Comparison of Overlay/Modal Window/Dialog/*Box modules

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Posted by lpalgarvio on September 23, 2010 at 2:48am
Last updated by aaron on Mon, 2010-11-22 21:41

Comparison of Overlay/Modal Window/Dialog/*Box modules:

  • Starbox API - an API in the works meant to replace all these modules and work with lots of different javascript libraries (similarly to WYSIWYG).
  • Lightbox2 - most known module, with image, video, flash and html support. using Lightbox2 library. lots of integrations in other modules (integrated with Embedded Media Field). heavy JS.
  • Shadowbox - another module with lots of features. using Shadowbox library. the module developer is having problems with the library developer. (integrated with Embedded Media Field). heavy JS.
  • Colorbox - small module; the successor of Thickbox, using Colorbox library. has been ported to D7. few integrations in other modules (integrated with Embedded Media Field). small JS.
  • Thickbox - small modules; deprecated in favor of Colorbox. using Thickbox library. some integrations in other modules (integrated with Embedded Media Field). small JS.
  • jQuery Lightbox - limited; buggy or conflicting with other jQuery modules.
  • Highslide - restrictive license.
  • Fancybox - no data.
  • Jquery Slideshow - limited usage (CCK Fields slideshow).
  • Dialog API - an API for specific usage (ie, Skinr 2.x). This module is better used in a slideshow format and should be compared to others such as views_slideshow and ddblock.
  • jQuery UI Dialog - an API for specific usage, similar to Dialog API.
  • Modal Frame API - an API for specific usage, similar to Dialog API.
  • Popups API (Ajax Dialogs) - an API for specific usage, similar to Dialog API.

i would recommend using either Colorbox or Lightbox2.
Not recommending at all Shadowbox, Thickbox, jQuery Lightbox or Highslide.
Jquery Slideshow is better off used as a slideshow module where you can easily create a slideshow of a node with multiple CCK imagefields.
Starbox API is still in it's infancy so it's not recommendable.

recommending Dialog API when required as a dependency.
no data on jQuery UI Dialog, Modal Frame API.
Popups API (Ajax Dialogs) looks unmaintained and with an uncertain future.