Why you should be using the dialog element

Dialogs are a crucial component of user interfaces across various platforms, used for confirming actions, gathering information, and more, by presenting selectable options or form inputs. While many JavaScript libraries like react-aria-modal for React, ngx-smart-modal for Angular, and jquery-modal for jQuery offer dialog functionalities, they can add complexity and increase app size. Instead, the native HTML `<dialog>` element provides a streamlined, browser-supported alternative with features like customizable appearance and interactivity, including methods to open and close dialogs programmatically. Safari's recent support for the `<dialog>` element removes any barriers to its use in production. Developers can enhance dialogs by handling user input with embedded forms, changing backdrops via CSS, and implementing closing behavior when clicking outside the dialog area. The `<dialog>` element, now widely supported in major browsers, offers a practical solution for implementing dialogs without the overhead of third-party libraries.