Context Menu vs. Dropdown
Same menu, different birth. A context menu opens AT THE POINTER from a right-click (or long-press) on the thing itself, and its actions apply to that thing. A dropdown menu opens FROM A VISIBLE BUTTON, anchored beneath it — discoverable without knowing any secret gesture.
How to tell them apart
- No visible trigger — it appeared where you right-clicked → context menu.
- It hangs off a labeled button or the ⋯ dots → dropdown menu.
- Its actions apply to the item under the pointer → context menu.
The full entries — names, anatomy, paste-ready prompts
Context Menumacos
NSMenu
The menu opened at the pointer by right-clicking or Control-clicking an item
Popover
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Dropdown
Tooltip
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Popover vs. Dropdown Menu vs. Tooltipweb
popover
Three anchored overlays with different triggers, content, and dismissal rules
Still a different pair on your mind? See every commonly confused pair