keyboard-interface

Give the menu one page-level tab stop, use arrow keys to move between items internally, and choose either roving tabindex or aria-activedescendant as the focus strategy. Escape should close the menu and return focus to the trigger element.

Roving tabindex moves actual DOM focus among child elements, keeping one child at tabindex 0 and others at -1. With aria-activedescendant, DOM focus stays on the container while an attribute tracks the active item. Choose one strategy per composite widget and do not mix them.

No. Tab should move between meaningful components, while composite widgets like menus, toolbars, and grids use arrow keys for internal navigation. Making every child a tab stop creates excessive stops and an unpredictable interaction model.

Define the full lifecycle: set initial focus when the dialog opens, contain focus inside while it is modal, provide a keyboard dismissal path such as Escape, and restore focus to the invoking element when it closes. Never drop focus onto the body element.

Avoid shortcuts that conflict with browser, OS, or assistive-technology commands, fire while the user types in text fields, or use single printable characters that trigger unexpectedly. Never require an undocumented shortcut to access essential functionality.