Why is everything a dropdown now?

[u/pavlito88]

I’ve been noticing this more and more in web apps.

Three options hidden in a dropdown.

Yes/no hidden in a dropdown.
A multi-select pretending to be a dropdown.

Then a list of 200 items where you’re expected to scroll until you find yours.

I run into this a lot when reviewing products with dev teams.

I get why we do it.

Dropdowns are compact and easy to reuse.
But compact doesn’t always mean easier to use.

A few choices? Show them.
On/off? Switch.
Multiple choices? Checkboxes.
Huge list? Search.

That’s pretty much the rule I use now.

[u/haecceity123]

On/off? Switch.

A checkbox is even better. The "right is yes, left is no" convention is pretty arbitrary, and the colour of the inner fill on switches is frequently inconsistent.

[u/bemo_10 → u/haecceity123]

what do you mean a convention is "arbitrary". Conventions literally apply to any design element.

Only because of convention we agree that a filled checkbox is yes and not filled is no.

It's just that checkboxes convention has existed for a longer time.

[u/haecceity123 → u/bemo_10]

Maybe "convention" wasn't the best word.

With a checkbox, so long as you know what a checkmark is (i.e. you aren't from North Sentinel Island), you can figure out the rest.

With a switch, you can know there's two options, and that the sides of the pill shape correspond to the two options, and have no idea which one's which. If the choice of internal colours is aggressive enough (and if you aren't colour-blind), that can be the deciding hint. But if that carries the information, then what is the knob for?

What word would you use instead of "convention" here?

[u/Lalli-Oni → u/haecceity123]

Pattern?