JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/popper.js/1.12.9/umd/popper.min.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.0.0-beta.3/css/bootstrap.min.css">
<script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.0.0-beta.3/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
<div id="actions" class="dropdown btn-group btn btn-outline-secondary" role="group">
  <div id="actionToggle" class="dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">
    toggle
  </div>
  <div class="dropdown-menu" role="menu" aria-labelledby="actionToggle">
    <div class="dropdown-header">Actions ...</div>
    <a href="#" class="dropdown-item" name="action1">Action 1</a>
    <a href="#" class="dropdown-item" name="action2">Action 2</a>
    <a href="#" class="dropdown-item" name="action3">Action 3</a>
  </div>
</div>

<div id="open">text</div>

JavaScript

// test 1
$("#actionToggle").dropdown("toggle");

// test 2
$("#open").on("click", function() {
  $("#actionToggle").dropdown("toggle");
});