Angular File Drop

A lightweight, signal-based Angular directive for drag-and-drop file and folder uploads — with directory traversal, accept-type filtering, and a click-to-open file picker. No stylesheets, no XHR wrappers, no DOM mutation. Just the File objects.

This is the workspace repository. The published package lives in projects/angular-file-drop.

The Philosophy

Try the live demo →

Dropzone.js is great, but it often fights against modern Angular architecture by injecting its own CSS, mutating the DOM, and hijacking HTTP requests with its own XHR wrappers.

angular-file-drop is the "Angular-only" alternative. It does a portion of what Dropzone does, but strictly the Angular way:

• Native directive — binds to your existing elements using standard Angular syntax.
• Headless — handles the messy HTML5 drag-and-drop events and hands you raw File objects.
• Zero network opinions — you upload with Angular's own HttpClient, keeping interceptors and auth intact.
• Bring your own UI — no forced stylesheets. Style your dropzone exactly how your app needs it.

Features

• Drag-and-drop and click-to-open file picker on a single element
• Recursive folder/directory traversal (modern File System Access API, with legacy webkitGetAsEntry and plain FileList fallbacks)
• accept-style filtering by extension or MIME (.png, image/*, application/pdf, */*)
• Single- or multiple-file enforcement
• Automatic hidden-file filtering (.git, .DS_Store, …)
• Signal-based drag-over state for easy template styling
• SSR-safe (guards all browser-only APIs)
• A ready-made FILE_TYPES map of common accept strings

Installation

npm install @h-k-dev/angular-file-drop

Requires Angular 17.3+ (standalone directives + signals).

Quick Start

The directive is standalone — import AngularFileDrop directly into your component.

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { AngularFileDrop, FileDropEvent } from '@h-k-dev/angular-file-drop';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-uploader',
  imports: [AngularFileDrop],
  template: `
    <div
      dropZone
      [class.is-dragging]="zone.isDragOver()"
      (fileDrop)="onDrop($event)"
      #zone="dropZone"
    >
      Drag files here, or click to browse
    </div>
  `,
})
export class UploaderComponent {
  onDrop(event: FileDropEvent) {
    for (const { file, relativePath } of event.files) {
      console.log(relativePath, file.size);
    }
  }
}

.is-dragging {
  outline: 2px dashed #4f46e5;
  background: #eef2ff;
}

Examples

Restrict accepted types

Pass any accept-style string. The FILE_TYPES map provides ready-made values.

import { FILE_TYPES } from '@h-k-dev/angular-file-drop';

@Component({
  imports: [AngularFileDrop],
  template: `
    <div dropZone [acceptedFiles]="accept" (fileDrop)="onDrop($event)">
      Images and PDFs only
    </div>
  `,
})
export class Component {
  accept = `${FILE_TYPES.ANY_IMAGE},${FILE_TYPES.PDF}`; // "image/*,.pdf,application/pdf"
}

You can also write the string by hand: [acceptedFiles]="'.png,.jpg,image/*'".

Single file only

<div dropZone [multiple]="false" (fileDrop)="onDrop($event)">
  Drop a single file
</div>

Drop a whole folder

directory (on by default) recursively walks dropped folders. Each DroppedFile carries a relativePath that preserves the folder structure.

template: `<div dropZone [directory]="true" (fileDrop)="onDrop($event)">Drop a folder</div>`;

onDrop(event: FileDropEvent) {
  // e.g. "photos/2026/holiday/IMG_001.jpg"
  event.files.forEach((f) => console.log(f.relativePath));
}

Open a folder picker on click

Set directoryPicker to make the click-to-open dialog a folder chooser instead of a file chooser.

<div dropZone [directoryPicker]="true">Click to choose a folder</div>

React to drag events and style the zone

The isDragOver signal flips while a valid file drag is over the element. Grab the directive instance via the dropZone export.

<div
  dropZone
  #zone="dropZone"
  [class.active]="zone.isDragOver()"
  (dragEnter)="onEnter($event)"
  (dragLeave)="onLeave($event)"
>
  {{ zone.isDragOver() ? 'Release to upload' : 'Drag files here' }}
</div>

Manual activation (custom button)

Disable the built-in click handling with isManualActivation and open the picker yourself from a child control.

@Component({
  imports: [AngularFileDrop],
  template: `
    <div dropZone #zone="dropZone" [isManualActivation]="true" (fileDrop)="onDrop($event)">
      <p>Drag files here</p>
      <button type="button" (click)="zone.openFilePicker($event)">Browse files</button>
      <button type="button" (click)="zone.openDirectoryPicker($event)">Browse folder</button>
    </div>
  `,
})
export class Component {
  onDrop(event: FileDropEvent) {
    /* ... */
  }
}

Disable the zone

<div dropZone [disabled]="isUploading" (fileDrop)="onDrop($event)">…</div>

Upload with HttpClient

The directive stays out of your network layer — wire it up however you like.

onDrop(event: FileDropEvent) {
  const body = new FormData();
  event.files.forEach((f) => body.append('files', f.file, f.relativePath));
  this.http.post('/api/upload', body).subscribe();
}

API Reference

Inputs

Input	Type	Default	Description
multiple	boolean	true	Allow more than one file. When false, only the first file is emitted.
directory	boolean	true	Recursively traverse dropped folders.
directoryPicker	boolean	false	Make the click-to-open dialog a folder picker (webkitdirectory) rather than files.
acceptedFiles	string	''	accept-style filter, e.g. .png,image/*,application/pdf. Empty accepts everything.
ignoreHiddenFiles	boolean	true	Drop dotfiles and files inside dot-folders (.git, .DS_Store, …).
clickable	boolean	true	Open the file picker when the host element is clicked or activated via keyboard.
disabled	boolean	false	Ignore all drops, clicks, and keyboard activation.
isManualActivation	boolean	false	Disable built-in click/keyboard activation so you can call the open* methods yourself.

Outputs

Output	Payload	Description
fileDrop	FileDropEvent	Emitted after files are dropped or chosen and filtered.
dragEnter	DragEvent	A valid file drag entered the element.
dragOver	DragEvent	A valid file drag is moving over the element.
dragLeave	DragEvent	A valid file drag left the element.

Public members

Member	Description
isDragOver: Signal<boolean>	true while a valid file drag is over the element.
openPicker(event?, options?)	Open the hidden file input. options.directory toggles folder mode.
openFilePicker(event?)	Open a file picker.
openDirectoryPicker(event?)	Open a folder picker.

Access these in templates via the dropZone export: #zone="dropZone".

Types

interface DroppedFile {
  file: File;
  relativePath: string; // preserves folder structure, e.g. "docs/report.pdf"
}

interface FileDropEvent {
  files: DroppedFile[];
}

Exported utilities

The directive's pure helpers are exported for advanced use and testing: containsFiles, setDropEffect, isHiddenPath, filterHiddenFiles, isFileAccepted, filterAcceptedFiles, enforceMultiple, toDroppedFiles, readDroppedFiles, walkHandles, walkEntries, createHiddenFileInput, and the FILE_TYPES map.

Development

npm install
npm test          # run the vitest unit suite
npm run test:ci   # single run (CI)
npm run build     # build the library with ng-packagr

Browser Support

Works in all modern browsers. Folder traversal uses the File System Access API where available and falls back to webkitGetAsEntry and then a plain FileList. Server-side rendering is safe — all browser-only APIs are guarded.

License

MIT © h-k-dev