# Dropdown menu

A React component in [Beamline](https://beamline.io/)'s [Overlays](https://beamline.io/components/overlays) category, in the free sample. Live demo: https://beamline.io/components/dropdown-menu

A list of actions behind a trigger, with shortcuts, check items, headings and submenus; one highlight glides under the pointer and jumps with the keyboard.

## Use it for

- Row actions, More menus, account menus, Move to…

## Not for

- Choosing a form value ([select](https://beamline.io/components/select)).
- App-wide search and commands ([command-menu](https://beamline.io/components/command-menu)).
- Right-click menus ([context-menu](https://beamline.io/components/context-menu)).

## Anatomy

- trigger (built-in Button, or your own)
- surface
- highlight plate
- item (icon, label, shortcut)
- check item
- heading
- separator
- submenu

## Variants

- **trigger**: text, icon only, custom
- **tone**: default, danger

## States

- closed
- open
- item highlighted
- item disabled
- check item on/off
- submenu open

## Keyboard

- Enter / Space / ↓ opens
- ↑ ↓ move, wrapping
- → opens a submenu, ← closes it
- type a letter to jump
- Escape closes and returns focus

## Motion

The surface grows from the trigger; one highlight plate glides between rows for the pointer and the arrow keys alike (--pui-duration-fast) and appears in place the first time. Reduced motion places it at once.

## Props

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `label` | `string` | — |  |
| `items` | `MenuItem[]` | — |  |
| `icon` | `ReactNode` | — |  |
| `trigger` | `ReactElement` | — |  |
| `variant / size` | `ButtonVariant / ButtonSize` | `"ghost" / "sm"` |  |
| `align / side` | `string` | `"end" / "bottom"` |  |
| `MenuItem` | `{ label, icon?, shortcut?, onSelect?, disabled?, tone?: "danger", separatorBefore?, heading?, checked?, items? }` | — |  |
| `open / defaultOpen / onOpenChange` | `boolean` | — |  |
| `classNames` | `MenuClassNames` | — |  |
| `style / ref` | `CSSProperties / native Ref` | — | Root styles; ref targets native popup div. |

## Dependencies

`@radix-ui/react-dropdown-menu`, `lucide-react`

## Import

```tsx
import { DropdownMenu } from "@/components/dropdown-menu/dropdown-menu";
```

## Get it

Dropdown menu is part of Beamline: 190 React components and screens your coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or any MCP client) installs into your app through Beamline's MCP server, as a ready-built package or as plain React source you can change. $49 one payment (regular $200), no subscription, a year of updates, one licence for your whole team. Dropdown menu is in the free sample, which costs nothing. [Get Beamline](https://beamline.io/checkout?pack=complete) · [Connect your agent](https://beamline.io/connect)

## More in Overlays

- [Alert Dialog](https://beamline.io/components/alert-dialog): A blocking confirmation that must be answered: the scrim does not dismiss it, focus starts on the safe choice, and an async action keeps it open until…
- [Bottom sheet](https://beamline.io/components/bottom-sheet): A phone panel that rests at a peek and follows the finger to full height; a flick down closes it, and the handle works from the keyboard.
- [Command menu](https://beamline.io/components/command-menu): Search-first list of every action: ranked matching, groups, keycap shortcuts and nested pages; inline as CommandPalette or in a ⌘K dialog as CommandMenu.
- [Context menu](https://beamline.io/components/context-menu): Actions for an object on right-click, long-press, Shift+F10 or the menu key, opened at the pointer, with the same rows as the dropdown menu.
- [Dialog](https://beamline.io/components/dialog): A focused task over the page (create, invite, rename) with a title, body and footer; focus moves in, is trapped and returns on close.
- [Hover card](https://beamline.io/components/hover-card): A preview of a person, link or record on hover or keyboard focus, without leaving the page; HoverCardProfile is the standard person preview.
- [Popover](https://beamline.io/components/popover): A small surface anchored to a trigger for a short form, a filter or an explanation; focus moves in and returns on close.
- [Sheet](https://beamline.io/components/sheet): A panel that slides in from an edge with the page still visible behind it: header and footer stay put while the body scrolls.
- [Toast](https://beamline.io/components/toast): Short results of an action stacked at an edge: point at the stack to fan it out and pause the timers; undo or retry in place; Alt+T, Escape and a swipe…
- [Tooltip](https://beamline.io/components/tooltip): Short supporting text for a control: opens after a moment on hover and at once on keyboard focus; inside a toolbar group the next one opens instantly.