HTML5 Digital Classroom

Lesson 7: Creating HTML5 Forms

In this lesson, you will learn how use the new HTML5 form elements in a way that is consistent and compatible with current web browsers.

What you’ll learn in this lesson:

• • Backwards compatibility for HTML5 forms
• • An overview of the new form elements in HTML5
• • How to create a form using the new elements

Starting up

You will work with several files from the HTML5_07lessons folder in this lesson. Make sure you have loaded the HTML5lessons folder onto your hard drive from www.digitalclassroombooks.com/HTML5. See “Loading lesson files” in the Starting Up section of this book.

To accurately preview the HTML5 content you will create in this lesson, you need a browser that supports the relevant HTML5 form features. See “Using web browsers that support HTML5 tags” in the Starting Up section of this book to determine whether you are using such a browser, or for instructions on downloading one.

The need for updated forms

Forms are one of the oldest and most familiar examples of interactivity on the Web. The FORM element was introduced to HTML in 1993, and the associated controls, such as check boxes, radio buttons, and the submit button, are a familiar part of the web user’s environment. The functionality of forms has remained largely unchanged for many years. For this reason, the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) began working ...