpecificContent(platform)
-  }, [asPath])
-
-  // Make sure we've always selected a platform that exists in the article
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Only check *after* current platform has been determined
-    if (currentPlatform && !detectedPlatforms.includes(currentPlatform)) {
-      setCurrentPlatform(getFallbackPlatform(detectedPlatforms))
-    }
-  }, [currentPlatform, detectedPlatforms.join(',')])
-
-  const onClickPlatform = useCallback(
-    (platform: string) => {
-      // Set platform in query param without altering other query params
-      const [asPathRoot, asPathQuery = ''] = router.asPath.split('#')[0].split('?')
-      const params = new URLSearchParams(asPathQuery)
-      params.set(platformQueryKey, platform)
-      const newPath = `/${locale}${asPathRoot}?${params}`
-      router.push(newPath, undefined, { shallow: true, locale })
-
-      sendEvent({
-        type: EventType.preference,
-        preference_name: 'os',
-        preference_value: platform,
-      })
-
-      Cookies.set('osPreferred', platform, {
-        sameSite: 'strict',
-        secure: document.location.protocol !== 'http:',
-        expires: 365,
-      })
-    },
-    [asPath, locale]
-  )
-
-  // only show platforms that are in the current article
-  const platformOptions = platforms.filter((platform) => detectedPlatforms.includes(platform.id))
-
-  const sharedContainerProps = {
-    'data-testid': 'platform-picker',
-    'aria-label': 'Platform picker',
-    'data-default-platform': defaultPlatform,
-    className: 'mb-4',
-  }
-
-  if (variant === 'subnav') {
-    return (
-      <SubNav {...sharedContainerProps}>
-        <SubNav.Links>
-          {platformOptions.map((option) => {
-            return (
-              <SubNav.Link
-                key={option.id}
-                data-platform={option.id}
-                as="button"
-                selected={option.id === currentPlatform}
-                onClick={() => {
-                  onClickPlatform(option.id)
-                }}
-              >
-                {option.label}
-              </SubNav.Link>
-            )
-          })}
-        </SubNav.Links>
-      </SubNav>
-    )
-  }
-
-  if (variant === 'underlinenav') {
-    const [, pathQuery = ''] = asPath.split('?')
-    const params = new URLSearchParams(pathQuery)
-    return (
-      <UnderlineNav {...sharedContainerProps}>
-        {platformOptions.map((option) => {
-          params.set(platformQueryKey, option.id)
-          return (
-            <UnderlineNav.Link
-              href={`?${params.toString()}`}
-              key={option.id}
-              data-platform={option.id}
-              selected={option.id === currentPlatform}
-              onClick={(event) => {
-                event.preventDefault()
-                onClickPlatform(option.id)
-              }}
-            >
-              {option.label}
-            </UnderlineNav.Link>
-          )
-        })}
-      </UnderlineNav>
-    )
-  }
+  const options = platforms.filter((platform) => detectedPlatforms.includes(platform.value))
 
   return (
-    <TabNav {...sharedContainerProps}>
-      {platformOptions.map((option) => {
-        return (
-          <TabNav.Link
-            key={option.id}
-            data-platform={option.id}
-            as="button"
-            selected={option.id === currentPlatform}
-            onClick={() => {
-              onClickPlatform(option.id)
-            }}
-          >
-            {option.label}
-          </TabNav.Link>
-        )
-      })}
-    </TabNav>
+    <InArticlePicker
+      defaultValue={defaultPlatform}
+      fallbackValue={
+        detectedPlatforms.includes(defaultUA)
+          ? defaultUA
+          : detectedPlatforms[detectedPlatforms.length - 1]
+      }
+      cookieKey="osPreferred"
+      queryStringKey={platformQueryKey}
+      onValue={showPlatformSpecificContent}
+      preferenceName="os"
+      ariaLabel="Platform"
+      options={options}
+    />
   )
 }
diff --git a/components/article/ToolPicker.tsx b/components/article/ToolPicker.tsx
index 753a71a406..171865fb8e 100644
--- a/components/article/ToolPicker.tsx
+++ b/components/article/ToolPicker.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
-import { useRouter } from 'next/router'
-import Cookies from 'js-cookie'
-import { UnderlineNav } from '@primer/react'
-import { sendEvent, EventType } from 'components/lib/events'
 import { preserveAnchorNodePosition } from 'scroll-anchoring'
 
 import { useArticleContext } from 'components/context/ArticleContext'
+import { InArticlePicker } from './InArticlePicker'
 
 // example: http://localhost:4000/en/codespaces/developing-in-codespaces/creating-a-codespace
 
@@ -48,97 +44,29 @@ function getDefaultTool(defaultTool: string | undefined, detectedTools: Array<st
 }
 
 const toolQueryKey = 'tool'
-type Props = {
-  variant?: 'subnav' | 'tabnav' | 'underlinenav'
-}
-export const ToolPicker = ({ variant = 'subnav' }: Props) => {
-  const router = useRouter()
-  const { asPath, query, locale } = router
+export const ToolPicker = () => {
   // allTools comes from the ArticleContext which contains the list of tools available
   const { defaultTool, detectedTools, allTools } = useArticleContext()
-  const [currentTool, setCurrentTool] = useState(getDefaultTool(defaultTool, detectedTools))
 
-  const sharedContainerProps = {
-    'data-testid': 'tool-picker',
-    'aria-label': 'Tool picker',
-    'data-default-tool': defaultTool,
-    className: 'mb-4',
-  }
+  if (!detectedTools.length) return null
 
-  // Run on mount for client-side only features
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // If the user selected a tool preference and the tool is present on this page
-    // Has to be client-side only for cookie reading
-    const cookieValue = Cookies.get('toolPreferred')
-    if (cookieValue && detectedTools.includes(cookieValue)) {
-      setCurrentTool(cookieValue)
-    }
-  }, [])
+  const options = detectedTools.map((value) => {
+    return { value, label: allTools[value] }
+  })
 
-  // Whenever the currentTool is changed, update the article content or selected tool from query param
-  useEffect(() => {
-    preserveAnchorNodePosition(document, () => {
-      showToolSpecificContent(currentTool, Object.keys(allTools))
-    })
-
-    // If tool from query is a valid option, use it
-    const tool =
-      query[toolQueryKey] && Array.isArray(query[toolQueryKey])
-        ? query[toolQueryKey][0]
-        : query[toolQueryKey] || ''
-    if (tool && detectedTools.includes(tool)) {
-      setCurrentTool(tool)
-    }
-  }, [currentTool, asPath])
-
-  const onClickTool = useCallback(
-    (tool: string) => {
-      // Set tool in query param without altering other query params
-      const [asPathRoot, asPathQuery = ''] = router.asPath.split('#')[0].split('?')
-      const params = new URLSearchParams(asPathQuery)
-      params.set(toolQueryKey, tool)
-      const newPath = `/${locale}${asPathRoot}?${params}`
-      router.push(newPath, undefined, { shallow: true, locale })
-
-      sendEvent({
-        type: EventType.preference,
-        preference_name: 'application',
-        preference_value: tool,
-      })
-      Cookies.set('toolPreferred', tool, {
-        sameSite: 'strict',
-        secure: document.location.protocol !== 'http:',
-        expires: 365,
-      })
-    },
-    [asPath, locale]
+  return (
+    <InArticlePicker
+      fallbackValue={getDefaultTool(defaultTool, detectedTools)}
+      cookieKey="toolPreferred"
+      queryStringKey={toolQueryKey}
+      onValue={(value: string) => {
+        preserveAnchorNodePosition(document, () => {
+          showToolSpecificContent(value, Object.keys(allTools))
+        })
+      }}
+      preferenceName="application"
+      ariaLabel="Tool"
+      options={options}
+    />
   )
-
-  if (variant === 'underlinenav') {
-    const [, pathQuery = ''] = asPath.split('?')
-    const params = new URLSearchParams(pathQuery)
-    return (
-      <UnderlineNav {...sharedContainerProps}>
-        {detectedTools.map((tool) => {
-          params.set(toolQueryKey, tool)
-          return (
-            <UnderlineNav.Link
-              href={`?${params.toString()}`}
-              key={tool}
-              data-tool={tool}
-              selected={tool === currentTool}
-              onClick={(event) => {
-                event.preventDefault()
-                onClickTool(tool)
-              }}
-            >
-              {allTools[tool]}
-            </UnderlineNav.Link>
-          )
-        })}
-      </UnderlineNav>
-    )
-  }
-
-  return null
 }