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Forms

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Kitchen sink
Example form
Form contrast
Sizing
Selects
- Small
Form groups
Form group validation
Checkboxes and radios
- Show / hide content based on a checkbox or radio button state
Input group
Form actions

Style individual form controls and utilize common layouts.

Overview:

We reset several elements' default styles for cross browser consistency and easier manipulation later. This includes <fieldset>s, WebKit validation bubbles, and most textual <input>s.
Specific types of textual <input>s are styled automatically, but .form-control is available should you need it.
Always declare a type on your <button>s.
Form layouts rely on form groups.

Kitchen sink

All our inputs and buttons side-by-side for easy testing of sizing and alignment with one another.

<p>
  <button class="btn" type="button">Button</button>
  <button class="btn select-menu-button" type="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true">
    Select menu
  </button>
  <input class="form-control" type="text" placeholder="Standard input" aria-label="Repository description" />
  <input class="form-control input-monospace" type="text" placeholder="Monospace input" aria-label="SHA" />
  <select class="form-select" aria-label="Important decision">
    <option>Select</option>
    <option value="option 2">Option 2</option>
  </select>
</p>

<p>
  <button class="btn btn-sm" type="button">Small button</button>
  <button class="btn btn-sm select-menu-button" type="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true">
    Select menu
  </button>
  <input class="form-control input-sm" type="text" placeholder="Small input" aria-label="Repository description" />
  <select class="form-select select-sm" aria-label="Important decision">
    <option>Select</option>
    <option value="option 1">Option 1</option>
  </select>
</p>

<p>
  <button class="btn" type="button">Button</button>
  <button class="btn select-menu-button" type="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true">
    Select menu
  </button>
  <input class="form-control" type="text" placeholder="Standard input" aria-label="Repository description" />
  <input class="form-control input-monospace" type="text" placeholder="Monospace input" aria-label="SHA" />
  <select class="form-select" aria-label="Important decision">
    <option>Select</option>
    <option value="option 2">Option 2</option>
  </select>
</p>
<p>
  <button class="btn btn-sm" type="button">Small button</button>
  <button class="btn btn-sm select-menu-button" type="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true">
    Select menu
  </button>
  <input class="form-control input-sm" type="text" placeholder="Small input" aria-label="Repository description" />
  <select class="form-select select-sm" aria-label="Important decision">
    <option>Select</option>
    <option value="option 1">Option 1</option>
  </select>
</p>

Example form

Form controls in Primer CSS currently have no basic layout specified (this is by design). You'll need to use <fieldset>s, <div>s, or other elements and styles to rearrange them.

<form>
  <label for="name">Name</label>
  <input class="form-control" type="text" id="name" />

  <label for="email">Email address</label>
  <input class="form-control" type="email" id="email" />

  <label> <input type="checkbox" /> Remember me </label>

  <label> <input type="radio" id="herp" name="herpderp" checked /> Herp </label>
  <label> <input type="radio" id="derp" name="herpderp" /> Derp </label>

  <button class="btn" type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

<form>
  <label for="name">Name</label>
  <input class="form-control" type="text" id="name" />
  <label for="email">Email address</label>
  <input class="form-control" type="email" id="email" />
  <label> <input type="checkbox" /> Remember me </label>
  <label> <input type="radio" id="herp" name="herpderp" checked /> Herp </label>
  <label> <input type="radio" id="derp" name="herpderp" /> Derp </label>
  <button class="btn" type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

Form contrast

Textual form controls have a white background by default. You can change this to a light gray with .input-contrast.

<form>
  <input class="form-control" type="text" placeholder="Default input" aria-label="Default input" />
  <input
    class="form-control input-contrast"
    type="text"
    placeholder="Input with contrast"
    aria-label="Input with contrast"
  />
</form>

<form>
  <input class="form-control" type="text" placeholder="Default input" aria-label="Default input" />
  <input
    class="form-control input-contrast"
    type="text"
    placeholder="Input with contrast"
    aria-label="Input with contrast"
  />
</form>

Sizing

Make inputs smaller, larger, or full-width with an additional class.

Small

<form>
  <input class="form-control input-sm" type="text" placeholder="Small input" aria-label="Small input" />
</form>

<form>
  <input class="form-control input-sm" type="text" placeholder="Small input" aria-label="Small input" />
</form>

Large

<form>
  <input class="form-control input-lg" type="text" placeholder="Large input" aria-label="Large input" />
</form>

<form>
  <input class="form-control input-lg" type="text" placeholder="Large input" aria-label="Large input" />
</form>

Block

<form>
  <input class="form-control input-block" type="text" placeholder="Full-width input" aria-label="Full-width input" />
</form>

<form>
  <input class="form-control input-block" type="text" placeholder="Full-width input" aria-label="Full-width input" />
</form>

Dark

<div class="bg-gray-dark p-3 mt-n3 ml-n3 mr-n3">
  <input class="form-control input-dark" type="text" placeholder="Dark input" aria-label="Dark input">
  <input class="form-control input-dark input-sm" type="text" placeholder="Dark input small" aria-label="Dark input">
</div>

<div class="bg-gray-dark p-3 mt-n3 ml-n3 mr-n3">
  <input class="form-control input-dark" type="text" placeholder="Dark input" aria-label="Dark input">
  <input class="form-control input-dark input-sm" type="text" placeholder="Dark input small" aria-label="Dark input">
</div>

Hide webkit's contact info autofill icon

Webkit sometimes gets confused and tries to add an icon/dropdown to autofill contact information on fields that may not be appropriate (such as input for number of users). Use this class to override the display of this icon.

<form>
  <input
    class="form-control input-hide-webkit-autofill"
    placeholder="Hide Webkit's contact autofill on this input"
    type="text"
    aria-label="Hide Webkit's contact autofill on this input"
  />
</form>

<form>
  <input
    class="form-control input-hide-webkit-autofill"
    placeholder="Hide Webkit's contact autofill on this input"
    type="text"
    aria-label="Hide Webkit's contact autofill on this input"
  />
</form>

Selects

Primer CSS adds light height and vertical-align styles to <select>s for all browsers to render them consistently with textual inputs.

<form>
  <select class="form-select" aria-label="Preference">
    <option>Choose an option</option>
    <option>Git</option>
    <option>Subversion</option>
    <option>Social Coding</option>
    <option>Beets</option>
    <option>Bears</option>
    <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
  </select>
</form>

<form>
  <select class="form-select" aria-label="Preference">
    <option>Choose an option</option>
    <option>Git</option>
    <option>Subversion</option>
    <option>Social Coding</option>
    <option>Beets</option>
    <option>Bears</option>
    <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
  </select>
</form>

Small

Use the .select-sm class to resize both default and custom <select>s to match the size of our small buttons.

<select class="form-select select-sm" aria-label="Preference">
  <option>Choose an option</option>
  <option>Git</option>
  <option>Subversion</option>
  <option>Social Coding</option>
  <option>Beets</option>
  <option>Bears</option>
  <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
</select>

<select class="form-select select-sm" aria-label="Preference">
  <option>Choose an option</option>
  <option>Git</option>
  <option>Subversion</option>
  <option>Social Coding</option>
  <option>Beets</option>
  <option>Bears</option>
  <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
</select>

<select class="form-select select-sm" aria-label="Preference">
  <option>Choose an option</option>
  <option>Git</option>
  <option>Subversion</option>
  <option>Social Coding</option>
  <option>Beets</option>
  <option>Bears</option>
  <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
</select>
<select class="form-select select-sm" aria-label="Preference">
  <option>Choose an option</option>
  <option>Git</option>
  <option>Subversion</option>
  <option>Social Coding</option>
  <option>Beets</option>
  <option>Bears</option>
  <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
</select>

Form groups

<form>
  <dl class="form-group">
    <dt><label for="example-text">Example Text</label></dt>
    <dd><input class="form-control" type="text" value="Example Value" id="example-text" /></dd>
  </dl>

  <dl class="form-group">
    <dt><label for="example-select">Example Select</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <select class="form-select" id="example-select">
        <option>Choose an option</option>
        <option>Git</option>
        <option>Subversion</option>
        <option>Social Coding</option>
        <option>Beets</option>
        <option>Bears</option>
        <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
      </select>
    </dd>
  </dl>

  <dl class="form-group">
    <dt><label for="example-textarea">Example Textarea</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <textarea class="form-control" id="example-textarea"></textarea>
    </dd>
  </dl>
</form>

<form>
  <dl class="form-group">
    <dt><label for="example-text">Example Text</label></dt>
    <dd><input class="form-control" type="text" value="Example Value" id="example-text" /></dd>
  </dl>
  <dl class="form-group">
    <dt><label for="example-select">Example Select</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <select class="form-select" id="example-select">
        <option>Choose an option</option>
        <option>Git</option>
        <option>Subversion</option>
        <option>Social Coding</option>
        <option>Beets</option>
        <option>Bears</option>
        <option>Battlestar Galactica</option>
      </select>
    </dd>
  </dl>
  <dl class="form-group">
    <dt><label for="example-textarea">Example Textarea</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <textarea class="form-control" id="example-textarea"></textarea>
    </dd>
  </dl>
</form>

Form group validation

Convey errors and warnings for form groups. Add the appropriate class—either .errored or .warn—to the <dl class="form-group"> to start. Then, house your error messaging in an additional <dd> with either .error or .warning.

<form class="pb-2">
  <dl class="form-group errored">
    <dt><label for="example-text-errored">Example Text</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <input
        class="form-control"
        type="text"
        value="Example Value"
        id="example-text-errored"
        aria-describedby="form-error-text"
      />
    </dd>
    <dd class="error" id="form-error-text">This example input has an error.</dd>
  </dl>
  <br />
  <dl class="form-group warn">
    <dt><label for="example-text-warn">Example Text</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <input
        class="form-control"
        type="text"
        value="Example Value"
        id="example-text-warn"
        aria-describedby="form-warning-text"
      />
    </dd>
    <dd class="warning" id="form-warning-text">This example input has a warning.</dd>
  </dl>
</form>

<form class="pb-2">
  <dl class="form-group errored">
    <dt><label for="example-text-errored">Example Text</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <input
        class="form-control"
        type="text"
        value="Example Value"
        id="example-text-errored"
        aria-describedby="form-error-text"
      />
    </dd>
    <dd class="error" id="form-error-text">This example input has an error.</dd>
  </dl>
  <br />
  <dl class="form-group warn">
    <dt><label for="example-text-warn">Example Text</label></dt>
    <dd>
      <input
        class="form-control"
        type="text"
        value="Example Value"
        id="example-text-warn"
        aria-describedby="form-warning-text"
      />
    </dd>
    <dd class="warning" id="form-warning-text">This example input has a warning.</dd>
  </dl>
</form>

Checkboxes and radios

Utilities to spice up the alignment and styling of checkbox and radio controls.

<form>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox" checked="checked" aria-describedby="help-text-for-checkbox" />
      Available for hire
    </label>
    <p class="note" id="help-text-for-checkbox">
      This will do insanely <strong>awesome</strong> and <strong>amazing</strong> things!
    </p>
  </div>
</form>

<form>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox" checked="checked" aria-describedby="help-text-for-checkbox" />
      Available for hire
    </label>
    <p class="note" id="help-text-for-checkbox">
      This will do insanely <strong>awesome</strong> and <strong>amazing</strong> things!
    </p>
  </div>
</form>

You may also add emphasis to the label:

<form>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox" checked="checked" />
      <em class="highlight">Available for hire</em>
    </label>
  </div>
</form>

<form>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox" checked="checked" />
      <em class="highlight">Available for hire</em>
    </label>
  </div>
</form>

Show / hide content based on a checkbox or radio button state

Content that is hidden by default should only be done so if it is non-essential for the context of the surrounding content. Be sure to use the aria-live="polite" attribute on the parent label for added content to be announced when displayed.

<form>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="radio" name="hireme" />
      Not available for hire
    </label>
  </div>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label aria-live="polite">
      <input type="radio" class="form-checkbox-details-trigger" name="hireme" />
      Available for hire
      <span class="form-checkbox-details text-normal">
        <span class="d-block mb-1">Available hours per week</span>
        <input type="text" name="" class="form-control input-contrast" size="3" />
        <span class="text-small text-gray pl-2">hours per week</span>
      </span>
    </label>
  </div>
</form>

<form>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label>
      <input type="radio" name="hireme" />
      Not available for hire
    </label>
  </div>
  <div class="form-checkbox">
    <label aria-live="polite">
      <input type="radio" class="form-checkbox-details-trigger" name="hireme" />
      Available for hire
      <span class="form-checkbox-details text-normal">
        <span class="d-block mb-1">Available hours per week</span>
        <input type="text" name="" class="form-control input-contrast" size="3" />
        <span class="text-small text-gray pl-2">hours per week</span>
      </span>
    </label>
  </div>
</form>

Input group

Attached an input and button to one another.

<form>
  <div class="input-group">
    <input class="form-control" type="text" placeholder="Username" aria-label="Username">
    <span class="input-group-button">
      <button class="btn" type="button" aria-label="Copy to clipboard">
        <%= octicon "clippy" %>
      </button>
    </span>
  </div>
</form>

Form actions

Align buttons to the right—via float: right on the buttons—in forms with .form-actions. The floats are automatically cleared for you.

<div class="form-actions">
  <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Save changes</button>
  <button type="button" class="btn">Cancel</button>
</div>

<div class="form-actions">
  <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Save changes</button>
  <button type="button" class="btn">Cancel</button>
</div>

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Last edited by simurai on August 21, 2019