Problem Statement
What is the purpose of the name attribute in form inputs?
Explanation
The name attribute identifies the input data when the form is submitted to the server. When a form is submitted, the browser sends data as key-value pairs. The name attribute provides the key, and the user's input provides the value. For example, if you have input name equals username with value John, the server receives username equals John. Without a name attribute, the input's data will not be sent to the server at all, even if the user filled it in. This makes the name attribute essential for form functionality. The name is different from the id attribute. The id is for client-side purposes like label association and JavaScript access. The name is for server-side data processing. Multiple inputs can share the same name, which is useful for checkbox groups and radio buttons. Understanding the name attribute is fundamental to form data handling.
Code Solution
SolutionRead Only
<!-- Inputs with name attributes -->
<form action="/submit" method="POST">
<input type="text" name="username" placeholder="Username">
<input type="email" name="email" placeholder="Email">
<input type="password" name="password" placeholder="Password">
<button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>
<!-- Server receives: -->
<!-- username=john&email=john@example.com&password=secret123 -->
<!-- Multiple inputs same name (checkboxes) -->
<form>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="interests" value="coding">
Coding
</label>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="interests" value="design">
Design
</label>
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="interests" value="marketing">
Marketing
</label>
</form>
<!-- No name = data not sent -->
<form action="/submit" method="POST">
<input type="text" placeholder="This won't be submitted">
<input type="text" name="this_will" placeholder="This will be submitted">
<button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>