What Is Drag and Drop?

Date First Published: 14th March 2024

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Software

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 4/10

Learn more about what drag and drop is in this article.

Drag and drop is a functionality which allows users to select an object or a section of text (dragging) and then move it (dropping) to a new location. It is an intuitive way to transfer data within an application or between applications. During drag and drop, the user interface provides a visual indication of the type of drag-and-drop operation that is taking place.

Drag and drop support is not found in all software, but it is a fast and easy-to-learn technique. However, it is not always clear to users that an item can be dragged and dropped or how to drag and drop, so applications and interfaces that heavily rely on dragging and dropping can decrease usability. Also, dragging requires more physical effort than moving the same pointing device without holding down any buttons, so a user cannot move as quickly and precisely while dragging.

How To Drag and Drop?

If using a mouse, you can drag an object by clicking the mouse button to select the object or section of text and then drop the object by moving the mouse whilst keeping the mouse button pushed down. The basic sequence involved in drag and drop is moving the pointer to the object, pressing and holding down the button on the mouse, dragging the object to the desired location by moving the pointer towards it and dropping the object by releasing the object.

Touchscreen interfaces also include support for drag and drop, or more accurately, long press. If using a touchscreen, you can drag and drop by selecting an item with your finger and drag the item by moving your finger across the screen to the location where you want to place it and drop it by lifting your finger off the screen. For example, iOS 11 implements a drag-and-drop feature which allows the user to touch items within an app and tap with their finger to drag more.

Uses Of Drag and Drop

Drag and drop can be used for multiple purposes. Below are eight examples of drag and drop purposes:

• Copying and moving files to a new location, directory, or folder.
• Rearranging and deleting icons.
• Customising the user interface by dragging and dropping file icons.
• Moving objects in games.
• Uploading files and documents to websites. The HTML5 specification includes support for drag and drop.
• Transferring files and other data between different programs.
• Rearranging widgets in a GUI to customise their layout.
• Dragging selected text from one point to another.

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