HTML Forms

An HTML form is used to collect user input. The user input is most often sent to a server for processing.

Example

Top of Form

First name:

Last name:

Bottom of Form

The <form> Element

The HTML <form> element is used to create an HTML form for user input:

<form>
.
form elements
.
</form>

The <form> element is a container for different types of input elements, such as: text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, submit buttons, etc.

The <input> Element

The HTML <input> element is the most used form element.

An <input> element can be displayed in many ways, depending on the type attribute.

Here are some examples:

Type	Description
<input type="text">	Displays a single-line text input field
<input type="radio">	Displays a radio button (for selecting one of many choices)
<input type="checkbox">	Displays a checkbox (for selecting zero or more of many choices)
<input type="submit">	Displays a submit button (for submitting the form)
<input type="button">	Displays a clickable button

Text Fields

The <input type="text"> defines a single-line input field for text input.

Example

A form with input fields for text:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname">
</form>

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Top of Form

First name:

Last name:

Bottom of Form

Note: The form itself is not visible. Also note that the default width of an input field is 20 characters.

The <label> Element

Notice the use of the <label> element in the example above.

The <label> tag defines a label for many form elements.

The <label> element is useful for screen-reader users, because the screen-reader will read out loud the label when the user focuses on the input element.

The <label> element also helps users who have difficulty clicking on very small regions (such as radio buttons or checkboxes) - because when the user clicks the text within the <label> element, it toggles the radio button/checkbox.

The for attribute of the <label> tag should be equal to the id attribute of the <input> element to bind them together.

Radio Buttons

The <input type="radio"> defines a radio button.

Radio buttons let a user select ONE of a limited number of choices.

Example

A form with radio buttons:

<p>Choose your favorite Web language:</p>

<form>
  <input type="radio" id="html" name="fav_language" value="HTML">
  <label for="html">HTML</label><br>
  <input type="radio" id="css" name="fav_language" value="CSS">
  <label for="css">CSS</label><br>
  <input type="radio" id="javascript" name="fav_language" value="JavaScript">
  <label for="javascript">JavaScript</label>
</form>

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Choose your favorite Web language:

HTML
CSS
JavaScript

Checkboxes

The <input type="checkbox"> defines a checkbox.

Checkboxes let a user select ZERO or MORE options of a limited number of choices.

Example

A form with checkboxes:

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

I have a bike
I have a car
I have a boat

The Submit Button

The <input type="submit"> defines a button for submitting the form data to a form-handler.

The form-handler is typically a file on the server with a script for processing input data.

The form-handler is specified in the form's action attribute.

Example

A form with a submit button:

<form action="/action_page.php">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" value="Fix"><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Hub"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Top of Form

First name:

Last name:

Bottom of Form

The Name Attribute for <input>

Notice that each input field must have a name attribute to be submitted.

If the name attribute is omitted, the value of the input field will not be sent at all.

Example

This example will not submit the value of the "First name" input field:

<form action="/action_page.php">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" value="Fix"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

HTML Form Attributes

This chapter describes the different attributes for the HTML <form> element.

The Action Attribute

The action attribute defines the action to be performed when the form is submitted.

Usually, the form data is sent to a file on the server when the user clicks on the submit button.

In the example below, the form data is sent to a file called "action_page.php". This file contains a server-side script that handles the form data:

Example

On submit, send form data to "action_page.php":

Tip: If the action attribute is omitted, the action is set to the current page.

The Target Attribute

The target attribute specifies where to display the response that is received after submitting the form.

The target attribute can have one of the following values:

Value	Description
_blank	The response is displayed in a new window or tab
_self	The response is displayed in the current window
_parent	The response is displayed in the parent frame
_top	The response is displayed in the full body of the window
framename	The response is displayed in a named iframe

The default value is _self which means that the response will open in the current window.

Example

Here, the submitted result will open in a new browser tab:

The Method Attribute

The method attribute specifies the HTTP method to be used when submitting the form data.

The form-data can be sent as URL variables (with method="get") or as HTTP post transaction (with method="post").

The default HTTP method when submitting form data is GET.

Example

This example uses the GET method when submitting the form data:

Example

This example uses the POST method when submitting the form data:

Notes on GET:

Appends the form data to the URL, in name/value pairs
NEVER use GET to send sensitive data! (the submitted form data is visible in the URL!)
The length of a URL is limited (2048 characters)
Useful for form submissions where a user wants to bookmark the result
GET is good for non-secure data, like query strings in Google

Notes on POST:

Appends the form data inside the body of the HTTP request (the submitted form data is not shown in the URL)
POST has no size limitations, and can be used to send large amounts of data.
Form submissions with POST cannot be bookmarked

Tip: Always use POST if the form data contains sensitive or personal information!

The Autocomplete Attribute

The autocomplete attribute specifies whether a form should have autocomplete on or off.

When autocomplete is on, the browser automatically complete values based on values that the user has entered before.

Example

A form with autocomplete on:

The Novalidate Attribute

The novalidate attribute is a boolean attribute.

When present, it specifies that the form-data (input) should not be validated when submitted.

Example

A form with a novalidate attribute:

Bottom of Form

List of All <form> Attributes

Attribute	Description
accept-charset	Specifies the character encodings used for form submission
action	Specifies where to send the form-data when a form is submitted
auto complete	Specifies whether a form should have autocomplete on or off
enctype	Specifies how the form-data should be encoded when submitting it to the server (only for method="post")
method	Specifies the HTTP method to use when sending form-data
name	Specifies the name of the form
novalidate	Specifies that the form should not be validated when submitted
rel	Specifies the relationship between a linked resource and the current document
target	Specifies where to display the response that is received after submitting the form

HTML Form Elements

This chapter describes all the different HTML form elements.

The HTML <form> Elements

The HTML <form> element can contain one or more of the following form elements:

<input>
<label>
<select>
<textarea>
<button>
<fieldset>
<legend>
<datalist>
<output>
<option>
<optgroup>

The <input> Element

One of the most used form element is the <input> element.

The <input> element can be displayed in several ways, depending on the type attribute.

Example

<label for="fname">First name:</label>
<input type="text" id="fname" name="fname">

The <label> Element

The <label> element defines a label for several form elements.

The <label> element is useful for screen-reader users, because the screen-reader will read out loud the label when the user focus on the input element.

The <label> element also help users who have difficulty clicking on very small regions (such as radio buttons or checkboxes) - because when the user clicks the text within the <label> element, it toggles the radio button/checkbox.

The for attribute of the <label> tag should be equal to the id attribute of the <input> element to bind them together.

The <select> Element

The <select> element defines a drop-down list:

Example

<label for="cars">Choose a car:</label>
<select id="cars" name="cars">
  <option value="volvo">Volvo</option>
  <option value="saab">Saab</option>
  <option value="fiat">Fiat</option>
  <option value="audi">Audi</option>
</select>

The <option> elements defines an option that can be selected.

By default, the first item in the drop-down list is selected.

To define a pre-selected option, add the selected attribute to the option:

Example

Visible Values:

Use the size attribute to specify the number of visible values:

Example

<label for="cars">Choose a car:</label>
<select id="cars" name="cars" size="3">
  <option value="volvo">Volvo</option>
  <option value="saab">Saab</option>
  <option value="fiat">Fiat</option>
  <option value="audi">Audi</option>
</select>

Allow Multiple Selections:

Use the multiple attribute to allow the user to select more than one value:

Example

<label for="cars">Choose a car:</label>
<select id="cars" name="cars" size="4" multiple>
  <option value="volvo">Volvo</option>
  <option value="saab">Saab</option>
  <option value="fiat">Fiat</option>
  <option value="audi">Audi</option>
</select>

The <textarea> Element

The <textarea> element defines a multi-line input field (a text area):

Example

<textarea name="message" rows="10" cols="30">
The cat was playing in the garden.
</textarea>

The rows attribute specifies the visible number of lines in a text area.

The cols attribute specifies the visible width of a text area.

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

You can also define the size of the text area by using CSS:

Example

<textarea name="message" style="width:200px; height:600px;">
The cat was playing in the garden.
</textarea>

The <button> Element

The <button> element defines a clickable button:

Example

<button type="button" onclick="alert('Hello World!')">Click Me!</button>

Try it Yourself »

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Click Me!

Note: Always specify the type attribute for the button element. Different browsers may use different default types for the button element.

The <fieldset> and <legend> Elements

The <fieldset> element is used to group related data in a form.

The <legend> element defines a caption for the <fieldset> element.

Example

<form action="/action_page.php">
  <fieldset>
    <legend>Personalia:</legend>
    <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
    <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" value="Fix"><br>
    <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
    <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Hub"><br><br>
    <input type="submit" value="Submit">
  </fieldset>
</form>

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Top of Form

Personalia:First name:

Last name:

Bottom of Form

The <datalist> Element

The <datalist> element specifies a list of pre-defined options for an <input> element.

Users will see a drop-down list of the pre-defined options as they input data.

The list attribute of the <input> element, must refer to the id attribute of the <datalist> element.

Example

The <output> Element

The <output> element represents the result of a calculation (like one performed by a script).

Example

Perform a calculation and show the result in an <output> element:

Bottom of Form

HTML Form Elements

Tag	Description
<form>	Defines an HTML form for user input
<input>	Defines an input control
<textarea>	Defines a multiline input control (text area)
<label>	Defines a label for an <input> element
<fieldset>	Groups related elements in a form
<legend>	Defines a caption for a <fieldset> element
<select>	Defines a drop-down list
<optgroup>	Defines a group of related options in a drop-down list
<option>	Defines an option in a drop-down list
<button>	Defines a clickable button
<datalist>	Specifies a list of pre-defined options for input controls
<output>	Defines the result of a calculation

HTML Input Types

This chapter describes the different types for the HTML <input> element.

HTML Input Types

Here are the different input types you can use in HTML:

<input type="button">
<input type="checkbox">
<input type="color">
<input type="date">
<input type="datetime-local">
<input type="email">
<input type="file">
<input type="hidden">
<input type="image">
<input type="month">
<input type="number">
<input type="password">
<input type="radio">
<input type="range">
<input type="reset">
<input type="search">
<input type="submit">
<input type="tel">
<input type="text">
<input type="time">
<input type="url">
<input type="week">

Tip: The default value of the type attribute is "text".

Input Type Text

<input type="text"> defines a single-line text input field:

Example

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname">
</form>

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

First name:

Last name:

Input Type Password

<input type="password"> defines a password field:

Example

<form>
  <label for="username">Username:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="username" name="username"><br>
  <label for="pwd">Password:</label><br>
  <input type="password" id="pwd" name="pwd">
</form>

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Username:

Password:

The characters in a password field are masked (shown as asterisks or circles).

Input Type Submit

<input type="submit"> defines a button for submitting form data to a form-handler.

The form-handler is typically a server page with a script for processing input data.

The form-handler is specified in the form's action attribute:

Example

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Top of Form

First name:

Last name:

Bottom of Form

If you omit the submit button's value attribute, the button will get a default text:

Example

Input Type Reset

<input type="reset"> defines a reset button that will reset all form values to their default values:

Example

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Top of Form

First name:

Last name:

Bottom of Form

If you change the input values and then click the "Reset" button, the form-data will be reset to the default values.

Input Type Radio

<input type="radio"> defines a radio button.

Radio buttons let a user select ONLY ONE of a limited number of choices:

Example

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

HTML
CSS
JavaScript

Input Type Checkbox

<input type="checkbox"> defines a checkbox.

Checkboxes let a user select ZERO or MORE options of a limited number of choices.

Example

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

I have a bike
I have a car
I have a boat

Input Type Button

<input type="button"> defines a button:

Example

This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:

Input Type Color

The <input type="color"> is used for input fields that should contain a color.

Depending on browser support, a color picker can show up in the input field.

Example

<form>
<label for="favcolor">Select your favorite color:</label>
<input type="color" id="favcolor" name="favcolor">
</form>

Input Type Date

The <input type="date"> is used for input fields that should contain a date.

Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.

Example

<form>
<label for="birthday">Birthday:</label>
<input type="date" id="birthday" name="birthday">
</form>

You can also use the min and max attributes to add restrictions to dates:

Example

Input Type Datetime-local

The <input type="datetime-local"> specifies a date and time input field, with no time zone.

Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.

Example

<form>
<label for="birthdaytime">Birthday (date and time):</label>
<input type="datetime-local" id="birthdaytime" name="birthdaytime">
</form>

Input Type Email

The <input type="email"> is used for input fields that should contain an e-mail address.

Depending on browser support, the e-mail address can be automatically validated when submitted.

Some smartphones recognize the email type, and add ".com" to the keyboard to match email input.

Example

<form>
<label for="email">Enter your email:</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email">
</form>

Input Type Image

The <input type="image"> defines an image as a submit button.

The path to the image is specified in the src attribute.

Example

Input Type File

The <input type="file"> defines a file-select field and a "Browse" button for file uploads.

Example

<form>
<label for="myfile">Select a file:</label>
<input type="file" id="myfile" name="myfile">
</form>

Input Type Hidden

The <input type="hidden"> defines a hidden input field (not visible to a user).

A hidden field lets web developers include data that cannot be seen or modified by users when a form is submitted.

A hidden field often stores what database record that needs to be updated when the form is submitted.

Note: While the value is not displayed to the user in the page's content, it is visible (and can be edited) using any browser's developer tools or "View Source" functionality. Do not use hidden inputs as a form of security!

Example

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <input type="hidden" id="custId" name="custId" value="3487">
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

Input Type Month

The <input type="month"> allows the user to select a month and year.

Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.

Example

<form>
<label for="bdaymonth">Birthday (month and year):</label>
<input type="month" id="bdaymonth" name="bdaymonth">
</form>

Input Type Number

The <input type="number"> defines a numeric input field.

You can also set restrictions on what numbers are accepted.

The following example displays a numeric input field, where you can enter a value from 1 to 5:

Example

<form>
<label for="quantity">Quantity (between 1 and 5):</label>
<input type="number" id="quantity" name="quantity" min="1" max="5">
</form>

Input Restrictions

Here is a list of some common input restrictions:

Attribute	Description
checked	Specifies that an input field should be pre-selected when the page loads (for type="checkbox" or type="radio")
disabled	Specifies that an input field should be disabled
max	Specifies the maximum value for an input field
maxlength	Specifies the maximum number of character for an input field
min	Specifies the minimum value for an input field
pattern	Specifies a regular expression to check the input value against
readonly	Specifies that an input field is read only (cannot be changed)
required	Specifies that an input field is required (must be filled out)
size	Specifies the width (in characters) of an input field
step	Specifies the legal number intervals for an input field
value	Specifies the default value for an input field

You will learn more about input restrictions in the next chapter.

The following example displays a numeric input field, where you can enter a value from 0 to 100, in steps of 10. The default value is 30:

Example

<form>
<label for="quantity">Quantity:</label>
<input type="number" id="quantity" name="quantity" min="0" max="100" step="10" value="30">
</form>

Input Type Range

The <input type="range"> defines a control for entering a number whose exact value is not important (like a slider control). Default range is 0 to 100. However, you can set restrictions on what numbers are accepted with the min, max, and step attributes:

Example

<form>
<label for="vol">Volume (between 0 and 50):</label>
<input type="range" id="vol" name="vol" min="0" max="50">
</form>

Input Type Search

The <input type="search"> is used for search fields (a search field behaves like a regular text field).

Example

<form>
<label for="gsearch">Search Google:</label>
<input type="search" id="gsearch" name="gsearch">
</form>

Input Type Tel

The <input type="tel"> is used for input fields that should contain a telephone number.

Example

<form>
<label for="phone">Enter your phone number:</label>
<input type="tel" id="phone" name="phone" pattern="[0-9]{3}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{3}">
</form>

Input Type Time

The <input type="time"> allows the user to select a time (no time zone).

Depending on browser support, a time picker can show up in the input field.

Example

<form>
<label for="appt">Select a time:</label>
<input type="time" id="appt" name="appt">
</form>

Input Type Url

The <input type="url"> is used for input fields that should contain a URL address.

Depending on browser support, the url field can be automatically validated when submitted.

Some smartphones recognize the url type, and adds ".com" to the keyboard to match url input.

Example

<form>
<label for="homepage">Add your homepage:</label>
<input type="url" id="homepage" name="homepage">
</form>

Input Type Week

The <input type="week"> allows the user to select a week and year.

Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.

Example

<form>
<label for="week">Select a week:</label>
<input type="week" id="week" name="week">
</form>

HTML Input Type Attribute

Tag	Description
<input type="">	Specifies the input type to display

HTML Input Attributes

This chapter describes the different attributes for the HTML <input> element.

The value Attribute

The input value attribute specifies an initial value for an input field:

Example

Input fields with initial (default) values:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" value="Fix"><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Hub">
</form>

The readonly Attribute

The input readonly attribute specifies that an input field is read-only.

A read-only input field cannot be modified (however, a user can tab to it, highlight it, and copy the text from it).

The value of a read-only input field will be sent when submitting the form!

Example

A read-only input field:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" value="Fix" readonly><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Hub">
</form>

The disabled Attribute

The input disabled attribute specifies that an input field should be disabled.

A disabled input field is unusable and un-clickable.

The value of a disabled input field will not be sent when submitting the form!

Example

A disabled input field:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" value="Fix" disabled><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Hub">
</form>

The size Attribute

The input size attribute specifies the visible width, in characters, of an input field.

The default value for size is 20.

Note: The size attribute works with the following input types: text, search, tel, url, email, and password.

Example

Set a width for an input field:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" size="50"><br>
  <label for="pin">PIN:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="pin" name="pin" size="4">
</form>

The maxlength Attribute

The input maxlength attribute specifies the maximum number of characters allowed in an input field.

Note: When a maxlength is set, the input field will not accept more than the specified number of characters. However, this attribute Hubs not provide any feedback. So, if you want to alert the user, you must write JavaScript code.

Example

Set a maximum length for an input field:

The min and max Attributes

The input min and max attributes specify the minimum and maximum values for an input field.

The min and max attributes work with the following input types: number, range, date, datetime-local, month, time and week.

Tip: Use the max and min attributes together to create a range of legal values.

Example

Set a max date, a min date, and a range of legal values:

<form>
  <label for="datemax">Enter a date before 1980-01-01:</label>
  <input type="date" id="datemax" name="datemax" max="1979-12-31"><br><br>

  <label for="datemin">Enter a date after 2000-01-01:</label>
  <input type="date" id="datemin" name="datemin" min="2000-01-02"><br><br>

  <label for="quantity">Quantity (between 1 and 5):</label>
  <input type="number" id="quantity" name="quantity" min="1" max="5">
</form>

The multiple Attribute

The input multiple attribute specifies that the user is allowed to enter more than one value in an input field.

The multiple attribute works with the following input types: email, and file.

Example

A file upload field that accepts multiple values:

<form>
<label for="files">Select files:</label>
<input type="file" id="files" name="files" multiple>
</form>

The pattern Attribute

The input pattern attribute specifies a regular expression that the input field's value is checked against, when the form is submitted.

The pattern attribute works with the following input types: text, date, search, url, tel, email, and password.

Tip: Use the global title attribute to describe the pattern to help the user.

Tip: Learn more about regular expressions in our JavaScript tutorial.

Example

An input field that can contain only three letters (no numbers or special characters):

<form>
<label for="country_code">Country code:</label>
<input type="text" id="country_code" name="country_code"
pattern="[A-Za-z]{3}" title="Three letter country code">
</form>

The placeholder Attribute

The input placeholder attribute specifies a short hint that describes the expected value of an input field (a sample value or a short description of the expected format).

The short hint is displayed in the input field before the user enters a value.

The placeholder attribute works with the following input types: text, search, url, tel, email, and password.

Example

An input field with a placeholder text:

<form>
<label for="phone">Enter a phone number:</label>
<input type="tel" id="phone" name="phone"
placeholder="123-45-678"
pattern="[0-9]{3}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{3}">
</form>

The required Attribute

The input required attribute specifies that an input field must be filled out before submitting the form.

The required attribute works with the following input types: text, search, url, tel, email, password, date pickers, number, checkbox, radio, and file.

Example

A required input field:

<form>
<label for="username">Username:</label>
<input type="text" id="username" name="username" required>
</form>

The step Attribute

The input step attribute specifies the legal number intervals for an input field.

Example: if step="3", legal numbers could be -3, 0, 3, 6, etc.

Tip: This attribute can be used together with the max and min attributes to create a range of legal values.

The step attribute works with the following input types: number, range, date, datetime-local, month, time and week.

Example

An input field with a specified legal number intervals:

<form>
<label for="points">Points:</label>
<input type="number" id="points" name="points" step="3">
</form>

Try it Yourself »

Note: Input restrictions are not foolproof, and JavaScript provides many ways to add illegal input. To safely restrict input, it must also be checked by the receiver (the server)!

The autofocus Attribute

The input autofocus attribute specifies that an input field should automatically get focus when the page loads.

Example

Let the "First name" input field automatically get focus when the page loads:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname" autofocus><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname">
</form>

The height and width Attributes

The input height and width attributes specify the height and width of an <input type="image"> element.

Tip: Always specify both the height and width attributes for images. If height and width are set, the space required for the image is reserved when the page is loaded. Without these attributes, the browser Hubs not know the size of the image, and cannot reserve the appropriate space to it. The effect will be that the page layout will change during loading (while the images load).

Example

Define an image as the submit button, with height and width attributes:

<form>
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname"><br><br>
  <input type="image" src="img_submit.gif" alt="Submit" width="48" height="48">
</form>

The list Attribute

The input list attribute refers to a <datalist> element that contains pre-defined options for an <input> element.

Example

An <input> element with pre-defined values in a <datalist>:

The autocomplete Attribute

The input autocomplete attribute specifies whether a form or an input field should have autocomplete on or off.

Autocomplete allows the browser to predict the value. When a user starts to type in a field, the browser should display options to fill in the field, based on earlier typed values.

The autocomplete attribute works with <form> and the following <input> types: text, search, url, tel, email, password, datepickers, range, and color.

Example

An HTML form with autocomplete on, and off for one input field:

<form action="/action_page.php" autocomplete="on">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname"><br><br>
  <label for="email">Email:</label>
  <input type="email" id="email" name="email" autocomplete="off"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

Tip: In some browsers you may need to activate an autocomplete function for this to work (Look under "Preferences" in the browser's menu).

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HTML Form and Input Elements

Tag	Description
<form>	Defines an HTML form for user input
<input>	Defines an input control

HTML Input form* Attributes

This chapter describes the different form* attributes for the HTML <input> element.

The form Attribute

The input form attribute specifies the form the <input> element belongs to.

The value of this attribute must be equal to the id attribute of the <form> element it belongs to.

Example

An input field located outside of the HTML form (but still a part of the form):

<form action="/action_page.php" id="form1">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

<label for="lname">Last name:</label>
<input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" form="form1">

The formaction Attribute

The input formaction attribute specifies the URL of the file that will process the input when the form is submitted.

Note: This attribute overrides the action attribute of the <form> element.

The formaction attribute works with the following input types: submit and image.

Example

An HTML form with two submit buttons, with different actions:

<form action="/action_page.php">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
  <input type="submit" formaction="/action_page2.php" value="Submit as Admin">
</form>

The formenctype Attribute

The input formenctype attribute specifies how the form-data should be encoded when submitted (only for forms with method="post").

Note: This attribute overrides the enctype attribute of the <form> element.

The formenctype attribute works with the following input types: submit and image.

Example

A form with two submit buttons. The first sends the form-data with default encoding, the second sends the form-data encoded as "multipart/form-data":

<form action="/action_page_binary.asp" method="post">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
  <input type="submit" formenctype="multipart/form-data"
value="Submit as Multipart/form-data">
</form>

The formmethod Attribute

The input formmethod attribute defines the HTTP method for sending form-data to the action URL.

Note: This attribute overrides the method attribute of the <form> element.

The formmethod attribute works with the following input types: submit and image.

The form-data can be sent as URL variables (method="get") or as an HTTP post transaction (method="post").

Notes on the "get" method:

This method appends the form-data to the URL in name/value pairs
This method is useful for form submissions where a user want to bookmark the result
There is a limit to how much data you can place in a URL (varies between browsers), therefore, you cannot be sure that all of the form-data will be correctly transferred
Never use the "get" method to pass sensitive information! (password or other sensitive information will be visible in the browser's address bar)

Notes on the "post" method:

This method sends the form-data as an HTTP post transaction
Form submissions with the "post" method cannot be bookmarked
The "post" method is more robust and secure than "get", and "post" Hubs not have size limitations

Example

A form with two submit buttons. The first sends the form-data with method="get". The second sends the form-data with method="post":

<form action="/action_page.php" method="get">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit using GET">
  <input type="submit" formmethod="post" value="Submit using POST">
</form>

The formtarget Attribute

The input formtarget attribute specifies a name or a keyword that indicates where to display the response that is received after submitting the form.

Note: This attribute overrides the target attribute of the <form> element.

The formtarget attribute works with the following input types: submit and image.

Example

A form with two submit buttons, with different target windows:

<form action="/action_page.php">
  <label for="fname">First name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
  <label for="lname">Last name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="lname" name="lname"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
  <input type="submit" formtarget="_blank" value="Submit to a new window/tab">
</form>

The formnovalidate Attribute

The input formnovalidate attribute specifies that an <input> element should not be validated when submitted.

Note: This attribute overrides the novalidate attribute of the <form> element.

The formnovalidate attribute works with the following input types: submit.

Example

A form with two submit buttons (with and without validation):

<form action="/action_page.php">
  <label for="email">Enter your email:</label>
  <input type="email" id="email" name="email"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
  <input type="submit" formnovalidate="formnovalidate"
value="Submit without validation">
</form>

The novalidate Attribute

The novalidate attribute is a <form> attribute.

When present, novalidate specifies that all of the form-data should not be validated when submitted.

Example

Specify that no form-data should be validated on submit:

<form action="/action_page.php" novalidate>
  <label for="email">Enter your email:</label>
  <input type="email" id="email" name="email"><br><br>
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

HTML Form and Input Elements

Tag	Description
<form>	Defines an HTML form for user input
<input>	Defines an input control

HTML Forms

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