HTML Form Controls
HTML Form Controls
HTML Form Controls
There are different types of form controls that you can use to collect data using HTML form:
Checkboxes Controls
Hidden Controls
Clickable Buttons
Single-line text input controls - This control is used for items that require only one line of user
input, such as search boxes or names. They are created using HTML <input> tag.
Password input controls - This is also a single-line text input but it masks the character as soon as a
user enters it. They are also created using HTMl <input> tag.
Multi-line text input controls - This is used when the user is required to give details that may be
longer than a single sentence. Multi-line input controls are created using HTML <textarea> tag.
Example
Here is a basic example of a single-line text input used to take first name and last name:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Text Input Control</title>
</head>
<body>
<form >
First name: <input type="text" name="first_name" />
<br>
Last name: <input type="text" name="last_name" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
Last name:
Attributes
Following is the list of attributes for <input> tag for creating text field.
Attribute
Description
type
Indicates the type of input control and for text input control it will be set
to text.
name
value
size
maxlengt
h
Example
Here is a basic example of a single-line password input used to take user password:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Password Input Control</title>
</head>
<body>
<form >
User ID : <input type="text" name="user_id" />
<br>
Password: <input type="password" name="password" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
User ID :
Password:
Attributes
Following is the list of attributes for <input> tag for creating password field.
Attribute
Description
type
Indicates the type of input control and for password input control it will
be set to password.
name
value
size
maxlengt
h
Example
Here is a basic example of a multi-line text input used to take item description:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Multiple-Line Input Control</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>
Description : <br />
<textarea rows="5" cols="50" name="description">
Enter description here...
</textarea>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Attributes
Following is the list of attributes for <textarea> tag.
Attribut
e
Description
name
rows
cols
Checkbox Control
Checkboxes are used when more than one option is required to be selected. They are also created using
HTML <input> tag but type attribute is set to checkbox.
Example
Here is an example HTML code for a form with two checkboxes:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Checkbox Control</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<input type="checkbox" name="maths" value="on"> Maths
<input type="checkbox" name="physics" value="on"> Physics
</form>
</body>
</html>
Physics
Attributes
Following is the list of attributes for <checkbox> tag.
Attribut
e
Description
type
Indicates the type of input control and for checkbox input control it will
be set to checkbox.
name
value
checked
Example
Here is example HTML code for a form with two radio buttons:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Radio Box Control</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<input type="radio" name="subject" value="maths"> Maths
<input type="radio" name="subject" value="physics"> Physics
</form>
</body>
</html>
Physics
Attributes
Following is the list of attributes for radio button.
Attribut
e
Description
type
Indicates the type of input control and for checkbox input control it will
be set to radio.
name
value
checked
Example
Here is example HTML code for a form with one drop down box
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Select Box Control</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<select name="dropdown">
<option value="Maths" selected>Maths</option>
<option value="Physics">Physics</option>
</select>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Physics
Attributes
Following is the list of important attributes of <select> tag:
Attribut
e
Description
name
size
multiple
If set to "multiple" then allows a user to select multiple items from the
menu.
Attribut
e
Description
value
The value that will be used if an option in the select box box is selected.
selected
Specifies that this option should be the initially selected value when the
page loads.
label
Example
Here is example HTML code for a form with one file upload box:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>File Upload Box</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<input type="file" name="fileupload" accept="image/*" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
Attributes
Following is the list of important attributes of file upload box:
Attribut
e
Description
name
accept
Button Controls
There are various ways in HTML to create clickable buttons. You can also create a clickable button using
<input> tag by setting its type attribute tobutton. The type attribute can take the following values:
Type
Description
submi
t
reset
This creates a button that automatically resets form controls to their initial
values.
button
This creates a button that is used to trigger a client-side script when the user
clicks that button.
image
This creates a clickable button but we can use an image as background of the
button.
Example
Here is example HTML code for a form with three types of buttons:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>File Upload Box</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
<input type="reset" name="reset" value="Reset" />
<input type="button" name="ok" value="OK" />
<input type="image" name="imagebutton" src="/html/images/logo.png" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
Example
Here is example HTML code to show the usage of hidden control:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>File Upload Box</title>
</head>
<body>
<form>