# Dropdown Menu — Design system

A dropdown triggered from a button or right-click target to reveal a menu of actions the user can proceed with

Source: https://www.checklist.design/design-system/dropdown-menu

## Items

### Trigger affordance
The element that opens the menu: an overflow icon, chevron button, or right-click target

### Menu item anatomy
The structure of each action: label, optional leading icon, optional trailing shortcut, optional destructive styling

_Tip: Mixing icon and non-icon items in the same list throws off the scan_

### Section dividers and groups
Dividers and/or labels that break related actions into sections once the menu gets large

### Destructive item styling
Visual differentiation — typically the danger colour — for actions that cannot be undone

_Tip: Always place destructive actions at the end of the menu, after a divider to reduce misclicks_

### Nested submenu
A secondary menu triggered by a parent item, used for grouping related but distinct actions

_Tip: Limit nesting to one level to be too layered and confusing_

### Disabled items
Menu items that are visible but cannot be triggered, indicating an unavailable action

_Tip: A tooltip on that item that reveals the reason it is disabled is handy_

### Positioning and overflow
The menu's placement relative to its trigger, repositioning automatically to stay within the viewport

### Keyboard shortcut display
Shortcut hints aligned to the trailing edge of the item label

## License for the Checklist Design collection

Checklist Design collection: https://github.com/Checklist-Design/skills
Snapshot: bfae71e507b1b7c03c12e0756402b60eb80f5d14 · Imported: 2026-11-12
Republished under the MIT License. Original checklist text belongs to Checklist Design.

MIT License

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