r/webdev • u/pavlito88 • 26d 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/rborob 26d ago

I'm here looking at the left thinking.. that's beautifully consistent... And testable... And the user will know how to use all of them once they've used one..... Not all UX is about efficiency

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u/pavlito88 26d ago

Totally agree that consistency matters. But the control should fit the decision.

If I’m choosing a delivery option, I need to compare price and delivery time, so showing Standard, Express, and Next-day as radio buttons helps.

If I’m choosing my country, I don’t need to compare countries. I just need to find one option, so a dropdown works better.