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6 Ideas To Help You Build A Responsive Form With Tailwind CSS Like A Pro

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Responsive Form

As a FrontEnd technology blogger, you must know that creating a responsive form is one of the most important tasks for web developers. In this article, we will explore how to build a responsive form with Tailwind CSS, a popular utility-first CSS framework. We will cover the following topics:

  • What is Tailwind CSS?
  • The description of Responsive Form UI component
  • Why use Tailwind CSS to create a Responsive Form UI component?
  • The preview of Responsive Form UI component
  • The source code of Responsive Form UI component
  • How to create a Responsive Form with Tailwind CSS?
  • Conclusion

What is Tailwind CSS?

Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that provides a set of pre-defined CSS classes to help developers build responsive and customizable user interfaces quickly. It offers a low-level utility-first approach that allows developers to compose their styles using small, single-purpose classes rather than large, complex CSS files.

The description of Responsive Form UI component

A responsive form is a user interface component that adjusts its layout and design based on the device's screen size and orientation. It is an essential component for any web application that requires user input, such as sign-up forms, contact forms, and login forms.

Why use Tailwind CSS to create a Responsive Form UI component?

Tailwind CSS provides a set of pre-defined CSS classes that can help developers build responsive forms quickly. It also offers a low-level utility-first approach that allows developers to customize the form's layout and design easily. Here are some reasons why you should use Tailwind CSS to create a responsive form:

  • Tailwind CSS provides a set of pre-defined classes for common form elements such as input fields, labels, and buttons.
  • Tailwind CSS allows developers to customize the form's layout and design using responsive design utilities such as flexbox and grid.
  • Tailwind CSS provides a set of pre-defined color and typography classes that can help developers create a consistent and visually appealing form.

The preview of Responsive Form UI component

To give you an idea of what a responsive form built with Tailwind CSS looks like, here is a preview:

Free download of the Responsive Form's source code

The source code of Responsive Form UI component

To help you get started with building a responsive form with Tailwind CSS, here is an example of the HTML and CSS code:

<div class="min-h-screen p-6 bg-gray-100 flex items-center justify-center">
  <div class="container max-w-screen-lg mx-auto">
    <div>
      <h2 class="font-semibold text-xl text-gray-600">Responsive Form</h2>
      <p class="text-gray-500 mb-6">Form is mobile responsive. Give it a try.</p>

      <div class="bg-white rounded shadow-lg p-4 px-4 md:p-8 mb-6">
        <div class="grid gap-4 gap-y-2 text-sm grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3">
          <div class="text-gray-600">
            <p class="font-medium text-lg">Personal Details</p>
            <p>Please fill out all the fields.</p>
          </div>

          <div class="lg:col-span-2">
            <div class="grid gap-4 gap-y-2 text-sm grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-5">
              <div class="md:col-span-5">
                <label for="full_name">Full Name</label>
                <input type="text" name="full_name" id="full_name" class="h-10 border mt-1 rounded px-4 w-full bg-gray-50" value="" />
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-5">
                <label for="email">Email Address</label>
                <input type="text" name="email" id="email" class="h-10 border mt-1 rounded px-4 w-full bg-gray-50" value="" placeholder="[email protected]" />
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-3">
                <label for="address">Address / Street</label>
                <input type="text" name="address" id="address" class="h-10 border mt-1 rounded px-4 w-full bg-gray-50" value="" placeholder="" />
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-2">
                <label for="city">City</label>
                <input type="text" name="city" id="city" class="h-10 border mt-1 rounded px-4 w-full bg-gray-50" value="" placeholder="" />
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-2">
                <label for="country">Country / region</label>
                <div class="h-10 bg-gray-50 flex border border-gray-200 rounded items-center mt-1">
                  <input name="country" id="country" placeholder="Country" class="px-4 appearance-none outline-none text-gray-800 w-full bg-transparent" value="" />
                  <button tabindex="-1" class="cursor-pointer outline-none focus:outline-none transition-all text-gray-300 hover:text-red-600">
                    <svg class="w-4 h-4 mx-2 fill-current" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
                      <line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"></line>
                      <line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"></line>
                    </svg>
                  </button>
                  <button tabindex="-1" for="show_more" class="cursor-pointer outline-none focus:outline-none border-l border-gray-200 transition-all text-gray-300 hover:text-blue-600">
                    <svg class="w-4 h-4 mx-2 fill-current" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><polyline points="18 15 12 9 6 15"></polyline></svg>
                  </button>
                </div>
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-2">
                <label for="state">State / province</label>
                <div class="h-10 bg-gray-50 flex border border-gray-200 rounded items-center mt-1">
                  <input name="state" id="state" placeholder="State" class="px-4 appearance-none outline-none text-gray-800 w-full bg-transparent" value="" />
                  <button tabindex="-1" class="cursor-pointer outline-none focus:outline-none transition-all text-gray-300 hover:text-red-600">
                    <svg class="w-4 h-4 mx-2 fill-current" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
                      <line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"></line>
                      <line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"></line>
                    </svg>
                  </button>
                  <button tabindex="-1" for="show_more" class="cursor-pointer outline-none focus:outline-none border-l border-gray-200 transition-all text-gray-300 hover:text-blue-600">
                    <svg class="w-4 h-4 mx-2 fill-current" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"><polyline points="18 15 12 9 6 15"></polyline></svg>
                  </button>
                </div>
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-1">
                <label for="zipcode">Zipcode</label>
                <input type="text" name="zipcode" id="zipcode" class="transition-all flex items-center h-10 border mt-1 rounded px-4 w-full bg-gray-50" placeholder="" value="" />
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-5">
                <div class="inline-flex items-center">
                  <input type="checkbox" name="billing_same" id="billing_same" class="form-checkbox" />
                  <label for="billing_same" class="ml-2">My billing address is different than above.</label>
                </div>
              </div>

              <div class="md:col-span-2">
                <label for="soda">How many soda pops?</label>
                <div class="h-10 w-28 bg-gray-50 flex border border-gray-200 rounded items-center mt-1">
                  <button tabindex="-1" for="show_more" class="cursor-pointer outline-none focus:outline-none border-r border-gray-200 transition-all text-gray-500 hover:text-blue-600">
                    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="h-4 w-4 mx-2" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor">
                      <path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M5.293 7.293a1 1 0 011.414 0L10 10.586l3.293-3.293a1 1 0 111.414 1.414l-4 4a1 1 0 01-1.414 0l-4-4a1 1 0 010-1.414z" clip-rule="evenodd" />
                    </svg>
                  </button>
                  <input name="soda" id="soda" placeholder="0" class="px-2 text-center appearance-none outline-none text-gray-800 w-full bg-transparent" value="0" />
                  <button tabindex="-1" for="show_more" class="cursor-pointer outline-none focus:outline-none border-l border-gray-200 transition-all text-gray-500 hover:text-blue-600">
                    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="h-4 w-4 mx-2 fill-current" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor">
                      <path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M14.707 12.707a1 1 0 01-1.414 0L10 9.414l-3.293 3.293a1 1 0 01-1.414-1.414l4-4a1 1 0 011.414 0l4 4a1 1 0 010 1.414z" clip-rule="evenodd" />
                    </svg>
                  </button>
                </div>
              </div>
      
              <div class="md:col-span-5 text-right">
                <div class="inline-flex items-end">
                  <button class="bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-700 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded">Submit</button>
                </div>
              </div>

            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>

    <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dgauderman" target="_blank" class="md:absolute bottom-0 right-0 p-4 float-right">
      <img src="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/assets/img/guidelines/logo-mark-3.svg" alt="Buy Me A Coffee" class="transition-all rounded-full w-14 -rotate-45 hover:shadow-sm shadow-lg ring hover:ring-4 ring-white">
    </a>
  </div>
</div>

How to create a Responsive Form with Tailwind CSS?

Now that you have an idea of what a responsive form built with Tailwind CSS looks like, let's dive into how to create one. Here are six ideas to help you build a responsive form with Tailwind CSS like a pro:

Idea #1: Use Flexbox for Form Layout

Flexbox is a powerful CSS layout module that allows developers to create flexible and responsive layouts. To use Flexbox for form layout, you can wrap the form elements in a container element and apply the flex and flex-wrap utilities to the container. Here is an example:

<div class="flex flex-wrap">
  <label for="name" class="w-full md:w-1/3">Name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="name" class="w-full md:w-2/3">
</div>

In this example, we wrap the label and input elements in a div container and apply the flex and flex-wrap utilities to it. We also use the w-full utility to make the input element take up the full width of the container on small screens and the w-1/3 and w-2/3 utilities to make the label and input elements take up one-third and two-thirds of the container on medium screens and above.

Idea #2: Use Grid for Form Layout

Grid is another powerful CSS layout module that allows developers to create complex and responsive layouts. To use Grid for form layout, you can define a grid container and its columns and rows using the grid-template-columns and grid-template-rows properties. Here is an example:

<div class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 gap-4">
  <label for="name">Name:</label>
  <input type="text" id="name">
  <label for="email">Email:</label>
  <input type="email" id="email">
</div>

In this example, we define a grid container with one column on small screens and two columns on medium screens and above using the grid-cols-1 and grid-cols-2 utilities. We also use the gap-4 utility to add a four-pixel gap between the grid items.

Idea #3: Use Form Validation Utilities

Tailwind CSS provides a set of pre-defined utilities for form validation, such as valid, invalid, required, and optional. You can use these utilities to style the form elements based on their validation state. Here is an example:

<div class="relative">
  <label for="email" class="block font-medium text-gray-700">Email address:</label>
  <input type="email" id="email" class="form-input mt-1 block w-full" required>
  <div class="absolute inset-y-0 right-0 pr-3 flex items-center pointer-events-none">
    <svg class="h-5 w-5 text-gray-400" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor">
      <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M5 13l4 4L19 7"></path>
    </svg>
  </div>
</div>

In this example, we use the required utility to mark the email input field as required, and we use the valid and invalid utilities to style the input field based on its validation state. We also use the absolute and inset-y-0 utilities to position the validation icon on the right side of the input field.

Idea #4: Use Form Feedback Utilities

Tailwind CSS provides a set of pre-defined utilities for form feedback, such as success, warning, and error. You can use these utilities to provide feedback to the user based on their input. Here is an example:

<div class="relative">
  <label for="password" class="block font-medium text-gray-700">Password:</label>
  <input type="password" id="password" class="form-input mt-1 block w-full" required>
  <div class="absolute inset-y-0 right-0 pr-3 flex items-center">
    <svg class="h-5 w-5 text-gray-400" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor">
      <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M5 13l4 4L19 7"></path>
    </svg>
  </div>
  <p class="mt-2 text-sm text-red-600">Your password must be at least 8 characters long.</p>
</div>

In this example, we use the required utility to mark the password input field as required, and we use the success, warning, and error utilities to provide feedback to the user based on their input. We also use the absolute and inset-y-0 utilities to position the feedback icon on the right side of the input field.

Idea #5: Use Custom Styles for Form Elements

Tailwind CSS allows developers to customize the form elements' styles using custom CSS classes. You can define your custom styles for form elements and apply them using the class attribute. Here is an example:

<div class="relative">
  <label for="message" class="block font-medium text-gray-700">Message:</label>
  <textarea id="message" class="form-textarea mt-1 block w-full custom-textarea" rows="3"></textarea>
</div>

In this example, we define a custom CSS class called custom-textarea that adds a border and padding to the textarea element. We apply this class to the textarea element using the class attribute.

Idea #6: Use Responsive Design Utilities

Tailwind CSS provides a set of responsive design utilities that allow developers to create responsive forms that adjust their layout and design based on the device's screen size and orientation. You can use these utilities to create forms that look great on all devices. Here is an example:

<div class="flex flex-wrap">
  <label for="phone" class="w-full md:w-1/3">Phone:</label>
  <input type="tel" id="phone" class="w-full md:w-2/3">
  <label for="address" class="w-full md:w-1/3">Address:</label>
  <input type="text" id="address" class="w-full md:w-2/3">
</div>

In this example, we use the w-full and w-1/3 and w-2/3 utilities to adjust the label and input elements' width based on the device's screen size and orientation. On small screens, the input elements take up the full width of the container, while on medium screens and above, the label and input elements take up one-third and two-thirds of the container, respectively.

Conclusion

Creating a responsive form is an essential task for web developers, and Tailwind CSS can help you build one quickly and easily. By using the six ideas we have covered in this article, you can create a responsive form with Tailwind CSS like a pro. Remember to experiment with different layouts, styles, and responsive design utilities to create a form that meets your users' needs.