HTML <input> Tag
The <input> tag is used in HTML forms to define the field where the user can enter data. Tag description, attributes and using examples.
The <input> tag is used within the <form> element and defines fields for user input. The type of the field (text, checkbox, radio button, password field, etc.) is determined by the value of the type attribute. The tag doesn’t have a text content, it contains only attributes.
It belongs to a tag group called form elements.
To associate text with a specific element, we use the <label> tag which sets a text label for it.
Syntax
The <input> tag is empty, which means that the closing tag isn’t required. But in XHTML, the (<input>) tag must be closed (<input/>).
Example of the HTML <input> tag:
Example of HTML <input> Tag
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Title of the document</title>
</head>
<body>
<form action="/form/submit" method="get">
<input type="email" name="user_email" placeholder="Enter your email" />
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>
</body>
</html>Example of the HTML <input> tag with the HTML <label> tag:
Example of HTML <input> Tag with the HTML <label> tag
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Title of the document</title>
<style>
.form-group { margin-bottom: 10px; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<form action="/form/submit" method="get">
<div class="form-group">
<label for="first_name">Your Name:</label>
<input type="text" id="first_name" name="first_name" />
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="last_name">Your Surname:</label>
<input type="text" id="last_name" name="last_name" />
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="user_email">Enter Your E-Mail:</label>
<input type="email" id="user_email" name="user_email" />
</div>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>
</body>
</html>Result
Attributes
The main attribute that determines the type of input field is type. If the attribute is missing, the default value is "text".
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| accept | audio/* video/* image/* MIME_type | Specifies the types of files you can send via the file upload field. (Used with the type="file"). |
| align | left right top middle bottom | Defines the alignment type of the image. (Used only with images). Not supported in HTML5. |
| alt | text | Defines the alternate text for the image. (Used only with images). |
| autocomplete | on off | Enables/disables autocomplete. New attribute in HTML5. |
| autofocus | autofocus | Indicates that the form field should receive focus after the page loads. New attribute in HTML5. |
| checked | checked | Indicates that the element should be preselected when the page loads. (Used only for <input type = "checkbox"> and <input type = "radio">). |
| disabled | disabled | Indicates that the element must be not available for user interaction. |
| form | form_id | Indicates the form (specified by the <form> element) of the control element. The value is the form identifier (id) in the same document. New attribute in HTML5. |
| formaction | URL | Specifies the address where the form data will be sent when clicking on the button. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">). |
| formenctype | application/x-www-form-urlencoded multipart/form-data text/plain | Determines how form data is encoded before sending it to the server. (Used only with <input type="image"> and <input type="submit">). Values: application/x-www-form-urlencoded (default, encodes all characters), multipart/form-data (no encoding, used for file uploads), text/plain (spaces become +, other characters not encoded). |
| formmethod | get post | Indicates HTTP Request Method, which will be used when sending the form data. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">). get sends form data in the address bar. post sends data to the server for processing. |
| formnovalidate | formnovalidate | Indicates, that it is not necessary to check the data for correctness. (Used only for <input type = "submit">). |
| formtarget | _blank _self _parent _top | Specifies where to display the response after submitting the form. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">). |
| height | pixels | Defines the height of the element (Used only for <input type = "image">). |
| inputmode | verbatim latin latin-name latin-prose full-width-latin kana katakana numeric tel email url | Defines the keyboard layout. |
| list | datalist_id | Defines a list of options from which the user can choose. The value for the attribute is the id of the <datalist> element. |
| max | number date | Sets the upper value for entering a number or a date. |
| maxlength | number | Defines the maximal number of symbols, that the user can input. |
| min | number date | Sets the minimal value for entering a number or a date. |
| multiple | multiple | Indicates that the user can input more than one value in the element (only for <input type = "file"> and <input type = "email">). |
| name | text | Defines the name of the element. (Used for form identification). |
| pattern | regular expression | Specifies a regular expression, according to which you need to enter and verify data in the form field. (Only for control elements text, search, tel, url, email and password). |
| placeholder | text | Defines a short prompt that describes the expected value for the input field. The user sees a hint in the input field. It disappears when the user starts entering data or when the field receives focus. |
| readonly | readonly | Defines that the input field is enabled only for reading. The user cannot make changes. |
| required | required | Indicates that the input field must be completed before submitting the form. |
| size | number | Defines the visible width of the text field in characters. (Only for text, search, tel, url, email and password). Default is 20 characters. |
| src | URL | Indicates the path to the image that is used as the "send" button. (Only used for <input type = "image">). |
| step | number | Sets the increment step (increment value) for numeric fields. Used with the min and max attributes which define the minimal and maximal values. |
| type | button checkbox color date datetime datetime-local email file hidden image month number password radio range reset search submit tel text time url week | Defines the type of the input field. |
| value | text | Defines the value of the element. |
| width | width | Defines the width of the element (only for <input type = "image">). |
The <input> tag also supports the Global attributes and the Event Attributes.
Values of the type attribute
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| button | Defines the active button. |
| checkbox | Check the boxes (the user can select more than one of the options). |
| color | Specifies a color palette (user can select color values in hexadecimal). |
| date | Defines the input field for calendar date. |
| datetime (deprecated) | Defines the input field for date and time. (Deprecated in HTML5, use datetime-local instead.) |
| datetime-local | Defines the input field for date and time without a time zone. |
| Defines the input field for e-mail. | |
| file | Sets the control with the Browse button, clicking on which you can select and load the file. |
| hidden | Defines a hidden input field. It is not visible to the user. |
| image | Indicates that an image is used instead of a button to send data to the server. The path to the image is indicated by the src attribute. The alt attribute can also be used to specify alternative text, the height and width attributes to specify the height and width of the image. |
| month | Defines the field of selecting a month, after which the data will be displayed as year-month (for example: 2018-07). |
| number | Defines the input field for numbers. |
| password | Defines a field for entering a password (the entered characters are displayed as asterisks, dots or other characters). |
| radio | Creates radio button (when choosing one radio button all others will be disabled). |
| range | Creates a slider to select numbers in the specified range. The default range is from 0 to 100. The range of numbers is specified by the min and max attributes. |
| reset | Defines a button for resetting information. |
| search | Creates a text field for search. |
| submit | Creates a button of submitting the form data (“submit” button). |
| text | Creates a single line text field. |
| time | Specifies a numeric field for entering time in a 24-hour format (for example, 13:45). |
| url | Creates an input field for URL. |
| week | Creates a field for selecting the week, after which the data will be displayed as year-week (for example: 2018-W25). |
Practice
Practice
What can be achieved with the HTML <input> tag?