In this Hasty Treat, Scott and Wes talk about JavaScript’s drag and drop API — how it works, concerns, best practices, and more!

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Show Notes

04:45 - What is it?

Drag and drop is really for desktop apps
You can drag and drop anything from any browser to any browser
The important thing here is that this is a set of browser standards that allow different apps to communicate

07:50 - How to implement

Make an element draggable
Listen on elements for drag events
- The events bubble up, so you can listen on the parent element as items are added/removed

09:06 - DataTransfer API

You can store anything you want in it
getData / setData API
Reference strings

11:35 - Accepting drops

When you dragOver, you need to preventDefault()
Calling the preventDefault() method during both a dragEnter and dragOver event will indicate that a drop is allowed at that location

13:01 - Drop Image

Set whatever you want

16:00 - Drop Effect

What does it look like when you drop it? Does it go back?
dataTransfer.effectAllowed
e.dataTransfer.setDragImage(nothing, 0, 0);

18:02 - Security concerns

20:34 - Shortcomings:

Edge cases out the WAZOO
- Margin caused dragout events
- Lots of if statements
It’s up to you to do EVERYTHING
- CSS, classes, hover styles, etc.
Accessibility
- Inaccessible by default, unless using mouse keys
- Have to announce everything
Mobile

26:14 - Lbs

Transmat API

Links

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Hasty Treat - JavaScript’s Drag and Drop API

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