Just a quick HTML5 Drag and Drop demo I made in jsfiddle. https://jsfiddle.net/KxfpG/7/. If you didn’t know one of the cool features in HTML5 is the ability to Data Transfer from one object to another. There are more flashy things you can do but this demo just uses setData() and getData(). To try out the demo simply drag image 1 onto image 2.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about HTML5 Drag and Drop Image Demo
How can I add multiple draggable items in the HTML5 drag and drop image demo?
Adding multiple draggable items in the HTML5 drag and drop image demo is quite simple. You just need to create multiple elements with the draggable attribute set to true. Each draggable element should have a unique id. In the dragstart event handler, you can set the dataTransfer data to the id of the dragged element. This way, in the drop event handler, you can get the id of the dragged element and perform the necessary actions.
How can I prevent the default drag image from showing?
The default drag image can be prevented from showing by using the setDragImage method of the dataTransfer object in the dragstart event handler. You can set the drag image to a new Image object or to an existing image element with no src attribute.
Can I use the HTML5 drag and drop API to drag and drop files from the user’s file system?
Yes, you can use the HTML5 drag and drop API to drag and drop files from the user’s file system. The files are available in the dataTransfer.files property in the drop event handler. You can read the files using the FileReader API.
How can I make a drop zone that accepts only certain types of draggable elements?
You can make a drop zone that accepts only certain types of draggable elements by checking the type of the dragged element in the dragover event handler. If the dragged element is of the accepted type, you can prevent the default action to allow the drop. Otherwise, you can let the default action happen, which is to disallow the drop.
How can I customize the appearance of the draggable elements while they are being dragged?
You can customize the appearance of the draggable elements while they are being dragged by applying CSS styles in the dragstart and dragend event handlers. In the dragstart event handler, you can add a class to the dragged element to change its appearance. In the dragend event handler, you can remove the class to revert the appearance.
How can I animate the drop action?
You can animate the drop action by using CSS transitions or animations. In the drop event handler, you can add a class to the dropped element that triggers the animation. After the animation is finished, you can remove the class to revert the appearance.
Can I use the HTML5 drag and drop API in a touch screen device?
The HTML5 drag and drop API is designed for mouse events. However, you can use libraries like Touch Punch to extend the API to touch events.
How can I make the draggable elements snap to a grid?
Making the draggable elements snap to a grid requires some calculations. In the drag event handler, you can calculate the nearest grid position and set the position of the dragged element to it.
How can I make the draggable elements sortable?
Making the draggable elements sortable requires some additional logic. In the drop event handler, you can calculate the position of the dropped element in the list of draggable elements and rearrange the elements accordingly.
How can I handle nested drop zones?
Handling nested drop zones can be tricky. In the dragover event handler, you need to check if the target element is a drop zone or a child of a drop zone. If it is a child, you need to find the parent drop zone and handle the event for it.
Sam Deering has 15+ years of programming and website development experience. He was a website consultant at Console, ABC News, Flight Centre, Sapient Nitro, and the QLD Government and runs a tech blog with over 1 million views per month. Currently, Sam is the Founder of Crypto News, Australia.
