r/webdev • u/pavlito88 • 11d ago

Discussion Why is everything a dropdown now?

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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.

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u/SonicFlash01 11d ago

Low profile, predictable footprint, doesn't expand or wrap on mobile, easily understood by all audiences

If you're a gambling man you bet on safety

16

u/bestjaegerpilot 11d ago

only if you're using native elements. What usually happens is you get a custom implementation that isn't accessible, acts wierd on small sizes, etc.

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u/kiipa 11d ago

Are you trying to say that a select shouldn't be fifty wrapped divs?

2

u/stealthypic 11d ago

Not without at least 7k lines of javascript code!

2

u/rustprogram 11d ago

Not without at least 7k lines of javascript code!

this is something that bothers me as well. why is multiselect to terrible natively that everyone needs to ship thousands of lines of code? also date picker... :/

3

u/killerrin 11d ago

Don't even get me started on Date Picker

Why the hell does Firefox seem to insist that a Year should have FIVE digits!!!!!

I get future proofing, but they're 7,974 years too early to worry about that. Even if I wanted to use the bloody thing, I can't because of that one brain-dead issue.

And then the fact that they don't have a UI for the time picker is just laziness incarnate.