Figma
StorybookExamples
Single line field
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Multiline field
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Code
React
A TextField component renders an input field as well as supporting UI elements like a label, error message, and hint text.
See Storybook for React guidance of this component.
Style customization
The following CSS variables can be overridden to customize Input/Form components:
Form components
This component also makes use of form field styles, which can be customized by the following variables:
Guidance
When to use
- If you can’t reasonably predict a user’s answer to a prompt and there might be wide variability in users’ answers.
- When using another type of input will make answering more difficult. For example, birthdays and other known dates are easier to type in than they are to select from a calendar picker.
- When users want to paste in a response.
When to consider alternatives
- When users are choosing from a specific set of options. Consider checkboxes, radio buttons, or a dropdown in these cases.
Usage
- Don't use placeholder text in form fields. Use hint text instead, if you need to provide contextual information. Placeholder text disappears after a user types a value, therefore users will no longer have that text available when they need to review their entries. People who have cognitive or visual disabilities have additional problems with placeholder text.
- The length of the text field provides a hint to users as to how much text to write. Do not require users to write paragraphs of text into a single-line
inputbox; use atextareainstead. - Text fields are among the easiest type of input for desktop users but are more difficult for mobile users.
- Only show error messages or styling after a user has interacted with a particular field.
View the "Forms" guidelines for additional guidance and best practices.
Accessibility
- Group each set of thematically related controls in a
fieldsetelement. Use thelegendelement to offer a label within eachfieldset. Thefieldsetandlegendelements make it easier for screen reader users to navigate the form. - Keep your form blocks in a vertical pattern. This approach is ideal, from an accessibility standpoint, because of limited vision that makes it hard to scan from left to right.
Related patterns
Learn more
- Form Guidelines
- "Placeholders in Form Fields Are Harmful"
- Asking for a date of birth
- GOV.UK text boxes discussion
- Four steps for choosing form elements on the Web (PDF)
Component maturity
For more information about how we tested and validated our work for each checklist item, read our component maturity documentation.