The <textarea> element creates a multiline text input field on an HTML web page. This tag is commonly used for user input, such as comments, feedback forms, or any other content that requires multiple lines of input. This article will discuss the attributes and properties associated with the <textarea> tag and some code examples to help you understand its usage better.
The <textarea> Tag
The <textarea> tag is a block-level HTML element that creates a multiline text input field on a web page. It is commonly used for user input, such as comments, feedback forms, or any other content that requires multiple lines of input.
Here’s an example of how to use the <textarea> tag in your HTML code:
<textarea rows="4" cols="50"><br>Enter your text here...<br></textarea>In this example, we have specified that the <textarea> element should display four rows and 50 columns. The default value of the input field is set to “Enter your text here…“. You can change these values as per your requirements.
Attributes of <textarea> Tag
The <textarea> tag supports several attributes that allow you to customize its appearance and behavior on a web page. Here’s a list of some important attributes, along with their explanations:
- rows: Specifies the number of visible text lines in the input field.
- cols: Specifies the width of the input field in characters.
- disabled: Disables the input field, making it read-only and non-interactive.
- readonly: Makes the input field read-only but still interactive (i.e., users can select text).
- maxlength: Specifies the maximum number of characters that can be entered into the input field.
- placeholder: Provides a hint to the user for inputting data, displayed as default content, and disappears when the user starts typing or on focus.
- name: Assigns a unique name to the input field.
- id: Assigns an identifier to the input field.
- class: Specifies one or more class names for the input field.
- style: Allows you to apply inline styles to the input field.
- wrap: Specifies how line breaks should be handled when submitting the form data (either “hard” or “soft”).
Here’s an example that demonstrates some of these attributes in action:
<textarea rows="4" cols="50" maxlength="200" placeholder="Enter your feedback here..." id="feedbackForm" name="feedback" class="form-control" style="resize: none;"></textarea>
In this example, we have specified that the <textarea> element should display four rows and 50 columns. The maximum number of characters allowed in the input field is set to 200. A placeholder text, “Enter your feedback here…” is provided as a hint for the user. Additionally, we have assigned an identifier (“feedback form“), a unique name (“Feedback“), and a class name (“form-control“) to the input field. Finally, we have applied some inline styles to customize its appearance on the web page.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the <textarea> tag is an essential HTML element used for creating multiline text input fields on a web page. You can easily customize its appearance and behavior according to your requirements by understanding its various attributes and properties.
