What is the difference?
Tooltip vs Dropdown / Select
The difference is whether the thing that appeared is read or used. A tooltip only explains, holds nothing clickable, and disappears the moment the pointer leaves. A dropdown is an interactive surface holding options you select with the keyboard or the mouse.
Ask yourself one question
Does the user need to move into what appeared and click something inside it?
مرّر المؤشّر فوق أيقونة الرابط، أو اضغط Tab للوصول إليها.
Tooltip
التلميحrole="tooltip" + aria-describedbyUse it when
Explaining an icon with no label, showing a keyboard shortcut, or revealing the full text of a truncated title. One short piece of information, nothing more.
Full entryDropdown / Select
القائمة المنسدلة<select> / role="listbox"Use it when
Picking a value from a set, or running one of several commands. Anything that needs arrow-key navigation or a click on an item inside it.
Full entryThe classic mistake
Putting a link or a button inside a tooltip. The user lifts the pointer to reach it and the tooltip vanishes. A keyboard user could never reach it at all.
Other comparisons