diff --git a/Sources/SideNavigationController+NestedTypes.swift b/Sources/SideNavigationController+NestedTypes.swift
index c4f922f..5b87444 100644
--- a/Sources/SideNavigationController+NestedTypes.swift
+++ b/Sources/SideNavigationController+NestedTypes.swift
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public extension SideNavigationController {
         public var panningEnabled: Bool
         public var scale: CGFloat
         public var position: Position
+        public var closeOnTouchOutside: Bool
         public var shadowColor: UIColor {
             get {
                 return UIColor(cgColor: self.shadowCGColor)
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ public extension SideNavigationController {
                 self.shadowCGColor = newValue.cgColor
             }
         }
+        
         public fileprivate(set) var shadowCGColor: CGColor!
 
         public init(widthPercent: CGFloat = 0.33,
@@ -58,7 +60,8 @@ public extension SideNavigationController {
                     alwaysInteractionEnabled: Bool = false,
                     panningEnabled: Bool = true,
                     scale: CGFloat = 1,
-                    position: Position = .back) {
+                    position: Position = .back,
+                    closeOnTouchOutside: Bool = true) {
             self.widthPercent = widthPercent
             self.animationDuration = animationDuration
             self.overlayColor = overlayColor
@@ -68,6 +71,7 @@ public extension SideNavigationController {
             self.panningEnabled = panningEnabled
             self.scale = scale
             self.position = position
+            self.closeOnTouchOutside = closeOnTouchOutside
             self.shadowColor = shadowColor
         }
     }
diff --git a/Sources/SideNavigationController.swift b/Sources/SideNavigationController.swift
index 0dc2b54..1e168d8 100644
--- a/Sources/SideNavigationController.swift
+++ b/Sources/SideNavigationController.swift
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ open class SideNavigationController: UIViewController {
 
     public private(set) var left: Side?
     public private(set) var right: Side?
+    
+    public private(set) var isSideOpen: Bool = false
+    public var delegate: SideNavigationControllerDelegate?
 
     public var mainViewController: UIViewController! {
         willSet(newValue) {
@@ -116,6 +119,11 @@ open class SideNavigationController: UIViewController {
         self.updateSide(with: direction, progress: 0)
         #if os(iOS)
         self.sideGestures(enabled: true)
+        if side.options.closeOnTouchOutside {
+            self.overlay.addGestureRecognizer(self.gestures.mainTap)
+        } else {
+            self.overlay.removeGestureRecognizer(self.gestures.mainTap)
+        }
         #endif
     }
 
@@ -159,6 +167,7 @@ open class SideNavigationController: UIViewController {
         if let viewController = viewController {
             viewController.view.removeFromSuperview()
             viewController.removeFromParent()
+            delegate = nil
         }
     }
 
@@ -219,11 +228,14 @@ open class SideNavigationController: UIViewController {
             return
         }
         side.viewController.view.endEditing(animated)
+        self.delegate?.sideWillClose()
         UIView.animate(withDuration: animated ? side.options.animationDuration : 0, animations: {
             self.visibleSideViewController = nil
             side.viewController.view.isHidden = false
             self.updateSide(with: direction, progress: 0)
         }, completion: { _ in
+            self.delegate?.sideDidClosed()
+            self.isSideOpen = false
             side.viewController.view.isHidden = true
             self.revertSideDirection = false
             self.mainGestures(enabled: false, direction: direction)
@@ -250,10 +262,13 @@ open class SideNavigationController: UIViewController {
             return
         }
         self.mainViewController.view.endEditing(animated)
+        self.delegate?.sideWillOpen()
         UIView.animate(withDuration: animated ? side.options.animationDuration : 0, animations: {
             self.visibleSideViewController = side.viewController
             self.updateSide(with: direction, progress: 1)
         }, completion: { _ in
+            self.delegate?.sideDidOpen()
+            self.isSideOpen = true
             self.revertSideDirection = true
             self.mainGestures(enabled: true, direction: direction)
             #if os(iOS)
@@ -309,7 +324,7 @@ public extension SideNavigationController {
     fileprivate class Gestures {
 
         public static let velocityTolerance: CGFloat = 600
-
+       
         private weak var sideNavigationController: SideNavigationController?
         #if os(iOS)
         public var leftScreenEdgePan: UIScreenEdgePanGestureRecognizer!
@@ -337,14 +352,13 @@ public extension SideNavigationController {
             #endif
 
             self.mainPan = UIPanGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(handle(panGesture:)))
-
             self.mainTap = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(handle(tapGesture:)))
             #if os(tvOS)
             self.mainTap.allowedPressTypes = [NSNumber(value: UIPress.PressType.menu.rawValue)]
             #endif
             self.mainTap.require(toFail: self.mainPan)
         }
-
+        
         @objc
         private func handle(panGesture: UIPanGestureRecognizer) {
             guard let sideNavigationController = self.sideNavigationController else {
@@ -505,3 +519,12 @@ fileprivate extension SideNavigationController {
         self.closeSide()
     }
 }
+
+public protocol SideNavigationControllerDelegate {
+    
+    func sideWillClose()
+    func sideDidClosed()
+    func sideWillOpen()
+    func sideDidOpen()
+    
+}