Web Forms

Forms and form elements are used by web developers to collect data & information from users on websites. This can include:

  • drop-down boxes (multiple choices)
  • text entry (usernames, real names, phone numbers, e-mails, etc)
  • radio checkmarks/buttons (select all-that-apply)
  • password input (hidden text)
  • buttons (used for submitting information and navigating to new pages)
  • file uploads

This semester, we will not use forms very much, as they inherently require a more robust language to handle their collection and transmission. This is one of the roles of JavaScript, which will be discussed more in the second Web course (“MART 441 Web Technologies”). However, some services will allow us to create forms for websites that can do the front-end and back-end lifting/handling of the data.

The most common example of a form in use is a search box, such as Google or YouTube. Example of the google homescreen and their infamous search box. Overlay text says: "A Google Search starts by placing data in a 'text box'."