Dropdown Menu¶

An unstyled component for Compose Multiplatform that can be used to implement Dropdown Menus with the styling of your choice.

Fully accessible, supports keyboard navigation and open/close animations.

Installation¶

build.gradle.kts

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    implementation("com.composables:core:1.19.1")
}

Basic Example¶

There are four components that you will use to implement a dropdown: Menu, MenuButton, MenuContent and MenuItem.

The Menu wraps the MenuButton and the MenuContent components. When the MenuButton is clicked, the MenuContent will be displayed on the screen at the position relative to the Menu.

The MenuContent component wraps multiple MenuItems. When a MenuItem is clicked, the menu is dismissed. Each MenuItem has a onClick parameter you can use for interaction purposes.

The menu's dropdown visibility is handled for you thanks to the Menu's internal state.

val options = listOf("United States", "Greece", "Indonesia", "United Kingdom")
var selected by remember { mutableStateOf(0) }
val state = rememberMenuState(expanded = true)

Column(Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
    Menu(state, modifier = Modifier.align(Alignment.End)) {
        MenuButton(
            Modifier.clip(RoundedCornerShape(6.dp))
                .border(1.dp, Color(0xFFBDBDBD), RoundedCornerShape(6.dp))
        ) {
            Row(
                modifier = Modifier.padding(horizontal = 14.dp, vertical = 10.dp),
                verticalAlignment = Alignment.CenterVertically,
            ) {
                BasicText("Options", style = defaultTextStyle.copy(fontWeight = FontWeight(500)))
                Spacer(Modifier.width(4.dp))
                Image(ChevronDown, null)
            }
        }

        MenuContent(
            modifier = Modifier.width(320.dp)
                .border(1.dp, Color(0xFFE0E0E0), RoundedCornerShape(4.dp))
                .background(Color.White)
                .padding(4.dp),
            exit = fadeOut()
        ) {
            options.forEachIndexed { index, option ->
                MenuItem(
                    modifier = Modifier.clip(RoundedCornerShape(4.dp)),
                    onClick = { selected = index }
                ) {
                    BasicText(option, modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth().padding(vertical = 8.dp, horizontal = 4.dp))
                }
            }
        }
    }
    BasicText("Selected = ${options[selected]}")
}

Code Examples¶

Pass your own MenuState to the Menu and change the expanded property according to your needs:

val state = rememberMenuState(expanded = true)

Menu(state = state) {
    MenuButton {
        BasicText("Toggle the menu")
    }

    MenuContent {
        MenuItem(onClick = { state.expanded = false }) {
            BasicText("Close this menu")
        }
    }
}

This option is useful if you want to left align, center align or right align the MenuButton and the MenuContent when expanded.

Menu {
    MenuButton {
        BasicText("Toggle the menu")
    }

    MenuContent(alignment = Alignment.End) {
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO */ }) {
            BasicText("Option")
        }
    }
}

Styling¶

By default, the Menu component comes with no styling. This is by design as it is intended to be used as a building block for your own design system's menus.

The Menu composable is used as an anchor point. Do not pass any styling to its modifier. Instead, use its modifier parameter for anchoring and positioning needs (such as Modifier.align()).

The MenuButton is the composable responsible to handle clicking into showing and hiding the dropdown menu.

The following sample shows the minimum setup you need to display something on the screen:

Menu {
    MenuButton {
        BasicText("Show Options")
    }

    MenuContent {
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO handle click */ }) {
            BasicText("Option 1")
        }
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO handle click */ }) {
            BasicText("Option 2")
        }
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO handle click */ }) {
            BasicText("Option 3")
        }
    }
}

However, the result will not look pretty. The following section goes over how to style each component to achieve the visual results you want.

Pass the desired styling to the MenuButton's modifier. Do not pass any padding to it, as the MenuButton handles click events internally and this will affect the interaction bounds.

Instead, provide any content padding to the contents of the button instead:

Menu {
    MenuButton(Modifier.clip(RoundedCornerShape(6.dp)).border(1.dp, Color(0xFFBDBDBD), RoundedCornerShape(6.dp))) {
        BasicText("Options", modifier = Modifier.padding(vertical = 8.dp, horizontal = 4.dp))
    }

    MenuContent {
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO handle click */ }) {
            BasicText("Option 1")
        }
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO handle click */ }) {
            BasicText("Option 2")
        }
        MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO handle click */ }) {
            BasicText("Option 3")
        }
    }
}

Styling the MenuContent¶

The MenuContent component is a layout on which the menu's items will be displayed when the menu is expanded. In Material Design this is often a card.

Menu {
    MenuButton(Modifier.clip(RoundedCornerShape(6.dp)).border(1.dp, Color(0xFFBDBDBD), RoundedCornerShape(6.dp))) {
        BasicText("Options", modifier = Modifier.padding(vertical = 8.dp, horizontal = 4.dp))
    }

    MenuContent(Modifier.width(320.dp).border(1.dp, Color(0xFFE0E0E0), RoundedCornerShape(4.dp)).background(Color.White).padding(4.dp)) {
        MenuItem(onClick = { selected = index }) {
            Text(option, modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth().padding(vertical = 8.dp, horizontal = 4.dp))
        }
    }
}

Modify the showTransition and hideTransition parameters of the MenuContent component to modify the animation specs of the dropdown menu when it is visible/hidden.

The MenuContent use the AnimatedVisiblity composable internally, which gives you a lot of flexibility towards what you can achieve.

Animation Recipes¶

Material Design scales and fades the dropdown in and out.

MenuContent(
    modifier = Modifier.width(320.dp).border(1.dp, Color(0xFFE0E0E0), RoundedCornerShape(4.dp)).background(Color.White).padding(4.dp),
    enter = scaleIn(tween(durationMillis = 120, easing = LinearOutSlowInEasing), initialScale = 0.8f, transformOrigin = TransformOrigin(0f, 0f)) + fadeIn(tween(durationMillis = 30)),
    exit = scaleOut(tween(durationMillis = 1, delayMillis = 75), targetScale = 1f) + fadeOut(tween(durationMillis = 75))
) {
    MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO */ }) {
        BasicText("Option 1")
    }
    MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO */ }) {
        BasicText("Option 2")
    }
}

macOS shows the menu instantly on click, and quickly fades the menu out when dismissed:

MenuContent(exit = fadeOut(tween(durationMillis = 100, easing = LinearEasing))) {
    MenuItem(onClick = { /* TODO */ }) {
        BasicText("Option 1")
    }
}

Styling touch presses and focus¶

MenuItem's uses the default Compose mechanism for providing touch and focus feedback. Use the LocalIndication CompositionLocal to override the default indication.

Here is an example of using Material Design's signature ripple feedback with your menu:

import androidx.compose.foundation.LocalIndication
import androidx.compose.material.ripple.rememberRipple

CompositionLocalProvider(LocalIndication provides rememberRipple()) {
    // MenuButton and MenuContent will use the ripple effect when focused and pressed

    Menu {
        // TODO implement the rest of the menu
    }
}

Keyboard Interactions¶

Key	Description
Enter	Opens the Menu, if the `MenuButton` is focused. Performs a click, when a `MenuItem` is focused.
⬇	Opens the Menu, if the `MenuButton` is focused. Moves focus to the next `MenuItem` if the `Menu` is expanded.
⬆	Moves focus to the previous `MenuItem` if the `Menu` is expanded.
Esc	Closes the Menu, if the Menu is expanded and moves focus to the `MenuButton`. Removes focus if the `MenuButton` is focused.

Styled Examples¶

Looking for styled components for Jetpack Compose or Compose Multiplatform?

Explore a rich collection of production ready examples at ComposablesUi.com

Installation¶

Basic Example¶

Code Examples¶

Toggling the Menu¶

Positioning the menu¶

Styling¶

Styling the Menu Button¶

Styling the MenuContent¶

Animating the Menu¶

Animation Recipes¶

Mac OS Menu¶

Styling touch presses and focus¶

Keyboard Interactions¶

Styled Examples¶

Dropdown Menu¶

Installation¶

Basic Example¶

Code Examples¶

Toggling the Menu¶

Positioning the menu¶

Styling¶

Styling the Menu Button¶

Styling the MenuContent¶

Animating the Menu¶

Animation Recipes¶

Material Design Dropdown¶

Mac OS Menu¶

Styling touch presses and focus¶

Keyboard Interactions¶

Styled Examples¶