freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/03-front-end-libraries/react/create-a-controlled-form.md

---
id: 5a24c314108439a4d4036179
title: Create a Controlled Form
challengeType: 6
forumTopicId: 301384
dashedName: create-a-controlled-form
---

# --description--

The last challenge showed that React can control the internal state for certain elements like `input` and `textarea`, which makes them controlled components. This applies to other form elements as well, including the regular HTML `form` element.

# --instructions--

The `MyForm` component is set up with an empty `form` with a submit handler. The submit handler will be called when the form is submitted.

We've added a button which submits the form. You can see it has the `type` set to `submit` indicating it is the button controlling the form. Add the `input` element in the `form` and set its `value` and `onChange()` attributes like the last challenge. You should then complete the `handleSubmit` method so that it sets the component state property `submit` to the current input value in the local `state`.

**Note:** You also must call `event.preventDefault()` in the submit handler, to prevent the default form submit behavior which will refresh the web page.

Finally, create an `h1` tag after the `form` which renders the `submit` value from the component's `state`. You can then type in the form and click the button (or press enter), and you should see your input rendered to the page.

# --hints--

`MyForm` should return a `div` element which contains a `form` and an `h1` tag. The form should include an `input` and a `button`.

```js
assert(
  (() => {
    const mockedComponent = Enzyme.mount(React.createElement(MyForm));
    return (
      mockedComponent.find('div').children().find('form').length === 1 &&
      mockedComponent.find('div').children().find('h1').length === 1 &&
      mockedComponent.find('form').children().find('input').length === 1 &&
      mockedComponent.find('form').children().find('button').length === 1
    );
  })()
);
```

The state of `MyForm` should initialize with `input` and `submit` properties, both set to empty strings.

```js
assert(
  Enzyme.mount(React.createElement(MyForm)).state('input') === '' &&
    Enzyme.mount(React.createElement(MyForm)).state('submit') === ''
);
```

Typing in the `input` element should update the `input` property of the component's state.

```js
(() => {
  const mockedComponent = Enzyme.mount(React.createElement(MyForm));
  const _1 = () => {
    mockedComponent.setState({ input: '' });
    return mockedComponent.state('input');
  };
  const _2 = () => {
    mockedComponent
      .find('input')
      .simulate('change', { target: { value: 'TestInput' } });
    return {
      state: mockedComponent.state('input'),
      inputVal: mockedComponent.find('input').props().value
    };
  };
  const before = _1();
  const after = _2();
  assert(
    before === '' &&
      after.state === 'TestInput' &&
      after.inputVal === 'TestInput'
  );
})();
```

Submitting the form should run `handleSubmit` which should set the `submit` property in state equal to the current input.

```js
(() => {
  const mockedComponent = Enzyme.mount(React.createElement(MyForm));
  const _1 = () => {
    mockedComponent.setState({ input: '' });
    mockedComponent.setState({ submit: '' });
    mockedComponent
      .find('input')
      .simulate('change', { target: { value: 'SubmitInput' } });
    return mockedComponent.state('submit');
  };
  const _2 = () => {
    mockedComponent.find('form').simulate('submit');
    return mockedComponent.state('submit');
  };
  const before = _1();
  const after = _2();
  assert(before === '' && after === 'SubmitInput');
})();
```

The `h1` header should render the value of the `submit` field from the component's state.

```js
(() => {
  const mockedComponent = Enzyme.mount(React.createElement(MyForm));
  const _1 = () => {
    mockedComponent.setState({ input: '' });
    mockedComponent.setState({ submit: '' });
    mockedComponent
      .find('input')
      .simulate('change', { target: { value: 'TestInput' } });
    return mockedComponent.find('h1').text();
  };
  const _2 = () => {
    mockedComponent.find('form').simulate('submit');
    return mockedComponent.find('h1').text();
  };
  const before = _1();
  const after = _2();
  assert(before === '' && after === 'TestInput');
})();
```

# --seed--

## --after-user-code--

```jsx
ReactDOM.render(<MyForm />, document.getElementById('root'));
```

## --seed-contents--

```jsx
class MyForm extends React.Component {
  constructor(props) {
    super(props);
    this.state = {
      input: '',
      submit: ''
    };
    this.handleChange = this.handleChange.bind(this);
    this.handleSubmit = this.handleSubmit.bind(this);
  }
  handleChange(event) {
    this.setState({
      input: event.target.value
    });
  }
  handleSubmit(event) {
    // Change code below this line
    
    // Change code above this line
  }
  render() {
    return (
      <div>
        <form onSubmit={this.handleSubmit}>
          {/* Change code below this line */}

          {/* Change code above this line */}
          <button type='submit'>Submit!</button>
        </form>
        {/* Change code below this line */}

        {/* Change code above this line */}
      </div>
    );
  }
}
```

# --solutions--

```jsx
class MyForm extends React.Component {
  constructor(props) {
    super(props);
    this.state = {
      input: '',
      submit: ''
    };
    this.handleChange = this.handleChange.bind(this);
    this.handleSubmit = this.handleSubmit.bind(this);
  }
  handleChange(event) {
    this.setState({
      input: event.target.value
    });
  }
  handleSubmit(event) {
    event.preventDefault();
    this.setState(state => ({
      submit: state.input
    }));
  }
  render() {
    return (
      <div>
        <form onSubmit={this.handleSubmit}>
          <input value={this.state.input} onChange={this.handleChange} />
          <button type='submit'>Submit!</button>
        </form>
        <h1>{this.state.submit}</h1>
      </div>
    );
  }
}
```