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Overview

The FileUploaderMinimal component provides a streamlined file upload experience with a minimal UI footprint. It combines an inline drop area with modal dialogs for additional sources, offering the best of both worlds - compact design with full functionality.

When to use

Use FileUploaderMinimal when you need:
  • A compact upload interface that takes minimal space
  • Simple drag-and-drop with a “Choose file” button
  • Full upload sources available through modals when needed
  • Image-centric workflows with grid or list view
  • Quick file selection without overwhelming the UI

Basic usage

<script type="module">
  import * as UC from 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@uploadcare/file-uploader@1/web/uc-file-uploader-minimal.min.js';
  UC.defineComponents(UC);
</script>

<link
  rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@uploadcare/file-uploader@1/web/uc-file-uploader-minimal.min.css"
/>

<uc-file-uploader-minimal ctx-name="my-uploader"></uc-file-uploader-minimal>
<uc-config ctx-name="my-uploader" pubkey="YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY"></uc-config>

Features

Minimal drop area

The component starts with a compact drop area showing a “Choose file” button:
<uc-file-uploader-minimal ctx-name="my-uploader"></uc-file-uploader-minimal>
<uc-config
  ctx-name="my-uploader"
  pubkey="YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY"
></uc-config>

Automatic view transitions

The uploader intelligently switches between views:
  1. Drop area - Initial state with “Choose file” button
  2. Upload list - Automatically shown when files are added
  3. Modal sources - Opens modals for camera, URL, or external sources

Instant upload mode

By default, FileUploaderMinimal has confirm-upload set to false, meaning files upload immediately upon selection. The upload list is shown as soon as files are added.

File view modes

Supports two view modes through configuration:
  • Grid view (default) - Display files as thumbnails in a grid
  • List view - Display files in a vertical list
<uc-config
  ctx-name="my-uploader"
  pubkey="YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY"
  files-view-mode="grid"
></uc-config>

Attributes

ctx-name

ctx-name
string
required
The context name that links the uploader with its configuration. Must match the ctx-name in uc-config.

Configuration options

Common configurations for FileUploaderMinimal:

View mode behavior

Grid view

Optimal for image uploads with thumbnail previews:
<uc-config
  ctx-name="my-uploader"
  pubkey="YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY"
  files-view-mode="grid"
></uc-config>
Features:
  • Thumbnail previews for images
  • Responsive grid layout
  • Edit and remove buttons on hover
  • Automatically switches to single column when multiple="false"

List view

Better for files with detailed information:
<uc-config
  ctx-name="my-uploader"
  pubkey="YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY"
  files-view-mode="list"
></uc-config>
Features:
  • File names and sizes
  • Upload progress bars
  • Action buttons aligned
Clicking the drop area or choosing alternative sources opens modal dialogs:
  • Start From Modal - Full source list (camera, URL, external services)
  • Camera Modal - Photo and video capture interface
  • URL Modal - Import files from URLs
  • External Modal - Connect to Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.
  • Image Editor Modal - Edit images before upload

Styling

Customize the minimal uploader appearance:
<style>
  uc-file-uploader-minimal {
    --uc-grid-col: 3; /* Grid columns */
    max-width: 600px;
  }
</style>

Theme classes

<uc-file-uploader-minimal class="uc-light" ctx-name="my-uploader"></uc-file-uploader-minimal>

Mode attribute

The component automatically sets a mode attribute based on the configured view mode:
<!-- Automatically added based on config -->
<uc-file-uploader-minimal mode="grid" ctx-name="my-uploader"></uc-file-uploader-minimal>
You can use this for custom styling:
uc-file-uploader-minimal[mode="grid"] {
  /* Grid-specific styles */
}

uc-file-uploader-minimal[mode="list"] {
  /* List-specific styles */
}

Upload workflow

1

File selection

User clicks “Choose file” or drags files to the drop area
2

Immediate upload

Files begin uploading automatically (no confirmation required)
3

Progress display

Upload list appears showing progress for each file
4

Edit or remove

Users can edit images or remove files during or after upload

Events

Handle upload events in your application:
const uploader = document.querySelector('uc-file-uploader-minimal');

uploader.addEventListener('file-upload-success', (e) => {
  console.log('File uploaded:', e.detail);
});

uploader.addEventListener('file-added', (e) => {
  console.log('File added to queue:', e.detail);
});

uploader.addEventListener('file-removed', (e) => {
  console.log('File removed:', e.detail);
});

Comparison with other solutions

FileUploaderRegular

Full-featured with upload button and comprehensive modal workflows

FileUploaderInline

Inline interface without modals, shows all activities in-place

Use cases

  • Image galleries - Compact interface for uploading multiple images
  • Avatar uploads - Single image selection with minimal UI
  • Form attachments - Add files without disrupting form layout
  • Product images - E-commerce product photo uploads
  • Document uploads - Simple file selection for document management
Remember that FileUploaderMinimal disables upload confirmation by default. If you need users to review files before uploading, use FileUploaderRegular or FileUploaderInline instead.

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