Dropdown New

Dropdown menu displays a list of actions or selectable options for a user. Dropdown uses popout component internally to create the overlay functionality.

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<nord-stack direction="horizontal" justify-content="center" style="margin-bottom: calc(var(--n-space-xxl) * 3)">
  <nord-dropdown>
    <nord-button slot="toggle">Menu</nord-button>
    <nord-dropdown-item href="#">View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Settings</nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Show keyboard shortcuts</nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Help & Support</nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>API</nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Sign out</nord-dropdown-item>
  </nord-dropdown>
</nord-stack>

<nord-dropdown>
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand variant="switch">
    <span slot="start" aria-hidden="true" class="n-clinic-icon">B</span>
    Bath Clinic
    <nord-icon
      slot="end"
      class="n-margin-i-s"
      color="var(--n-color-icon)"
      name="interface-dropdown-small"
      size="s"
    ></nord-icon>
  </nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-group style="min-inline-size: 270px" heading="laura.williams@nordhealth.com">
    <nord-dropdown-item>
      <span
        aria-hidden="true"
        slot="start"
        style="--n-icon-size: calc(var(--n-size-icon-l) / 1.2)"
        class="n-clinic-icon"
      >
        B
      </span>
      Bath Clinic
      <nord-icon slot="end" name="interface-checked" size="s"></nord-icon>
    </nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>
      <span
        aria-hidden="true"
        style="--n-icon-color: var(--n-color-status-success); --n-icon-size: calc(var(--n-size-icon-l) / 1.2)"
        slot="start"
        class="n-clinic-icon"
      >
        O
      </span>
      Ocean Beach Clinic
    </nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>
      <span
        aria-hidden="true"
        style="--n-icon-color: var(--n-color-status-info); --n-icon-size: calc(var(--n-size-icon-l) / 1.2)"
        slot="start"
        class="n-clinic-icon"
      >
        P
      </span>
      Park Animal Hospital
    </nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>
      <span
        aria-hidden="true"
        style="--n-icon-color: var(--n-color-status-danger); --n-icon-size: calc(var(--n-size-icon-l) / 1.2)"
        slot="start"
        class="n-clinic-icon"
      >
        B
      </span>
      Balboa Pet Hospital
    </nord-dropdown-item>
  </nord-dropdown-group>
  <nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Add another clinic</nord-dropdown-item>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Customize style</nord-dropdown-item>
  </nord-dropdown-group>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Sign out from all clinics</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>

<nord-stack direction="horizontal" justify-content="center" style="margin-bottom: calc(var(--n-space-xxl) * 4)">
  <nord-dropdown>
    <nord-button size="s" slot="toggle">
      <nord-visually-hidden>Menu</nord-visually-hidden>
      <nord-icon
        size="s"
        name="interface-menu-small"
        style="transform: translateY(1px); color: var(--n-color-icon)"
      ></nord-icon>
    </nord-button>
    <nord-dropdown-group heading="Account">
      <nord-dropdown-item href="#">
        <nord-icon slot="start" name="user-single" size="s"></nord-icon>
        View profile
        <nord-icon slot="end" name="interface-checked" size="s"></nord-icon>
      </nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>
        <nord-icon slot="start" name="navigation-settings" size="s"></nord-icon>
        Settings
      </nord-dropdown-item>
    </nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-group>
      <nord-dropdown-item>
        <nord-icon slot="start" name="generic-keyboard" size="s"></nord-icon>
        Show keyboard shortcuts
      </nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>
        <nord-icon slot="start" name="interface-help" size="s"></nord-icon>
        Help & Support
      </nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>
        <nord-icon slot="start" name="file-script" size="s"></nord-icon>
        API
      </nord-dropdown-item>
    </nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-item>
      Sign out
      <nord-icon slot="end" name="interface-logout" size="s"></nord-icon>
    </nord-dropdown-item>
  </nord-dropdown>
</nord-stack>

<nord-stack direction="horizontal" justify-content="center" style="margin-bottom: calc(var(--n-space-xxl) * 4)">
  <nord-dropdown>
    <nord-button slot="toggle">Menu</nord-button>
    <nord-dropdown-group heading="Account">
      <nord-dropdown-item href="#">View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>Settings</nord-dropdown-item>
    </nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-group>
      <nord-dropdown-item>Show keyboard shortcuts</nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>Help & Support</nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>API</nord-dropdown-item>
    </nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Sign out</nord-dropdown-item>
  </nord-dropdown>
</nord-stack>

<nord-dropdown expand>
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>Default</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand position="block-end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>position="block-end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand position="block-start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>position="block-start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand position="inline-start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>position="inline-start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand position="inline-end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>position="inline-end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="start" position="block-end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="start" position="block-end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="start" position="block-start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="start" position="block-start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="start" position="inline-start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="start" position="inline-start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="start" position="inline-end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="start" position="inline-end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="end" position="block-end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="end" position="block-end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="end" position="block-start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="end" position="block-start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="end" position="inline-start">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="end" position="inline-start"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<nord-dropdown expand align="end" position="inline-end">
  <nord-button slot="toggle" expand>align="end" position="inline-end"</nord-button>
  <nord-dropdown-item>View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
  <nord-dropdown-item>Save changes</nord-dropdown-item>
</nord-dropdown>
<style>
  body {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(30ch, max-content));
    justify-content: center;
    gap: var(--n-space-m);
  }
</style>

<nord-stack direction="horizontal" justify-content="center" style="margin-top: calc(var(--n-space-xxl) * 3)">
  <nord-dropdown position="inline-end" align="end">
    <nord-button slot="toggle">Open top right</nord-button>
    <nord-dropdown-group heading="Account">
      <nord-dropdown-item href="#">View profile</nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>Settings</nord-dropdown-item>
    </nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-group>
      <nord-dropdown-item>Show keyboard shortcuts</nord-dropdown-item>
      <nord-dropdown-item>Help & Support</nord-dropdown-item>
    </nord-dropdown-group>
    <nord-dropdown-item>Sign out</nord-dropdown-item>
  </nord-dropdown>
</nord-stack>

Properties

Property	Attribute	Description	Type	Default
`align`	`align`	Set the alignment of the dropdown in relation to the toggle depending on the position. `start` will align the left of the dropdown to the left of the toggle. `end` will align the right of the dropdown to the right of the toggle. A dropdown with a set position of `inline-start` or `inline-end` will switch `start` and `end` to the top and bottom of the dropdown respectively.	`Popout["align"] \| undefined`	`undefined`
`position`	`position`	Set the position of the dropdown in relation to the toggle. Options follow logical properties. `block-start` and `block-end` referring to top and bottom respectively, `inline-start` and `inline-end` referring to left and right respectively.	`Popout["position"] \| undefined`	`undefined`
`expand`	`expand`	Controls whether the toggle slot expands to fill the width of its container.	`boolean`	`false`

Slots

Slot name	Description
Default slot	The dropdown content.
`toggle`	Used to place the toggle for dropdown.

Usage #

This section includes guidelines for designers and developers about the usage of this component in different contexts.

Do #

Dropdown menus are typically used when you have 5-15 items to choose from. They’re used for navigation or commands, where an action is initiated based on the selection.
When organizing dropdown menu items, sort the list in a logical order by putting the most selected option at the top.
Use for a “more” menu, where the control contains an icon.
Use for user profiles, where the control is an avatar.
Use in conjunction with the dropdown item and dropdown group components.

Don’t #

Don’t use for hiding primary actions since they should be visible by default.
Don’t use for selecting an option from a list of options, use the select component instead.
Don’t nest elements or components other than the dropdown item and dropdown group components. Consider using the popout component when creating custom UI.

Content guidelines #

Dropdown items should be always written in sentence case, not title case. The first word should be capitalized and the rest lowercase (unless a proper noun):

Create user

Create User

Dropdown items should always lead with a strong verb that encourages action. Use the {verb}+{noun} format except in the case of common actions like Save, Close or Cancel:

Edit row

Editing options

Avoid unnecessary words and articles in dropdown items, such as “the”, “an” or “a”:

Change theme

Change the theme

Avoid ending dropdown items in punctuation:

Switch user

Switch user.

Avoud all caps for dropdown items:

Rename

RENAME

Keep dropdown items to a single line of text:

Change theme

Change the theme
of the veterinary application.

Integration

For integration guidelines, please see Web Components documentation. This documentation explains how to implement and use Nord Web Components across different technologies such as Vue.js, React, or Vanilla JavaScript.

Integration Guidelines

Localization

Nord provides a lightweight solution for localizing its components. Not all components need localizing, as for the most part snippets of text are set per instance. For full localization guidelines, please see Localization documentation.

Localization Guidelines

Troubleshooting

If you experience any issues while using Nord Web Components, please head over to the Support page for more guidelines and ways to contact us.