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Dropdown Menu with Pure HTML

A tutorial without javascript

XQ
The Research Nest
4 min readNov 17, 2024

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Created by me using Flux.1-dev

As I was diving into building a new CSS component library, AltCSS, I was challenged to create a dropdown menu with zero JavaScript or custom CSS. The goal was simple: design a lightweight solution using only the power of HTML. It’s a minimalistic approach, and I want to share how I solved this, leveraging the core features of HTML.

This article explores two ways to create a dropdown menu:

  1. Using hover effects.
  2. Using a click mechanism.

Let’s get started!

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Hover-Triggered Dropdown

When you hover over a button, a dropdown appears. It’s a smooth interaction that doesn’t require any clicking. I use TailwindCSS for minimal CSS overhead to manage the hover effect.

<!-- Hover Dropdown -->
<div class="relative group">
<button>
Hover Dropdown
</button>
<div class="absolute hidden group-hover:block">
<a href="#" class="block">Option 1</a>
<a href="#" class="block">Option 2</a>
<a href="#" class="block">Option 3</a>
<a href="#" class="block">Option 4</a>
</div>
</div>
  1. <div class="relative group">: The…

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XQ
XQ

Written by XQ

Exploring tech, life, and careers through content.

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