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Dropdown

A menu-button dropdown with a native disclosure floor and enhanced keyboard menu behaviour.

All components Component Brickwork 4.3.1

Try it

Action menu

Open full-page preview

A labelled menu with a destructive action.

Use for compact menus of navigation or record actions where a single trigger is appropriate.

Use it

Working invocation

The live demonstration uses this site's routes. For a portable implementation, download the complete Django and Brickwork cookbook: every file below is shown exactly as it ships in the archive.

Download the consumer cookbook

component_cookbook/views.py

Python

"""Deterministic interaction endpoints: no models, storage, or external calls."""
from __future__ import annotations

from django.contrib import messages
from django.core.paginator import Paginator
from django.http import HttpRequest, HttpResponse, HttpResponseBadRequest
from django.shortcuts import redirect, render
from django.urls import reverse
from django.utils.cache import patch_vary_headers
from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
from django.views.decorators.http import require_http_methods, require_POST

from .forms import FilterForm, LanguageForm, MessageForm, UploadForm

LANGUAGES = (("python", "Python"), ("django", "Django"), ("htmx", "HTMX"), ("alpine", "Alpine"))
ROWS = tuple({"name": name, "status": status} for name, status in (
    ("Modal response", "ready"), ("Combobox endpoint", "draft"), ("Toast delivery", "ready"),
    ("No-JavaScript floor", "draft"), ("Slide-over focus", "ready"), ("Tooltip focus", "draft"),
    ("Dropdown links", "ready"), ("Native disclosure", "draft"), ("Tag input carrier", "ready"),
    ("Dropzone metadata", "draft"), ("Table selection", "ready"), ("Search request", "draft"),
))


def _htmx(request: HttpRequest) -> bool:
    return request.headers.get("HX-Request") == "true"


def _branch(request: HttpRequest, partial: str, page: str, context: dict, status: int = 200) -> HttpResponse:
    response = render(request, partial if _htmx(request) else page, context, status=status)
    patch_vary_headers(response, ("HX-Request",))
    return response


def _page(request: HttpRequest, template: str, **context) -> HttpResponse:
    return render(request, template, context)


def index(request): return _page(request, "component_cookbook/index.html")
def dropdown(request):
    return _page(request, "component_cookbook/dropdown.html", items=[
        {"label": _("Open cookbook"), "url": reverse("component_cookbook:index"), "icon": "external-link"},
        {"divider": True}, {"label": _("Delete draft"), "url": "#delete", "variant": "danger", "icon": "trash"},
    ])
def tabs(request):
    active = request.GET.get("tab", "overview")
    if active not in {"overview", "api"}:
        return HttpResponseBadRequest("Unknown cookbook tab.")
    return _page(request, "component_cookbook/tabs.html", active=active, tabs=[{"key": "overview", "label": _("Overview")}, {"key": "api", "label": "API"}], overview=mark_safe("<p>Overview content comes from this consumer template.</p>"), api=mark_safe("<p>The API panel uses the same package tab relationship.</p>"))
def tooltip(request): return _page(request, "component_cookbook/tooltip.html", tooltip_id="cookbook-tooltip", text=_("Explains the button"), placement="top")
def disclosure(request): return _page(request, "component_cookbook/disclosure.html")
def tag_input(request): return _page(request, "component_cookbook/tag_input.html")


def modal(request):
    return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/modal.html", "component_cookbook/modal.html", {"form": MessageForm(), "modal_id": "cookbook-message-modal", "close_href": reverse("component_cookbook:index")})


@require_POST
def modal_submit(request):
    form = MessageForm(request.POST)
    context = {"form": form, "modal_id": "cookbook-message-modal", "close_href": reverse("component_cookbook:index")}
    if not form.is_valid():
        return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/modal.html", "component_cookbook/modal.html", context, 422 if _htmx(request) else 200)
    if _htmx(request):
        response = HttpResponse(status=204)
        response["HX-Trigger"] = '{"bw:modal:close": {"id": "cookbook-message-modal"}}'
        return response
    messages.success(request, _("The demo accepted your message without saving it."))
    return redirect("component_cookbook:modal")


def slide_over(request):
    size = request.GET.get("size", "md")
    placement = request.GET.get("placement", "end")
    if size not in {"sm", "md", "lg"} or placement not in {"start", "end"}:
        return HttpResponseBadRequest("Invalid slide-over options.")
    return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/slide_over.html", "component_cookbook/slide_over.html", {"close_href": reverse("component_cookbook:index"), "size": size, "placement": placement})


@require_POST
def toggle(request):
    return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/toggle_outcome.html", "component_cookbook/toggle.html", {"enabled": request.POST.get("notices") == "on"})


@require_POST
def toast(request):
    if not _htmx(request):
        messages.success(request, _("The server delivered this demonstration outcome."))
        response = redirect("component_cookbook:toast-page")
    else:
        response = render(request, "component_cookbook/partials/toast_oob.html")
    patch_vary_headers(response, ("HX-Request",))
    return response


def toast_page(request):
    return _page(request, "component_cookbook/toast_region.html")


def toast_region(request):
    return _page(request, "component_cookbook/toast_region.html")


def combobox(request): return _page(request, "component_cookbook/combobox.html", form=LanguageForm(), options_url=reverse("component_cookbook:combobox-options"))


def combobox_options(request):
    query = request.GET.get("q", "").strip().casefold()[:40]
    return render(request, "component_cookbook/partials/combobox_options.html", {"choices": [choice for choice in LANGUAGES if not query or query in choice[1].casefold()]})


@require_POST
def combobox_submit(request):
    form = LanguageForm(request.POST)
    context = {"form": form, "options_url": reverse("component_cookbook:combobox-options")}
    if form.is_valid():
        context["selected_label"] = dict(LANGUAGES)[form.cleaned_data["language"]]
    return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/combobox_form.html", "component_cookbook/combobox.html", context, 422 if _htmx(request) and not form.is_valid() else 200)


def _rows(query: str, status: str):
    return [row for row in ROWS if (not query or query.casefold() in row["name"].casefold()) and (not status or row["status"] == status)]


def table(request):
    form = FilterForm(request.GET)
    query, status = (form.cleaned_data["q"], form.cleaned_data["status"]) if form.is_valid() else ("", "")
    context = {"filter_form": form, "page_obj": Paginator(_rows(query, status), 4).get_page(request.GET.get("page", 1)), "table_url": reverse("component_cookbook:table"), "form_invalid": not form.is_valid()}
    return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/table_region.html", "component_cookbook/table.html", context)


def search(request):
    query = request.GET.get("q", "").strip()[:40]
    return _page(request, "component_cookbook/search.html", query=query, result_count=len(_rows(query, "")), search_url=reverse("component_cookbook:search"))


@require_http_methods(["GET", "POST"])
def upload(request):
    if request.method == "GET":
        return _page(request, "component_cookbook/upload.html", form=UploadForm())
    form = UploadForm(request.POST, request.FILES)
    context = {"form": form}
    if form.is_valid():
        uploaded = form.cleaned_data["file"]
        context["outcome"] = _("Validated %(name)s (%(size)s bytes). The application did not retain it.") % {"name": uploaded.name, "size": uploaded.size}
        context["form"] = UploadForm()
    return _branch(request, "component_cookbook/partials/upload_form.html", "component_cookbook/upload.html", context, 422 if _htmx(request) and not form.is_valid() else 200)

component_cookbook/urls.py

Python

from django.urls import path

from . import views

app_name = "component_cookbook"

urlpatterns = [
    path("", views.index, name="index"),
    path("dropdown/", views.dropdown, name="dropdown"),
    path("tabs/", views.tabs, name="tabs"),
    path("tooltip/", views.tooltip, name="tooltip"),
    path("disclosure/", views.disclosure, name="disclosure"),
    path("tag-input/", views.tag_input, name="tag-input"),
    path("modal/", views.modal, name="modal"),
    path("modal/submit/", views.modal_submit, name="modal-submit"),
    path("slide-over/", views.slide_over, name="slide-over"),
    path("toggle/", views.toggle, name="toggle"),
    path("toasts/", views.toast_page, name="toast-page"),
    path("toast-region/", views.toast_region, name="toast-region"),
    path("toast/", views.toast, name="toast"),
    path("combobox/", views.combobox, name="combobox"),
    path("combobox/options/", views.combobox_options, name="combobox-options"),
    path("combobox/submit/", views.combobox_submit, name="combobox-submit"),
    path("table/", views.table, name="table"),
    path("search/", views.search, name="search"),
    path("upload/", views.upload, name="upload"),
]

templates/component_cookbook/dropdown.html

Django template

{% extends "component_cookbook/base.html" %}{% load brickwork_interactions i18n %}{% block heading %}{% translate "Dropdown" %}{% endblock %}{% block introduction %}{% translate "A native details menu is the no-JavaScript floor." %}{% endblock %}{% block cookbook_content %}{% bw_dropdown items=items trigger_label="Actions" placement="end" %}{% endblock %}

templates/component_cookbook/base.html

Django template

{% extends "brickwork/shell/centred.html" %}
{% load static i18n %}
{% block page_title %}{% translate "Brickwork component cookbook" %}{% endblock %}
{% block head_js %}<script>window.BRICKWORK_JS_URL = "{% static 'brickwork/dist/brickwork.js' %}";</script>{% endblock %}
{% block body_js %}
<script src="{% static 'component_cookbook/vendor/htmx.min.js' %}"></script>
<script type="module">
import Alpine from "{% static 'component_cookbook/vendor/alpine.module.js' %}";
import focus from "{% static 'component_cookbook/vendor/focus.module.js' %}";
window.htmx.config.responseHandling = [{code: "204", swap: false}, {code: "422", swap: true}, {code: "[23]..", swap: true}, {code: "[45]..", swap: false, error: true}];
Alpine.plugin(focus);
const { registerBrickworkComponents } = await import(window.BRICKWORK_JS_URL);
registerBrickworkComponents(Alpine);
window.Alpine = Alpine;
Alpine.start();
</script>
{% endblock %}
{% block content %}
<header class="bw-stack bw-stack--sm"><p><a href="{% url 'component_cookbook:index' %}">{% translate "Component cookbook" %}</a></p><h1>{% block heading %}{% endblock %}</h1><p>{% block introduction %}{% endblock %}</p></header>
{% if messages %}{% for message in messages %}<p class="bw-alert bw-alert--success" role="status">{{ message }}</p>{% endfor %}{% endif %}
{% block cookbook_content %}{% endblock %}
{% endblock %}

templates/your_app/component.html

Django template

{% load brickwork_interactions %}
{% bw_dropdown items=menu_items trigger_label=trigger_label trigger_icon=trigger_icon %}

your_app/views.py

Python

context = {'menu_items': [{'label': 'Edit', 'url': '/edit/', 'icon': 'edit'}, {'label': 'Delete', 'url': '/delete/', 'icon': 'trash', 'variant': 'danger'}], 'trigger_label': 'Actions', 'trigger_icon': 'more-horizontal'}

Guide

Add it to your project

  1. Load `brickwork_interactions`.
  2. Pass a non-empty item list and a text trigger label, or use `icon_only` with `aria_label`.
  3. Initialise Brickwork interactions to enable the full menu keyboard model.

View this component's source for the installed release

Options

Public API

Option Type Default Required Description
items list[dict] Not set Yes Items with label, url, optional icon, variant, divider, and data attrs. Constraint: Each item must follow the component's documented item-record shape; keep labels and destinations paired.
trigger_label str Empty string No Visible trigger label. Constraint: Required unless icon_only.
trigger_variant str secondary No Trigger treatment. Allowed: primary, secondary, ghost, danger. Constraint: Allowed values: `primary`, `secondary`, `ghost`, `danger`.
trigger_icon str Empty string No Optional trigger icon. Constraint: No additional package-level validation is documented beyond this option's stated type and its role in the component.
icon_only bool False No Hides visible trigger text. Constraint: Requires aria_label.
aria_label str Empty string No Accessible name for icon-only trigger. Constraint: Use a concise non-empty accessible name whenever the visible label does not name the control.
trigger_mode str click No Enhanced opening model. Allowed: click, hover. Constraint: Allowed values: `click`, `hover`.
placement str start No Panel edge. Allowed: start, end. Constraint: Use only one of the documented logical or physical placement choices.
close_on_select bool True No Closes enhanced menu after selection. Constraint: No additional package-level validation is documented beyond this option's stated type and its role in the component.

Behaviour

Accessibility and responsive behaviour

Accessibility
The no-JS floor is a labelled nav of links. Enhancement adds the APG menu-button keyboard map and restores focus on close.
Responsive
No breakpoint switch; menu uses fixed minimum width.
Without JavaScript
The native details disclosure and links work without JavaScript.

Need help?

Troubleshooting

Contract check: (ICO-008 icon-only aria_label, item variant validation) and ships items here

Provide `aria_label` for an icon-only trigger. The tag owns the validation and no-JavaScript details fallback.

Documentation