Bootstrap - Button Dropdowns

This chapter will discuss about how to add dropdown menu to buttons using Bootstrap classes. To add a dropdown to a button, simply wrap the button and dropdown menu in a .btn-group. You can also use <span class = "caret"></span> to act as an indicator that the button is a dropdown.

The following example demonstrates a basic single button dropdowns −

<div class = "btn-group">
   
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-default dropdown-toggle" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      Default 
      <span class = "caret"></span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
</div>

<div class = "btn-group">
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-primary dropdown-toggle" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      Primary 
      <span class = "caret"></span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
   
</div>

Split Button Dropdowns

Split button dropdowns use the same general style as the dropdown button but add a primary action along with the dropdown. Split buttons have the primary action on the left and a toggle on the right that displays the dropdown.

<div class = "btn-group">
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-default">Default</button>
   
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-default dropdown-toggle" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      <span class = "caret"></span>
      <span class = "sr-only">Toggle Dropdown</span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
</div>

<div class = "btn-group">
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-primary">Primary</button>
   
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-primary dropdown-toggle" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      <span class = "caret"></span>
      <span class = "sr-only">Toggle Dropdown</span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
</div>

Button Dropdown Size

You can use the dropdowns with any button size − .btn-large, .btn-sm, or .btn-xs.

<div class = "btn-group">
   
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-default dropdown-toggle btn-lg" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      Default
      <span class = "caret"></span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
</div>

<div class = "btn-group">
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-primary dropdown-toggle btn-sm" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      Primary
      <span class = "caret"></span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
</div>

<div class = "btn-group">
   <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-success dropdown-toggle btn-xs" data-toggle = "dropdown">
      Success
      <span class = "caret"></span>
   </button>
   
   <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
      <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
      
      <li class = "divider"></li>
      <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
   </ul>
   
</div>

Dropup Variation

Menus can also be built to drop up rather than down. To achieve this, simply add .dropup to the parent .btn-group container.

<div class = "row" style = "margin-left:50px; margin-top:200px">
   
   <div class = "btn-group dropup">
      <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-default dropdown-toggle" data-toggle = "dropdown">
         Default
         <span class = "caret"></span>
      </button>
      
      <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
         <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
         <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
         <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
         
         <li class = "divider"></li>
         <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
      </ul>
   </div>
   
   <div class = "btn-group dropup">
      <button type = "button" class = "btn btn-primary dropdown-toggle" data-toggle = "dropdown">
         Primary
         <span class = "caret"></span>
      </button>
      
      <ul class = "dropdown-menu" role = "menu">
         <li><a href = "#">Action</a></li>
         <li><a href = "#">Another action</a></li>
         <li><a href = "#">Something else here</a></li>
         
         <li class = "divider"></li>
         <li><a href = "#">Separated link</a></li>
      </ul>
   </div>
   
</div>