activeItem

ActiveItem is a term used in user interface design to denote the item within a collection that currently holds primary focus or is the target of the primary action. It appears in components that render lists, menus, tabs, carousels, trees, grids, and other navigable structures. The concept helps define which item is highlighted, interacted with, or operated on at any given moment.

In practice, activeItem represents the item that responds to keyboard and mouse input as the user navigates the interface or performs actions. It can be a reference to the item object, an identifier, or an index within the data array. The activeItem state typically updates in response to events such as clicks, hovers, focus changes, or arrow-key navigation, and it often drives both visual styling and functional behavior.

ActiveItem is related to, but distinct from, terms like selectedItem or currentItem. While selectedItem generally indicates a user choice that may persist across actions, activeItem emphasizes the item currently in use for the next action (for example, the item that will be opened, edited, or activated). In some designs these concepts overlap, but they may diverge based on whether the user is merely highlighting an item versus confirming a selection.

Accessibility considerations for activeItem include using proper ARIA attributes (such as aria-current or aria-selected) to reflect focus and selection state, and ensuring that changes to activeItem are announced to assistive technologies.