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Table of contents
HTML Reference
HTML by Alphabet
HTML by Function
HTML Attributes
HTML Events
HTML Colornames
HTML Character Sets
HTML ASCII
HTML ISO-8859-1
HTML Symbols
HTML URL Encode
HTML Lang Codes
HTTP Messages

HTML Tags
<!-->
<!DOCTYPE>
<a>
<abbr>
<acronym>
<address>
<applet>
<area>
<b>
<base>
<basefont>
<bdo>
<big>
<blockquote>
<body>
<br>
<button>
<caption>
<center>
<cite>
<code>
<col>
<colgroup>
<dd>
<del>
<dfn>
<dir>
<div>
<dl>
<dt>
<em>
<fieldset>
<font>
<form>
<frame>
<frameset>
<head>
<h1> - <h6>
<hr>
<html>
<i>
<iframe>
<img>
<input>
<ins>
<kbd>
<label>
<legend>
<li>
<link>
<map>
<menu>
<meta>
<noframes>
<noscript>
<object>
<ol>
<optgroup>
<option>
<p>
<param>
<pre>
<q>
<s>
<samp>
<script>
<select>
<small>
<span>
<strike>
<strong>
<style>
<sub>
<sup>
<table>
<tbody>
<td>
<textarea>
<tfoot>
<th>
<thead>
<title>
<tr>
<tt>
<u>
<ul>
<var>

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HTML <form> tag


Example

A simple HTML form with two input fields and one submit button:

<form action="form_action.asp" method="get">
  First name: <input type="text" name="fname" /><br />
  Last name: <input type="text" name="lname" /><br />
  <input type="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

Try it yourself!  (more examples at the bottom of this page)


Definition and Usage

The <form> tag is used to create an HTML form for user input.

A form can contain input elements like text fields, checkboxes, radio-buttons, submit buttons and more. A forms can also contain select menus, textarea, fieldset, legend, and label elements.

Forms are used to pass data to a server.


Browser Support

Internet Explorer Firefox Opera Google Chrome Safari

The <form> tag is supported in all major browsers.


Differences Between HTML and XHTML

NONE


Tips and Notes

Note: Form is a block-level element, and creates a line break before and after itself.


Required Attributes

DTD indicates in which DTD the attribute is allowed. S=Strict, T=Transitional, and F=Frameset.

Attribute Value Description DTD
action URL A URL that defines where to send the data when the submit button is pushed STF

Optional Attributes

Attribute Value Description DTD
accept list of content types A comma separated list of content types that the server that processes this form will handle correctly STF
accept-charset charset_list A comma separated list of possible character sets for the form data. The default value is "unknown" STF
enctype mimetype The mime type used to encode the content of the form STF
method get
post
The HTTP method for sending data to the action URL. Default is get.

method="get": This method sends the form contents in the URL: URL?name=value&name=value. Note: If the form values contains non-ASCII characters or exceeds 100 characters you MUST use method="post".

method="post": This method sends the form contents in the body of the request. Note: Most browsers are unable to bookmark post requests.

STF
name form_name Defines a unique name for the form TF
target _blank
_self
_parent
_top

Where to open the target URL.

  • _blank - the target URL will open in a new window
  • _self - the target URL will open in the same frame as it was clicked
  • _parent - the target URL will open in the parent frameset
  • _top - the target URL will open in the full body of the window
TF

Standard Attributes

id, class, title, style, dir, lang, xml:lang

For a full description, go to Standard Attributes.

Event Attributes

onsubmit, onreset, onclick, ondblclick, onmousedown, onmouseup, onmouseover, onmousemove, onmouseout, onkeypress, onkeydown, onkeyup

For a full description, go to Event Attributes.


Try-It-Yourself Demos

Form with checkboxes
A form with two checkboxes, and a submit button.

Form with radiobuttons
A form with two radio buttons, and a submit button.

Send e-mail from a form
How to send e-mail from a form.



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