<PageCard className="mb-8">

# arrow

Provides positioning data for an arrow element (triangle or
caret) inside the floating element, such that it appears to be
pointing toward the center of the reference element.

<MiddlewareContainer>
  <MiddlewareBadge type="Data Provider" />
</MiddlewareContainer>

<ShowFor packages={['core']}>

```js
import {arrow} from '@floating-ui/core';
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['dom']}>

```js
import {arrow} from '@floating-ui/dom';
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react']}>

```js
import {arrow} from '@floating-ui/react';
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react-dom']}>

```js
import {arrow} from '@floating-ui/react-dom';
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['vue']}>

```js
import {arrow} from '@floating-ui/vue';
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react-native']}>

```js
import {arrow} from '@floating-ui/react-native';
```

</ShowFor>

This is useful to add an additional visual cue to the floating
element about which element it is referring to.

<ShowFor packages={['react']}>

<Notice>
  The [`FloatingArrow`](/docs/FloatingArrow) component renders
  out a customizable arrow element and applies the positioning
  styles for you.
</Notice>

</ShowFor>

</PageCard>

<div className="flex flex-col gap-4">
  <Chrome
    center
    className="h-96"
    scrollable="x"
    label="Scroll horizontally"
  >
    <Floating
      content="The arrow is positioned dynamically"
      arrow
      middleware={[
        {name: 'shift'},
        {name: 'offset', options: 20},
      ]}
      portaled
      bounded
    >
      <div className="relative -top-8 grid h-32 w-32 place-items-center border-2 border-dashed border-gray-1000" />
    </Floating>
  </Chrome>
</div>

## Usage

The layout box of the arrow element should be a square with equal
width and height. Inner or pseudo-elements may have a different
aspect ratio.

Given an arrow element inside your floating element:

```html
<div>
  Floating element
  <div id="arrow"></div>
</div>
```

<ShowFor packages={['dom']}>

```css
#arrow {
  position: absolute;
}
```

</ShowFor>

Pass the <WordHighlight id='a'>element</WordHighlight> to the
`arrow(){:js}` middleware and assign the dynamic styles using the
coordinates data available in `middlewareData.arrow{:js}`:

<ShowFor packages={['dom']}>

```js /arrowEl/#a
const arrowEl = document.querySelector('#arrow');

computePosition(referenceEl, floatingEl, {
  middleware: [arrow({element: arrowEl})],
}).then(({middlewareData}) => {
  if (middlewareData.arrow) {
    const {x, y} = middlewareData.arrow;

    Object.assign(arrowEl.style, {
      left: x != null ? `${x}px` : '',
      top: y != null ? `${y}px` : '',
    });
  }
});
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react', 'react-dom', 'react-native']}>

```js /middlewareData.arrow/ /arrowRef/#a
const arrowRef = useRef(null);

const {refs, floatingStyles, middlewareData} = useFloating({
  middleware: [
    arrow({
      element: arrowRef,
    }),
  ],
});

return (
  <div ref={refs.setFloating} style={floatingStyles}>
    <div
      ref={arrowRef}
      style={{
        position: 'absolute',
        left: middlewareData.arrow?.x,
        top: middlewareData.arrow?.y,
      }}
    />
  </div>
);
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['vue']}>

```vue {24-34} /middlewareData.arrow/ /floatingArrow/#a
<script setup>
import {arrow, useFloating} from '@floating-ui/vue';
import {ref} from 'vue';

const reference = ref(null);
const floating = ref(null);
const floatingArrow = ref(null);

const {floatingStyles, middlewareData} = useFloating(
  reference,
  floating,
  {
    middleware: [arrow({element: floatingArrow})],
  },
);
</script>

<template>
  <span ref="reference">Reference</span>
  <div ref="floating" :style="floatingStyles">
    Floating
    <div
      ref="floatingArrow"
      :style="{
        position: 'absolute',
        left:
          middlewareData.arrow?.x != null
            ? `${middlewareData.arrow.x}px`
            : '',
        top:
          middlewareData.arrow?.y != null
            ? `${middlewareData.arrow.y}px`
            : '',
      }"
    ></div>
  </div>
</template>
```

</ShowFor>

<Notice type="error" title="Important">
  Unlike the floating element, which has both coordinates defined at all times, 
  the arrow only has one defined. Due to this, either `x` or `y` will be 
  `undefined{:js}`, depending on the side of placement.

  <ShowFor packages={['dom', 'vue']}>

    The above code uses `!={:js}` to check for `null{:js}` and
    `undefined{:js}` **simultaneously**. Don't remove `!= null{:js}`,
    because either value can be falsy (`0{:js}`), causing a bug!

  </ShowFor>
</Notice>

This middleware is designed only to position the arrow on one
axis (`x` for `'top'{:js}` or `'bottom'{:js}` placements). The
other axis is considered "static", which means it does not need
to be positioned dynamically.

You may however want to position **both** axes statically in the
following scenario:

- The reference element is either wider or taller than the
  floating element;
- The floating element is using an edge alignment
  (`-start{:.string}` or `-end{:.string}` placement).

## Visualization

To help you understand how this middleware works, here is a
[visualization tutorial on CodeSandbox](https://codesandbox.io/s/mystifying-kare-ee3hmh?file=/src/index.js).

## Order

`arrow(){:js}` should generally be placed toward the end of your
middleware array, after `shift(){:js}` or `autoPlacement(){:js}` (if used).

## Placement

To know which side the floating element is actually placed at for
the static axis offset of the arrow, the placement is returned:

<ShowFor packages={['core', 'dom']}>

```js
computePosition(referenceEl, floatingEl, {
  placement: 'top',
  middleware: [flip(), arrow({element: arrowEl})],
}).then((data) => {
  // The final placement can be 'bottom' or 'top'
  const placement = data.placement;
});
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react', 'react-dom', 'react-native']}>

```js
// The final placement can be 'bottom' or 'top'
const {placement} = useFloating({
  placement: 'top',
  middleware: [flip(), arrow({element: arrowRef})],
});
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['vue']}>

```js
// The final placement can be 'bottom' or 'top'
const {placement} = useFloating(reference, floating, {
  placement: 'top',
  middleware: [flip(), arrow({element: arrowRef})],
});
```

</ShowFor>

## Options

These are the options you can pass to `arrow(){:js}`.

<ShowFor packages={['core', 'dom']}>

```ts
interface ArrowOptions {
  element: Element;
  padding?: Padding;
}
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react', 'react-dom', 'react-native']}>

```ts
interface ArrowOptions {
  element:
    | Element
    | null
    | React.MutableRefObject<Element | null>;
  padding?: Padding;
}
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['vue']}>

```ts
interface ArrowOptions {
  element: MaybeReadonlyRef<MaybeElement<Element>>;
  padding?: Padding;
}
```

</ShowFor>

### `element{:.key}`

default: `undefined{:js}`

This is the arrow element to be positioned, which must be a child
of the floating element.

<ShowFor packages={['dom']}>

```js
arrow({
  element: document.querySelector('#arrow'),
});
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['react', 'react-dom', 'react-native']}>

This can either be a reactive element:

```js
const [arrowEl, setArrowEl] = useState(null);
```

```js
arrow({
  element: arrowEl,
});
```

```js
return (
  <div ref={refs.setFloating}>
    <div ref={setArrowEl} />
  </div>
);
```

Or a non-reactive ref:

```js
const arrowRef = useRef(null);
```

```js
arrow({
  element: arrowRef,
});
```

```js
return (
  <div ref={refs.setFloating}>
    <div ref={arrowRef} />
  </div>
);
```

</ShowFor>

<ShowFor packages={['vue']}>

```vue /floatingArrow/
<script setup>
const reference = ref(null);
const floating = ref(null);
const floatingArrow = ref(null);

const {floatingStyles} = useFloating(reference, floating, {
  mdidleware: [arrow({element: floatingArrow})],
});
</script>

<template>
  <div ref="floating" :style="floatingStyles">
    <div ref="floatingArrow"></div>
  </div>
</template>
```

</ShowFor>

### `padding{:.key}`

default: `0{:js}`

This describes the padding between the arrow and the edges of the
floating element. If your floating element has
`border-radius{:.function}`, this will prevent it from
overflowing the corners.

```js
arrow({
  padding: 5, // stop 5px from the edges of the floating element
});
```

### Deriving options from state

You can derive the options from the
[middleware lifecycle state](/docs/middleware#middlewarestate):

```js
arrow((state) => ({
  padding: state.rects.reference.width,
}));
```

## Data

The following data is available in `middlewareData.arrow{:js}`:

```ts
interface Data {
  x?: number;
  y?: number;
  centerOffset: number;
}
```

### `x{:.key}`

This property exists if the arrow should be offset on the x-axis.

### `y{:.key}`

This property exists if the arrow should be offset on the y-axis.

### `centerOffset{:.key}`

This property describes where the arrow actually is relative to
where it could be if it were allowed to overflow the floating
element in order to stay centered to the reference element.

This enables two useful things:

- You can hide the arrow if it can't stay centered to the
  reference, i.e. `centerOffset !== 0{:js}`.
- You can interpolate the shape of the arrow (e.g. skew it) so it
  stays centered as best as possible.
