How can you make the heading in a dropdown menu clickable?

Bootstrap Studio Help
1

How can you make the heading in a dropdown menu clickable? I understand the dropdown is interfering but I can’t change it because of the built-in/locked feature of the dropdown and link.

2

The default behavior is to open the dropdown. Are you saying you want it to go to a URL and also show the dropdown? If so, you’ll have to convert the Nav to custom code, and the edit it accordingly.

Option 1: Use JavaScript to enable both dropdown and navigation

By default, Bootstrap 5 uses data-bs-toggle="dropdown" to trigger the dropdown, which prevents the link from navigating.

To allow both behaviors, you need to:

  1. Remove data-bs-toggle.
  2. Add your own JavaScript to toggle the menu.
  3. Optionally navigate if needed.

:white_check_mark: Code Example (Bootstrap 5)

:puzzle_piece: HTML:

html

CopyEdit

<nav class="navbar navbar-expand-lg navbar-light bg-light">
  <div class="container-fluid">
    <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Brand</a>

    <ul class="navbar-nav">
      <li class="nav-item dropdown">
        <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" href="/main-page" id="navbarDropdown" role="button">
          Menu
        </a>
        <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="navbarDropdown">
          <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="/option1">Option 1</a></li>
          <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="/option2">Option 2</a></li>
        </ul>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </div>
</nav>

:brain: JavaScript:

html

CopyEdit

<script>
  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
    const toggle = document.getElementById('navbarDropdown');
    const dropdownMenu = toggle.nextElementSibling;

    toggle.addEventListener('click', function (e) {
      e.preventDefault(); // prevent immediate navigation
      
      // Toggle dropdown
      dropdownMenu.classList.toggle('show');

      // Optional: Navigate after delay (or remove if not needed)
      setTimeout(() => {
        window.location.href = toggle.href;
      }, 300); // or use your preferred delay
    });

    // Close dropdown when clicking outside
    document.addEventListener('click', function (e) {
      if (!toggle.contains(e.target) && !dropdownMenu.contains(e.target)) {
        dropdownMenu.classList.remove('show');
      }
    });
  });
</script>

:repeat_button: Option 2: Alternative – Add a link inside the dropdown

If you’re okay with having the “Main Page” link inside the dropdown instead of on the toggle:

html

CopyEdit

<li class="nav-item dropdown">
  <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" href="#" id="navbarDropdown" role="button" data-bs-toggle="dropdown">
    Menu
  </a>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="navbarDropdown">
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="/main-page">Main Page</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="/option1">Option 1</a></li>
  </ul>
</li>

Be advised: This is typically not the expected behavior with dropdowns these days (especially on mobile), so you may end up confusing your website visitors with this sort of dropdown.

1 Like
3

If the goal is to have both a dropdown and a navigation link (i.e. click part of it to go somewhere, and part to show a menu), a split button is the clean and idiomatic Bootstrap solution.

The example script above is crap

1. Hijacking the Link Behavior

e.preventDefault(); // prevent immediate navigation

This line stops the link (<a>) from doing what it naturally does — navigate. That’s fine if you’re replacing it with something better. But…

  • Why it’s bad: A link should navigate unless there is a compelling UX reason to delay it (like confirming something).
  • UX Confusion: The user might think the dropdown is just opening, not navigating. Then a redirect happens 300ms later — confusing and potentially annoying.

2. Using a Timeout to Navigate

setTimeout(() => {
  window.location.href = toggle.href;
}, 300);

Delaying navigation for 300ms is hacky.

  • Why it’s bad: It’s arbitrary. Why 300ms? If you’re trying to show the dropdown, it will flash briefly, then go away.
  • Bad UX: This does not allow the user to interact with the dropdown. You’re opening it, then immediately navigating away before they can click anything inside.
  • Worse: It’s pretending the dropdown is usable, when it isn’t.

3. Misusing the Dropdown

Bootstrap dropdowns are meant to show menu options — not redirect on their own. If your intent is to navigate to another page when clicking the dropdown toggle, then just make it a link and skip the dropdown entirely.

  • Or if you’re using the dropdown for other links, don’t make the toggle itself navigate.

4. Clicking Outside Logic Is Fine But Unnecessary Here

document.addEventListener('click', function (e) {
  if (!toggle.contains(e.target) && !dropdownMenu.contains(e.target)) {
    dropdownMenu.classList.remove('show');
  }
});

This is typical to close dropdowns, but here it’s extra complexity because the dropdown disappears anyway due to the redirect. Why bother cleaning up the UI for something that’s vanishing?

Script Bug: toggle.nextElementSibling with No Guard

const dropdownMenu = toggle.nextElementSibling;

will throw a TypeError if toggle is null (i.e., the element doesn’t exist).

Example of what will break:

If the element with id="navbarDropdown" is not found, toggle will be null, and calling:

null.nextElementSibling

throws:

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'nextElementSibling')

If the example script above was in a code review, it should be rejected or rewritten in favor of proper UI design and clean code.

4

Apologies to all the code gurus. ChatGPT invented the “crap.” It does comment that the timeout is optional.

I’m open to any suggestions/improvements. Or should I just delete the entire post?

I was just trying to give the OP a direction in which to go. I’m by no means a JS expert.