Select

A Select component allows users pick a value from predefined options.

Label

Properties

loop

selectOnBlur

disabled

readOnly

Features

Support for selecting a single or multiple option
Keyboard support for opening the listbox using the arrow keys, including automatically focusing the first or last item.
Support for looping keyboard navigation.
Support for selecting an item on blur.
Typeahead to allow selecting options by typing text, even without opening the listbox
Support for Right to Left direction.

Installation

To use the select machine in your project, run the following command in your command line:

npm install @zag-js/select @zag-js/react
# or
yarn add @zag-js/select @zag-js/react

npm install @zag-js/select @zag-js/vue
# or
yarn add @zag-js/select @zag-js/vue

npm install @zag-js/select @zag-js/vue
# or
yarn add @zag-js/select @zag-js/vue

npm install @zag-js/select @zag-js/solid
# or
yarn add @zag-js/select @zag-js/solid

This command will install the framework agnostic menu logic and the reactive utilities for your framework of choice.

Anatomy

To set up the select correctly, you'll need to understand its anatomy and how we name its parts.

Each part includes a data-part attribute to help identify them in the DOM.

On a high level, the select consists of:

Label: The element that labels the select.
Trigger: The element that is used to open/close the select.
Positioner: The element that positions the select dynamically.
Content: The popup element that contains the options.
Item: The select item or option element.
ItemIndicator: The element that indicates the selected item.
ItemGroup: The element used to group related items.

Usage

First, import the select package into your project

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"

The select package exports these functions:

machine — The state machine logic for the select.
connect — The function that translates the machine's state to JSX attributes and event handlers.
collection - The function that creates a collection interface from an array of items.

You'll need to provide a unique id to the useMachine hook. This is used to ensure that every part has a unique identifier.

Next, import the required hooks and functions for your framework and use the select machine in your project 🔥

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
import { useMachine, normalizeProps, Portal } from "@zag-js/react"
import { useId, useRef } from "react"

const selectData = [
  { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
  { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
  { label: "Korea", value: "KO" },
  { label: "Kenya", value: "KE" },
  { label: "United Kingdom", value: "UK" },
  { label: "Ghana", value: "GH" },
  { label: "Uganda", value: "UG" },
]

export function Select() {
  const collection = select.collection({
    items: selectData,
    itemToString: (item) => item.label,
    itemToValue: (item) => item.value,
  })

  const [state, send] = useMachine(
    select.machine({
      id: useId(),
      collection,
    }),
  )

  const api = select.connect(state, send, normalizeProps)

  return (
    <div {...api.rootProps}>
      <div {...api.controlProps}>
        <label {...api.labelProps}>Label</label>
        <button {...api.triggerProps}>
          {api.valueAsString || "Select option"}
        </button>
      </div>

      <Portal>
        <div {...api.positionerProps}>
          <ul {...api.contentProps}>
            {selectData.map((item) => (
              <li key={item.value} {...api.getItemProps({ item })}>
                <span>{item.label}</span>
                <span {...api.getItemIndicatorProps({ item })}>✓</span>
              </li>
            ))}
          </ul>
        </div>
      </Portal>
    </div>
  )
}

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
import { normalizeProps, useMachine } from "@zag-js/vue"
import { computed, defineComponent, h, Fragment, Teleport } from "vue"

const selectData = [
  { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
  { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
  //...
]

export default defineComponent({
  name: "Select",
  setup() {
    const [state, send] = useMachine(
      select.machine({
        id: "1",
        collection: select.collection({
          items: selectData,
        }),
      }),
    )

    const apiRef = computed(() =>
      select.connect(state.value, send, normalizeProps),
    )
    return () => {
      const api = apiRef.value
      return (
        <>
          <div>
            <label {...api.labelProps}>Label</label>
            <button {...api.triggerProps}>
              <span>{api.valueAsString || "Select option"}</span>
            </button>
          </div>

          <Teleport to="body">
            <div {...api.positionerProps}>
              <ul {...api.contentProps}>
                {selectData.map((item) => (
                  <li key={value} {...api.getItemProps({ item })}>
                    <span>{label}</span>
                    <span {...api.getItemIndicatorProps({ item })}>✓</span>
                  </li>
                ))}
              </ul>
            </div>
          </Teleport>
        </>
      )
    }
  },
})

<script setup>
  import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
  import { normalizeProps, useMachine } from "@zag-js/vue"
  import { computed, defineComponent, Teleport } from "vue"

  const [state, send] = useMachine(select.machine({ id: "1" }))

  const api = computed(() => select.connect(state.value, send, normalizeProps))
</script>

<template>
  <div>
    <label v-bind="api.labelProps">Label</label>
    <button v-bind="api.triggerProps">
      <span>{{ api.valueAsString || "Select option" }}</span>
      <span>▼</span>
    </button>
  </div>

  <Teleport to="body">
    <div v-bind="api.positionerProps">
      <ul v-bind="api.contentProps">
        <li
          v-for="item in selectData"
          :key="item.value"
          v-bind="api.getItemProps({ item })"
        >
          <span>{{ item.label }}</span>
          <span v-bind="api.getItemIndicatorProps({ item })">✓</span>
        </li>
      </ul>
    </div>
  </Teleport>
</template>

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
import { normalizeProps, useMachine } from "@zag-js/solid"
import { createMemo, createUniqueId } from "solid-js"

const selectData = [
  { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
  { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
  //...
]

export function Select() {
  const [state, send] = useMachine(
    select.machine({
      id: createUniqueId(),
      collection: select.collection({
        items: selectData,
      }),
    }),
  )

  const api = createMemo(() => select.connect(state, send, normalizeProps))

  return (
    <div>
      <div>
        <label {...api().labelProps}>Label</label>
        <button {...api().triggerProps}>
          <span>{api().valueAsString || "Select option"}</span>
        </button>
      </div>

      <div {...api().positionerProps}>
        <ul {...api().contentProps}>
          {selectData.map((item) => (
            <li key={item.value} {...api().getOptionProps({ item })}>
              <span>{item.label}</span>
              <span {...api().getItemIndicatorProps({ item })}>✓</span>
            </li>
          ))}
        </ul>
      </div>
    </div>
  )
}

Setting the initial value

To set the initial value of the select, pass the value property to the select machine's context.

The value property must be an array of strings. If selecting a single value, pass an array with a single string.

const collection = select.collection({
  items: [
    { label: "Nigeria", value: "ng" },
    { label: "Ghana", value: "gh" },
    { label: "Kenya", value: "ke" },
    //...
  ],
})

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    value: ["ng"],
  }),
)

Selecting multiple values

To allow selecting multiple values, set the multiple property in the machine's context to true.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    multiple: true,
  }),
)

Usage within a form

To use select within a form, you'll need to:

Pass the name property to the select machine's context
Render a hidden select element using api.selectProps

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
import { useMachine, normalizeProps, Portal } from "@zag-js/react"
import { useId } from "react"

const selectData = [
  { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
  { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
  { label: "Korea", value: "KO" },
  { label: "Kenya", value: "KE" },
  { label: "United Kingdom", value: "UK" },
  { label: "Ghana", value: "GH" },
  { label: "Uganda", value: "UG" },
]

export function SelectWithForm() {
  const [state, send] = useMachine(
    select.machine({
      id: useId(),
      collection: select.collection({ items: selectData })
      name: "country",
    }),
  )

  const api = select.connect(state, send, normalizeProps)

  return (
    <form>
      {/* Hidden select */}
      <select {...api.hiddenSelectProps}>
        {selectData.map((option) => (
          <option key={option.value} value={option.value}>
            {option.label}
          </option>
        ))}
      </select>

      {/* Custom Select */}
      <div {...api.controlProps}>
        <label {...api.labelProps}>Label</label>
        <button type="button" {...api.triggerProps}>
          <span>{api.valueAsString || "Select option"}</span>
          <CaretIcon />
        </button>
      </div>

      <Portal>
        <div {...api.positionerProps}>
          <ul {...api.contentProps}>
            {selectData.map((item) => (
              <li key={item.value} {...api.getOptionProps({ item })}>
                <span>{item.label}</span>
                <span {...api.getItemIndicatorProps({ item })}>✓</span>
              </li>
            ))}
          </ul>
        </div>
      </Portal>
    </form>
  )
}

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
import { normalizeProps, useMachine } from "@zag-js/vue"
import { Teleport } from "vue"

const selectData = [
  { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
  { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
  //...
]

export default defineComponent({
  name: "Select",
  setup() {
    const [state, send] = useMachine(
      select.machine({
        id: "1",
        collection: select.collection({
          items: selectData,
        }),
        name: "country",
      }),
    )

    const apiRef = computed(() =>
      select.connect(state.value, send, normalizeProps),
    )

    return () => {
      const api = apiRef.value
      return (
        <form>
          {/* Hidden select */}
          <select {...api.hiddenSelectProps}>
            {selectData.map((item) => (
              <option key={item.value} value={item.value}>
                {item.label}
              </option>
            ))}
          </select>

          {/* Custom Select */}
          <div {...api.controlProps}>
            <label {...api.labelProps}>Label</label>
            <button type="button" {...api.triggerProps}>
              <span>{api.valueAsString || "Select option"}</span>
              <CaretIcon />
            </button>
          </div>

          <Teleport to="body">
            <div {...api.positionerProps}>
              <ul {...api.contentProps}>
                {selectData.map((item) => (
                  <li key={value} {...api.getItemProps({ item })}>
                    <span>{label}</span>
                    <span {...api.getItemIndicatorProps({ item })}>✓</span>
                  </li>
                ))}
              </ul>
            </div>
          </Teleport>
        </form>
      )
    }
  },
})

<script setup>
  import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
  import { normalizeProps, useMachine } from "@zag-js/vue"
  import { Teleport } from "vue"

  const selectData = [
    { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
    { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
    //...
  ]

  const [state, send] = useMachine(
    select.machine({
      id: "1",
      collection: select.collection({
        items: selectData,
      }),
      name: "country",
    }),
  )

  const api = computed(() => select.connect(state.value, send, normalizeProps))
</script>
<template>
  <form>
    <!-- Hidden select  -->
    <select v-bind="api.hiddenSelectProps">
      <option v-for="item in selectData" :key="item.value" :value="item.value">
        {{ item.label }}
      </option>
    </select>

    <!-- Custom Select  -->
    <div v-bind="api.controlProps">
      <label v-bind="api.labelProps">Label</label>
      <button type="button" v-bind="api.triggerProps">
        <span>{{ api.valueAsString || "Select option" }}</span>
        <span>▼</span>
      </button>
    </div>

    <Teleport to="body">
      <div v-bind="api.positionerProps">
        <ul v-bind="api.contentProps">
          <li
            v-for="item in selectData"
            :key="item.value"
            v-bind="api.getItemProps({ item })"
          >
            <span>{{ label }}</span>
            <span v-bind="api.getItemIndicatorProps({ item })">✓</span>
          </li>
        </ul>
      </div>
    </Teleport>
  </form>
</template>

import * as select from "@zag-js/select"
import { normalizeProps, useMachine } from "@zag-js/solid"
import { createMemo, createUniqueId } from "solid-js"

const selectData = [
  { label: "Nigeria", value: "NG" },
  { label: "Japan", value: "JP" },
  //...
]

export function SelectWithForm() {
  const [state, send] = useMachine(
    select.machine({
      collection: select.collection({
        items: selectData,
      }),
      id: createUniqueId(),
      name: "country",
    }),
  )Ø

  const api = createMemo(() => select.connect(state, send, normalizeProps))

  return (
    <form>
      <div {...api.rootProps}>
        {/* Hidden select */}
        <select {...api().hiddenSelectProps}>
          {selectData.map((item) => (
            <option key={item.value} value={item.value}>
              {item.label}
            </option>
          ))}
        </select>

        {/* Custom Select */}
        <div {...api.controlProps}>
          <label {...api().labelProps}>Label</label>
          <button type="button" {...api().triggerProps}>
            <span>{api().valueAsString || "Select option"}</span>
            <CaretIcon />
          </button>
        </div>

        <Portal>
          <div {...api().positionerProps}>
            <ul {...api().contentProps}>
              {selectData.map((item) => (
                <li key={item.value} {...api().getOptionProps({ item })}>
                  <span>{item.label}</span>
                  <span {...api().getItemIndicatorProps({ item })}>✓</span>
                </li>
              ))}
            </ul>
          </div>
        </Portal>
      </div>
    </form>
  )
}

Selecting option on blur

Use the selectOnBlur property to allow selecting the highlighted option when immediately interacting or focusing outside the select (e.g. using the Tab key).

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    selectOnBlur: true,
  }),
)

Disabling the select

To disable the select, set the disabled property in the machine's context to true.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    disabled: true,
  }),
)

Disabling an item

To make a combobox option disabled, pass the isItemDisabled property to the collection function.

const collection = select.collection({
  items: countries,
  isItemDisabled(item) {
    return item.disabled
  },
})

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
  }),
)

Close on select

This behaviour ensures that the menu is closed when an item is selected and is true by default. It's only concerned with when an item is selected with pointer, space key or enter key. To disable the behaviour, set the closeOnSelect property in the machine's context to false.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    closeOnSelect: false,
  }),
)

When navigating with the select using the arrow down and up keys, the select stops at the first and last options. If you need want the navigation to loop back to the first or last option, set the loop: true in the machine's context.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    loop: true,
  }),
)

Listening for highlight changes

When an item is highlighted with the pointer or keyboard, use the onHighlightChange to listen for the change and do something with it.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    onHighlightChange(details) {
      // details => { highlightedValue: string | null, highlightedItem: CollectionItem | null }
      console.log(details)
    },
  }),
)

Listening for selection changes

When an item is selected, use the onValueChange property to listen for the change and do something with it.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    onValueChange(details) {
      // details => { value: string[], items: Item[] }
      console.log(details)
    },
  }),
)

Listening for open and close events

When the select is opened or closed, the onOpenChange callback is called. You can listen for these events and do something with it.

const [state, send] = useMachine(
  select.machine({
    id: useId(),
    collection,
    onOpenChange(details) {
      // details => { open: boolean }
      console.log("Select opened")
    },
  }),
)

Usage within dialog

When using the select within a dialog, you'll need to avoid rendering the select in a Portal or Teleport. This is because the dialog will trap focus within it, and the select will be rendered outside the dialog.

Consider designing a portalled property in your component to allow you decide where to render the select in a portal.

Styling guide

Earlier, we mentioned that each select part has a data-part attribute added to them to select and style them in the DOM.

Open and closed state

When the select is open, the trigger and content is given a data-state attribute.

[data-part="trigger"][data-state="open|closed"] {
  /* styles for open or closed state */
}

[data-part="content"][data-state="open|closed"] {
  /* styles for open or closed state */
}

Selected state

When an item is selected, it is given a data-selected attribute.

[data-part="item"][data-selected] {
  /* styles for selected state */
}

Highlighted state

When an item is higlighted, via keyboard navigation or pointer, it is given a data-highlighted attribute.

[data-part="item"][data-highlighted] {
  /* styles for highlighted state */
}

Invalid state

When the select is invalid, the label and trigger is given a data-invalid attribute.

[data-part="label"][data-invalid] {
  /* styles for invalid state */
}

[data-part="trigger"][data-invalid] {
  /* styles for invalid state */
}

Disabled state

When the select is disabled, the trigger and label is given a data-disabled attribute.

[data-part="trigger"][data-disabled] {
  /* styles for disabled select state */
}

[data-part="label"][data-disabled] {
  /* styles for disabled label state */
}

[data-part="item"][data-disabled] {
  /* styles for disabled option state */
}

Optionally, when an item is disabled, it is given a data-disabled attribute.

Empty state

When no option is selected, the trigger is given a data-placeholder-shown attribute.

[data-part="trigger"][data-placeholder-shown] {
  /* styles for empty select state */
}

Methods and Properties

The select's api exposes the following methods:

isFocusedbooleanWhether the select is focused

isOpenbooleanWhether the select is open

highlightedValuestringThe value of the highlighted item

highlightedItemCollectionItemThe highlighted item

highlightValue(value: string) => voidThe value of the combobox input

selectedItemsCollectionItem[]The selected items

hasSelectedItemsbooleanWhether there's a selected option

valuestring[]The selected item keys

valueAsStringstringThe string representation of the selected items

selectValue(value: string) => voidFunction to select a value

setValue(value: string[]) => voidFunction to set the value of the combobox

clearValue(value?: string) => voidFunction to clear the value of the combobox

focus() => voidFunction to focus on the combobox input

getItemState(props: ItemStateReturns the state of a combobox item

open() => voidFunction to open the combobox

close() => voidFunction to close the combobox

setCollection(collection: Collection<any>) => voidFunction to set the collection of items

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