How would you mark up an accessible dropdown?
PICTURE THIS: HOW TO EXPLAIN IT
Simple meaning
I start with a button that has aria-expanded and aria-controls pointing at the list.
WHY — HTML instead of guessing?
Why interviewers care about HTML:
question about HTML.
trade-offs, and what you would actually do on a Frontend project - not buzzwords.
Name the idea, why it exists, then one short example.
End with when you use it and one common pitfall.
STEPS — What happens step by step?
Before you speak the answer, walk the interviewer through these steps:
- 1I start with a
button that has aria-expanded and aria-controls pointing at the list.
- 2The list uses role
listbox or a native select if the design allows.
- 3Escape closes it, arrow
keys move, and focus returns to the button on close.
- 4Give an example
One tiny concrete case you can say aloud.
- 5Common mistake
What juniors usually get wrong.
- 6Close
When you pick this over the alternative.
EXAMPLE — See it in action
Here's a short line you can speak, broken into clear beats:
Note: Adapt this scaffold to your own project — keep it under 60–90 seconds.
Key takeaway
I start with a button that has aria-expanded and aria-controls pointing at the list. The list uses role listbox or a native select if the design allows.