freeCodeCamp/guide/english/bootstrap/forms/index.md

title
Forms

Forms

---

Bootstrap framework provides a form feature which you can use to create beautiful html forms easily. Using the bootstrap form gives each individual form element a unified global style. Bootstrap form adds the right spacing and look to each element.

Each bootstrap form element should have a class form-control. This class is how bootstrap knows which elements to style. All textual elements like input, textarea and select that have form-control class will have 100% width by default. There are two types of Bootstrap forms, which are:

• Inline form - creates the form on a single line. Useful for login forms in a nav bar
• Horizontal form - creates a form with each element in a different row

Example of a basic form

<form>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="exampleInputEmail1">Email address</label>
    <input type="email" class="form-control" id="exampleInputEmail1" placeholder="Email">
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="exampleInputPassword1">Password</label>
    <input type="password" class="form-control" id="exampleInputPassword1" placeholder="Password">
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="exampleInputFile">File input</label>
    <input type="file" id="exampleInputFile">
    <p class="help-block">Example block-level help text here.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox"> Check me out
    </label>
  </div>
  <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Submit</button>
</form>

Example of an inline form

<form class="form-inline">
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="exampleInputName2">Name</label>
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="exampleInputName2" placeholder="Jane Doe">
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="exampleInputEmail2">Email</label>
    <input type="email" class="form-control" id="exampleInputEmail2" placeholder="jane.doe@example.com">
  </div>
  <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Send invitation</button>
</form>

Example of horizontal form

<form class="form-horizontal">
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="inputEmail3" class="col-sm-2 control-label">Email</label>
    <div class="col-sm-10">
      <input type="email" class="form-control" id="inputEmail3" placeholder="Email">
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="inputPassword3" class="col-sm-2 control-label">Password</label>
    <div class="col-sm-10">
      <input type="password" class="form-control" id="inputPassword3" placeholder="Password">
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <div class="col-sm-offset-2 col-sm-10">
      <div class="checkbox">
        <label>
          <input type="checkbox"> Remember me
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <div class="col-sm-offset-2 col-sm-10">
      <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Sign in</button>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

<form class="form-inline">
  <div class="form-group">
    <label class="sr-only" for="exampleInputAmount">Amount (in dollars)</label>
    <div class="input-group">
      <div class="input-group-addon">$</div>
      <input type="text" class="form-control" id="exampleInputAmount" placeholder="Amount">
      <div class="input-group-addon">.00</div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Transfer cash</button>
</form>

Bootstrap forms allow the programmer to use classes to easily make HTML forms presentable and responsive. Take the following simple form:

<form>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="EmailField">Email address</label>
    <input type="email" class="form-control" id="EmailField" aria-describedby="emailHelp" placeholder="Enter email">
    <small id="emailHelp" class="form-text text-muted">We'll never share your email with anyone else.</small>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="PasswordField">Password</label>
    <input type="password" class="form-control" id="PasswordField" placeholder="Password">
  </div>
  <div class="form-check">
    <label class="form-check-label">
      <input type="checkbox" class="form-check-input">
      Check me out
    </label>
  </div>
  <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>
</form>

Individual form fields and the associated label should be wrapped in a <div> with a class of form-group. One exception to this is when using checkbox field where form-check should be used instead of form-group.

The <input> tag should be given a class of form-control.

The <button> tag should be given the classes of btn btn-primary.

More Information:

The official BootStrap documentation is very helpful

Horizontal Form

In combination with Bootstrap's predefined grid classes to align labels and groups of form controls in a horizontal layout by adding .form-horizontal to the form. Doing so changes .form-groups to behave as grid rows, so no need for .row.

<form class="form-horizontal">
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="inputEmail3" class="col-sm-2 control-label">Email</label>
    <div class="col-sm-10">
      <input type="email" class="form-control" id="inputEmail3" placeholder="Email">
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <label for="inputPassword3" class="col-sm-2 control-label">Password</label>
    <div class="col-sm-10">
      <input type="password" class="form-control" id="inputPassword3" placeholder="Password">
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <div class="col-sm-offset-2 col-sm-10">
      <div class="checkbox">
        <label>
          <input type="checkbox"> Remember me
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="form-group">
    <div class="col-sm-offset-2 col-sm-10">
      <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Sign in</button>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>