A simple window manager for DOM elements

Demo 1

Demo 2

Repository

npm package

1. Makes DOM elements draggable
2. Moves an element on top of all other draggable elements (ex. when clicked)

DOM Window Manager consists of a single class, WindowManager, and a set of utility functions. WindowManager uses the singleton pattern, effectively restricting the instantiation of the class to a singular instance to be used by all components, in any file.

At first, you need to import WindowManager and dragElement in each file that you create elements that you want to use with the DOM Window Manager. WindowManager is the class that manages the elements and dragElement is the utility function that makes elements draggable.

import { WindowManager, dragElement }  from "dom-window-manager";

Then, you have to instanciate the window manager in each file as well.

let windowManager = new WindowManager();

It takes an optional parameter, base, that is the initial z-index value that all elements will have. If no value is provided, base defaults to 1.

Then, at some point you will create an element

const element = document.createElement("div");

It could be any type of element (p, h1, div etc.). The only prerequisite, is to set its position attribute to absolute. It can be done either in JavaScript of in the CSS file.

element.style.position = "absolute";

You can now call the dragElement function, with the element as its parameter.

dragElement(element);

You also need to set the elements z-index value to the base provided by WindowManager.

element.style.zIndex = windowManager.base;

Finally, you will probably want to make the element come on top of all other elements when clicked.

element.addEventListener("mousedown", () => {
    element.style.zIndex = windowManager.moveOnTop();
});

As you have seen, DOM Window Manager takes a very minimalist approach, providing you with the bare necessities, and giving you absolute freedom to use it as you see fit for your project.

import { WindowManager, dragElement }  from "dom-window-manager";

let windowManager = new WindowManager();
const element = document.createElement("div");
element.style.position = "absolute";
dragElement(element);
element.style.zIndex = windowManager.base;

element.addEventListener("mousedown", () => {
    element.style.zIndex = windowManager.moveOnTop();
});

Thank you so much for your interest in my project! If you want to go a step further and support my open source work, buy me a coffee:

Copyright (c) 2023 Michael Kolesidis
Licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0.