Dropzone.js + Stimulus + Active Storage + CSS Zero (2025)

_form.html.erb

<%= form_with(model: billboard) do |form| %>
  <%= tag.div class: "dropzone", data: { controller: "dropzone", dropzone_param_name_value: "billboard[images][]", dropzone_url_value: rails_direct_uploads_url, dropzone_accepted_files_value: "image/*", dropzone_max_files_value: 3, dropzone_max_filesize_value: 0.300 } do %>
    <div class="dz-default dz-message flex flex-col items-center">
      <%= image_tag "upload.svg", size: 28, class: "colorize-black", aria: { hidden: true } %>
      <h5 class="font-semibold mbs-4">Drop files here or click to upload.</h5>
      <p class="text-sm text-subtle">Upload up to 10 files.</p>
    </div>
  <% end %>

  <div class="inline-flex items-center mbs-2 mie-1">
    <%= form.submit class: "btn btn--primary" %>
  </div>
<% end %>

dropzone.css

@import url("https://esm.sh/dropzone@6.0.0-beta.2/dist/dropzone.css");

.dropzone {
  border-radius: var(--rounded-xl);
  border: 2px dashed var(--color-border);
  padding: var(--size-2);
  text-align: center;

  .dz-preview.dz-image-preview {
    background: transparent;
  }

  .dz-preview .dz-error-message {
    background: var(--color-negative);
  }

  .dz-preview .dz-error-message::after {
    border-bottom: 6px solid var(--color-negative);
  }

  .dz-preview:has(.dz-remove:hover) .dz-error-message  {
    display: none;
  }
}

dropzone_controller.js

import { Controller } from "@hotwired/stimulus"
import { DirectUpload } from "https://esm.sh/@rails/activestorage@8.0.100?standalone"
import Dropzone from "https://esm.sh/dropzone@6.0.0-beta.2?standalone"

export default class extends Controller {
  static values = {
    url: String,
    paramName: String,
    maxFiles: { type: Number, default: null },
    maxFilesize: { type: Number, default: 256 },
    acceptedFiles: { type: String, default: null },
    addRemoveLinks: { type: Boolean, default: true },
    dictFileTooBig: { type: String, default: "File is too big ({{filesize}}MiB). Max filesize: {{maxFilesize}}MiB." },
    dictCancelUpload: { type: String, default: "Cancel upload" },
    dictCancelUploadConfirmation: { type: String, default: "Are you sure you want to cancel this upload?" },
    dictRemoveFile: { type: String, default: "Remove file" },
    dictMaxFilesExceeded: { type: String, default: "You can not upload any more files." }
  }

  connect() {
    this.dropZone = this.#createDropZone()
    this.dropZone.on("addedfile", it => setTimeout(() => it.accepted && this.#upload(it), 0))
    this.dropZone.on("removedfile", it => it.uploader?.remove())
    this.dropZone.on("canceled", it => it.uploader?.abort())
  }

  disconnect() {
    this.dropZone.destroy()
  }

  #createDropZone() {
    return new Dropzone(this.element, {
      autoQueue: false,
      url: this.urlValue,
      paramName: this.paramNameValue,
      maxFiles: this.maxFilesValue,
      maxFilesize: this.maxFilesizeValue,
      acceptedFiles: this.acceptedFilesValue,
      addRemoveLinks: this.addRemoveLinksValue,
      dictFileTooBig: this.dictFileTooBigValue,
      dictCancelUpload: this.dictCancelUploadValue,
      dictCancelUploadConfirmation: this.dictCancelUploadConfirmationValue,
      dictRemoveFile: this.dictRemoveFileValue,
      dictMaxFilesExceeded: this.dictMaxFilesExceededValue
    })
  }

  #upload(file) {
    new Uploader(file, this.dropZone).start()
  }
}

class Uploader {
  constructor(file, dropZone) {
    this.file = file; this.dropZone = dropZone; this.file.uploader = this;
  }

  start() {
    this.#createDirectUpload((error, { signed_id }) => {
      if (error) {
        this.#emitDropzoneError(error)
      } else {
        this.#createHiddenInput(signed_id)
        this.#emitDropzoneSuccess()
      }
    })
  }

  abort() {
    this.xhr?.abort()
  }

  remove() {
    this.hiddenInput?.parentNode?.removeChild(this.hiddenInput)
  }

  directUploadWillStoreFileWithXHR(xhr) {
    this.xhr = xhr
    this.#bindProgress()
    this.#emitDropzoneProcessing()
  }

  #createDirectUpload(callback) {
    new DirectUpload(this.file, this.dropZone.options.url, this).create(callback)
  }

  #createHiddenInput(signed_id) {
    this.hiddenInput = document.createElement("input")
    this.hiddenInput.type  = "hidden"
    this.hiddenInput.name  = this.dropZone.options.paramName
    this.hiddenInput.value = signed_id
    this.dropZone.element.appendChild(this.hiddenInput)
  }

  #bindProgress() {
    this.xhr.upload.addEventListener("progress", it => this.#updateProgress(it))
  }

  #updateProgress(event) {
    this.#progress.style.width = `${Math.round((event.loaded / event.total) * 100)}%`
  }

  #emitDropzoneProcessing() {
    this.file.status = Dropzone.PROCESSING
    this.dropZone.emit("processing", this.file)
  }

  #emitDropzoneError(error) {
    this.file.status = Dropzone.ERROR
    this.dropZone.emit("error", this.file, error)
    this.dropZone.emit("complete", this.file)
  }

  #emitDropzoneSuccess() {
    this.file.status = Dropzone.SUCCESS
    this.dropZone.emit("success", this.file)
    this.dropZone.emit("complete", this.file)
  }

  get #progress() {
    return this.file.previewTemplate.querySelector(".dz-upload")
  }
}