---
title: Dialog
description: 'Dialogs, sometimes called "modals", appear above the page and require the user''s immediate attention.'
layout: component
category: Organization
---

<!-- cspell:dictionaries lorem-ipsum -->

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" id="dialog-overview">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('#dialog-overview');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```

## Examples

### Dialog without Header

Headers are enabled by default. To render a dialog without a header, add the `without-header` attribute.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" without-header class="dialog-without-header">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-without-header');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```

### Dialog with Footer

Footers can be used to display titles and more. Use the `footer` slot to add a footer to the dialog.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" class="dialog-footer">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-footer');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```

### Opening and Closing Dialogs Declaratively

You can open and close dialogs with JavaScript by toggling the `open` attribute, but you can also do it declaratively. Add the `data-dialog="open id"` to any button on the page, where `id` is the ID of the dialog you want to open.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" id="dialog-opening">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button data-dialog="open dialog-opening">Open Dialog</wa-button>
```

Similarly, you can add `data-dialog="close"` to a button _inside_ of a dialog to tell it to close.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" id="dialog-dismiss">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button data-dialog="open dialog-dismiss">Open Dialog</wa-button>
```

### Custom Width

Just use the `--width` custom property to set the dialog's width.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" class="dialog-width" style="--width: 50vw;">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-width');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```

### Scrolling

By design, a dialog's height will never exceed that of the viewport. As such, dialogs will not scroll with the page ensuring the header and footer are always accessible to the user.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" class="dialog-scrolling">
  <div style="height: 150vh; border: dashed 2px var(--wa-color-surface-border); padding: 0 1rem;">
    <p>Scroll down and give it a try! 👇</p>
  </div>
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-scrolling');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```

### Header Actions

The header shows a functional close button by default. You can use the `header-actions` slot to add additional [buttons](/docs/components/button) if needed.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" class="dialog-header-actions">
  <wa-button class="new-window" slot="header-actions" appearance="plain">
    <wa-icon name="arrow-up-right-from-square" variant="solid" label="Open in new window"></wa-icon>
  </wa-button>
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-header-actions');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;
  const newWindowButton = dialog.querySelector('.new-window');

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
  newWindowButton.addEventListener('click', () => window.open(location.href));
</script>
```

### Light Dismissal

If you want the dialog to close when the user clicks on the overlay, add the `light-dismiss` attribute.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" light-dismiss class="dialog-light-dismiss">
  This dialog will close when you click on the overlay.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-light-dismiss');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```

### Preventing the Dialog from Closing

By default, dialogs will close when the user clicks the close button, clicks the overlay, or presses the [[Escape]] key. In most cases, the default behavior is the best behavior in terms of UX. However, there are situations where this may be undesirable, such as when data loss will occur.

To keep the dialog open in such cases, you can cancel the `wa-hide` event. When canceled, the dialog will remain open and pulse briefly to draw the user's attention to it.

You can use `event.detail.source` to determine which element triggered the request to close. This example prevents the dialog from closing when the overlay is clicked, but allows the close button or [[Escape]] to dismiss it.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" class="dialog-deny-close">
  This dialog will only close when you click the button below.
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Only this button will close it</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-deny-close');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;
  const closeButton = dialog.querySelector('wa-button[slot="footer"]');

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));

  // Prevent the dialog from closing unless the close button was clicked
  dialog.addEventListener('wa-hide', event => {
    if (event.detail.source !== closeButton) {
      event.preventDefault();
    }
  });
</script>
```

### Setting Initial Focus

To give focus to a specific element when the dialog opens, use the `autofocus` attribute.

```html {.example}
<wa-dialog label="Dialog" class="dialog-focus">
  <wa-input autofocus placeholder="I will have focus when the dialog is opened"></wa-input>
  <wa-button slot="footer" variant="brand" data-dialog="close">Close</wa-button>
</wa-dialog>

<wa-button>Open Dialog</wa-button>

<script>
  const dialog = document.querySelector('.dialog-focus');
  const input = dialog.querySelector('wa-input');
  const openButton = dialog.nextElementSibling;

  openButton.addEventListener('click', () => (dialog.open = true));
</script>
```
