shoelace/docs/pages/components/dropdown.md

meta	layout
title description Dropdown Dropdowns expose additional content that "drops down" in a panel.	component

Dropdowns consist of a trigger and a panel. By default, activating the trigger will expose the panel and interacting outside of the panel will close it.

Dropdowns are designed to work well with menus to provide a list of options the user can select from. However, dropdowns can also be used in lower-level applications (e.g. color picker). The API gives you complete control over showing, hiding, and positioning the panel.

<sl-dropdown>
  <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Dropdown</sl-button>
  <sl-menu>
    <sl-menu-item>Dropdown Item 1</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Dropdown Item 2</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Dropdown Item 3</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item type="checkbox" checked>Checkbox</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item disabled>Disabled</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item>
      Prefix
      <sl-icon slot="prefix" name="gift"></sl-icon>
    </sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>
      Suffix Icon
      <sl-icon slot="suffix" name="heart"></sl-icon>
    </sl-menu-item>
  </sl-menu>
</sl-dropdown>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDivider from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/divider';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlIcon from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/icon';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const App = () => (
  <SlDropdown>
    <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
      Dropdown
    </SlButton>
    <SlMenu>
      <SlMenuItem>Dropdown Item 1</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Dropdown Item 2</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Dropdown Item 3</SlMenuItem>
      <SlDivider />
      <SlMenuItem type="checkbox" checked>
        Checkbox
      </SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem disabled>Disabled</SlMenuItem>
      <SlDivider />
      <SlMenuItem>
        Prefix
        <SlIcon slot="prefix" name="gift" />
      </SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>
        Suffix Icon
        <SlIcon slot="suffix" name="heart" />
      </SlMenuItem>
    </SlMenu>
  </SlDropdown>
);

Examples

Getting the Selected Item

When dropdowns are used with menus, you can listen for the sl-select event to determine which menu item was selected. The menu item element will be exposed in event.detail.item. You can set value props to make it easier to identify commands.

<div class="dropdown-selection">
  <sl-dropdown>
    <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Edit</sl-button>
    <sl-menu>
      <sl-menu-item value="cut">Cut</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item value="copy">Copy</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item value="paste">Paste</sl-menu-item>
    </sl-menu>
  </sl-dropdown>
</div>

<script>
  const container = document.querySelector('.dropdown-selection');
  const dropdown = container.querySelector('sl-dropdown');

  dropdown.addEventListener('sl-select', event => {
    const selectedItem = event.detail.item;
    console.log(selectedItem.value);
  });
</script>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const App = () => {
  function handleSelect(event) {
    const selectedItem = event.detail.item;
    console.log(selectedItem.value);
  }

  return (
    <SlDropdown>
      <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
        Edit
      </SlButton>
      <SlMenu onSlSelect={handleSelect}>
        <SlMenuItem value="cut">Cut</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem value="copy">Copy</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem value="paste">Paste</SlMenuItem>
      </SlMenu>
    </SlDropdown>
  );
};

Alternatively, you can listen for the click event on individual menu items. Note that, using this approach, disabled menu items will still emit a click event.

<div class="dropdown-selection-alt">
  <sl-dropdown>
    <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Edit</sl-button>
    <sl-menu>
      <sl-menu-item value="cut">Cut</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item value="copy">Copy</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item value="paste">Paste</sl-menu-item>
    </sl-menu>
  </sl-dropdown>
</div>

<script>
  const container = document.querySelector('.dropdown-selection-alt');
  const cut = container.querySelector('sl-menu-item[value="cut"]');
  const copy = container.querySelector('sl-menu-item[value="copy"]');
  const paste = container.querySelector('sl-menu-item[value="paste"]');

  cut.addEventListener('click', () => console.log('cut'));
  copy.addEventListener('click', () => console.log('copy'));
  paste.addEventListener('click', () => console.log('paste'));
</script>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const App = () => {
  function handleCut() {
    console.log('cut');
  }

  function handleCopy() {
    console.log('copy');
  }

  function handlePaste() {
    console.log('paste');
  }

  return (
    <SlDropdown>
      <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
        Edit
      </SlButton>
      <SlMenu>
        <SlMenuItem onClick={handleCut}>Cut</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem onClick={handleCopy}>Copy</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem onClick={handlePaste}>Paste</SlMenuItem>
      </SlMenu>
    </SlDropdown>
  );
};

Placement

The preferred placement of the dropdown can be set with the placement attribute. Note that the actual position may vary to ensure the panel remains in the viewport.

<sl-dropdown placement="top-start">
  <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Edit</sl-button>
  <sl-menu>
    <sl-menu-item>Cut</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Copy</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Paste</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item>Find</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Replace</sl-menu-item>
  </sl-menu>
</sl-dropdown>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDivider from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/divider';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const App = () => (
  <SlDropdown placement="top-start">
    <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
      Edit
    </SlButton>
    <SlMenu>
      <SlMenuItem>Cut</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Copy</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Paste</SlMenuItem>
      <SlDivider />
      <SlMenuItem>Find</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Replace</SlMenuItem>
    </SlMenu>
  </SlDropdown>
);

Distance

The distance from the panel to the trigger can be customized using the distance attribute. This value is specified in pixels.

<sl-dropdown distance="30">
  <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Edit</sl-button>
  <sl-menu>
    <sl-menu-item>Cut</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Copy</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Paste</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item>Find</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Replace</sl-menu-item>
  </sl-menu>
</sl-dropdown>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDivider from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/divider';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const App = () => (
  <SlDropdown distance={30}>
    <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
      Edit
    </SlButton>
    <SlMenu>
      <SlMenuItem>Cut</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Copy</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Paste</SlMenuItem>
      <SlDivider />
      <SlMenuItem>Find</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Replace</SlMenuItem>
    </SlMenu>
  </SlDropdown>
);

Skidding

The offset of the panel along the trigger can be customized using the skidding attribute. This value is specified in pixels.

<sl-dropdown skidding="30">
  <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Edit</sl-button>
  <sl-menu>
    <sl-menu-item>Cut</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Copy</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Paste</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item>Find</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>Replace</sl-menu-item>
  </sl-menu>
</sl-dropdown>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDivider from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/divider';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const App = () => (
  <SlDropdown skidding={30}>
    <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
      Edit
    </SlButton>
    <SlMenu>
      <SlMenuItem>Cut</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Copy</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Paste</SlMenuItem>
      <SlDivider />
      <SlMenuItem>Find</SlMenuItem>
      <SlMenuItem>Replace</SlMenuItem>
    </SlMenu>
  </SlDropdown>
);

Submenus

To create a submenu, nest an <sl-menu slot="submenu"> element in a menu item.

<sl-dropdown>
  <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Edit</sl-button>

  <sl-menu style="max-width: 200px;">
    <sl-menu-item value="undo">Undo</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item value="redo">Redo</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item value="cut">Cut</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item value="copy">Copy</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item value="paste">Paste</sl-menu-item>
    <sl-divider></sl-divider>
    <sl-menu-item>
      Find
      <sl-menu slot="submenu">
        <sl-menu-item value="find">Find…</sl-menu-item>
        <sl-menu-item value="find-previous">Find Next</sl-menu-item>
        <sl-menu-item value="find-next">Find Previous</sl-menu-item>
      </sl-menu>
    </sl-menu-item>
    <sl-menu-item>
      Transformations
      <sl-menu slot="submenu">
        <sl-menu-item value="uppercase">Make uppercase</sl-menu-item>
        <sl-menu-item value="lowercase">Make lowercase</sl-menu-item>
        <sl-menu-item value="capitalize">Capitalize</sl-menu-item>
      </sl-menu>
    </sl-menu-item>
  </sl-menu>
</sl-dropdown>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDivider from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/divider';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const css = `
  .dropdown-hoist {
    border: solid 2px var(--sl-panel-border-color);
    padding: var(--sl-spacing-medium);
    overflow: hidden;
  }
`;

const App = () => (
  <>
    <SlDropdown>
      <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>Edit</SlButton>

      <SlMenu style="max-width: 200px;">
        <SlMenuItem value="undo">Undo</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem value="redo">Redo</SlMenuItem>
        <SlDivider />
        <SlMenuItem value="cut">Cut</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem value="copy">Copy</SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem value="paste">Paste</SlMenuItem>
        <SlDivider />
        <SlMenuItem>
          Find
          <SlMenu slot="submenu">
            <SlMenuItem value="find">Find…</SlMenuItem>
            <SlMenuItem value="find-previous">Find Next</SlMenuItem>
            <SlMenuItem value="find-next">Find Previous</SlMenuItem>
          </SlMenu>
        </SlMenuItem>
        <SlMenuItem>
          Transformations
          <SlMenu slot="submenu">
            <SlMenuItem value="uppercase">Make uppercase</SlMenuItem>
            <SlMenuItem value="lowercase">Make lowercase</SlMenuItem>
            <SlMenuItem value="capitalize">Capitalize</SlMenuItem>
          </SlMenu>
        </SlMenuItem>
      </SlMenu>
    </SlDropdown>
  </>
);

:::warning As a UX best practice, avoid using more than one level of submenu when possible. :::

Hoisting

Dropdown panels will be clipped if they're inside a container that has overflow: auto|hidden. The hoist attribute forces the panel to use a fixed positioning strategy, allowing it to break out of the container. In this case, the panel will be positioned relative to its containing block, which is usually the viewport unless an ancestor uses a transform, perspective, or filter. Refer to this page for more details.

<div class="dropdown-hoist">
  <sl-dropdown>
    <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>No Hoist</sl-button>
    <sl-menu>
      <sl-menu-item>Item 1</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item>Item 2</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item>Item 3</sl-menu-item>
    </sl-menu>
  </sl-dropdown>

  <sl-dropdown hoist>
    <sl-button slot="trigger" caret>Hoist</sl-button>
    <sl-menu>
      <sl-menu-item>Item 1</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item>Item 2</sl-menu-item>
      <sl-menu-item>Item 3</sl-menu-item>
    </sl-menu>
  </sl-dropdown>
</div>

<style>
  .dropdown-hoist {
    position: relative;
    border: solid 2px var(--sl-panel-border-color);
    padding: var(--sl-spacing-medium);
    overflow: hidden;
  }
</style>

import SlButton from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/button';
import SlDivider from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/divider';
import SlDropdown from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/dropdown';
import SlMenu from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu';
import SlMenuItem from '@shoelace-style/shoelace/dist/react/menu-item';

const css = `
  .dropdown-hoist {
    border: solid 2px var(--sl-panel-border-color);
    padding: var(--sl-spacing-medium);
    overflow: hidden;
  }
`;

const App = () => (
  <>
    <div className="dropdown-hoist">
      <SlDropdown>
        <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
          No Hoist
        </SlButton>
        <SlMenu>
          <SlMenuItem>Item 1</SlMenuItem>
          <SlMenuItem>Item 2</SlMenuItem>
          <SlMenuItem>Item 3</SlMenuItem>
        </SlMenu>
      </SlDropdown>

      <SlDropdown hoist>
        <SlButton slot="trigger" caret>
          Hoist
        </SlButton>
        <SlMenu>
          <SlMenuItem>Item 1</SlMenuItem>
          <SlMenuItem>Item 2</SlMenuItem>
          <SlMenuItem>Item 3</SlMenuItem>
        </SlMenu>
      </SlDropdown>
    </div>

    <style>{css}</style>
  </>
);