Customizing Text Box in CSS for Better User Experience

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Posted Oct 29, 2024

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Text on Computer Monitor
Credit: pexels.com, Text on Computer Monitor

Customizing a text box in CSS can make a huge difference in the user experience. A well-designed text box can guide the user's attention and make it easier for them to input information.

To achieve this, you can use the `border-radius` property to give your text box a rounded corner. This can be seen in the example where the `border-radius` property is set to `10px` to create a smooth and visually appealing text box.

By using a combination of CSS properties, you can customize the appearance of your text box to fit your design needs. For example, you can use the `background-color` property to change the color of the text box.

A good design practice is to use a consistent color scheme throughout your form to create a cohesive look and feel. This can be achieved by setting the `background-color` property to a color that matches your brand's color scheme.

Selectors

Selectors are a crucial part of CSS, allowing you to target specific elements on a web page. We'll be discussing the different types of selectors used to select text input fields.

Credit: youtube.com, CSS Selectors

There are four main approaches to select text input fields using CSS selectors: type, id, class, and attribute selectors. This includes selecting all input fields with input type text, selecting specific text input fields using their id, selecting text input fields using a class, and selecting text input fields based on their attributes.

Here are the specific selectors we'll be covering:

  • input[type="text"]
  • id Selector
  • .txt
  • attribute Selector

These selectors can be used to apply styles to text input fields, such as increasing the font-size, adding a border, applying padding, and setting a bottom margin using margin-bottom property.

Selectors

Selectors are a fundamental part of CSS, and they allow you to target specific elements on a webpage.

There are several types of selectors, including type selectors, id selectors, class selectors, and attribute selectors.

A type selector is used to select all input fields with a specific type, such as text or password. You can use the "input[type="text"]" selector to select all input fields with input type text.

Credit: youtube.com, CSS Tutorial — Selectors, Element, Class and ID (3/13)

A class selector is used to select all elements with a specific class, such as ".txt". This selector selects all input fields with the class "txt" and leaves out password type input fields.

An id selector is used to select all elements with a specific id, such as "#txt1" or "#txt2". This selector selects all input fields with the id "txt1" or "txt2" and leaves out password type input fields.

An attribute selector is used to select all elements with a specific attribute, such as "input[name="usrname"]". This selector selects the input field with the name attribute value as "usrname" and leaves out password type input fields.

Here is a summary of the selectors mentioned:

Each selector has its own unique use cases and benefits, and choosing the right selector depends on the specific needs of your project.

ReadOnly Style

The readonly attribute is a powerful tool that prevents additional user input, although the value can be selected and is still discoverable by assistive tech.

Credit: youtube.com, :read-write / :read-only Pseudo Selectors In CSS Explained !

Attribute selectors are a handy method with wide application, and you can use them to target specific elements with CSS.

You can use attribute selectors to target elements with a specific attribute, like the readonly attribute.

The readonly attribute is often used on input fields, and you can style these fields to give a hint that they're placeholders for previously entered values.

To style readonly input fields, you can target any .input element that also has the [readonly] attribute.

Assigning a dotted border, the not-allowed cursor, and a medium-grey text color can help differentiate readonly input fields from editable ones.

As seen in the article, the user cannot interact with the field except to highlight or copy the value.

Border and Gradient Styles

A gradient border on an input field can be achieved with just CSS, as seen in Example 1.

This style feathers out when the input field is focused, giving it a smooth and modern look.

Credit: youtube.com, Learn CSS Border Animations in 6 Minutes

Input fields can have a gradient background, like in Example 2, where two linear gradients are used to create a dynamic effect.

The linear gradients are set to move from left to right using the keyframes animation, adding a sense of movement to the design.

The input field also has a border radius, which helps to soften its corners and make it more visually appealing.

The form is responsive, with a maximum width of 20em, ensuring that it looks great on any device.

The label for the input field is styled to be uppercase and has a cursor pointer, making it clear that it's clickable.

The background animation in Example 2 is a combination of two linear gradients and an SVG image, creating a unique and eye-catching effect.

This style is perfect for form input designs that need a bit of flair and personality.

3D and Material Design

3D and Material Design is where things get really cool. A 3D textbox form input box uses transform: rotate for the sides and overall rotation.

Credit: youtube.com, Material Design Based Text Field | HTML & CSS only

You can achieve a super easy and fully scalable Material Design form input by changing one variable to change the size of everything. This design is inspired by Google's Material Design guidelines for text fields.

A creative CSS input style can be achieved with a single input form that reveals text upon hovering over it. This effect has a smooth and professional feel, making it ideal for polishing a project without sacrificing flair and creativity.

Single Form: 3D

The Single Form: 3D design is a standout feature that will elevate your project's polish and creativity. It uses a creative CSS input style that reveals text upon user hover.

This effect has a smooth and professional feel, making it ideal for projects that need a touch of flair without sacrificing functionality.

The Single Form: 3D design is achieved through the use of transform: rotate for the overall rotation, giving it a 3D appearance.

It's a great way to add visual interest to your forms without overwhelming the user, and it's surprisingly easy to implement.

Material Design

Web Text
Credit: pexels.com, Web Text

Material Design is all about creating visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces. The Material Design guidelines for text fields, as seen in Google's designs, are a great starting point.

Form labels can be made to appear after input text only using CSS. This is a simple yet effective way to improve the user experience.

Material Design form inputs can be created with ease, and they're fully scalable too. By changing one variable, you can adjust the size of everything in the form.

Google Material Design Input Boxes can be recreated using CSS, as shown in a CSS experiment. This shows just how versatile and adaptable Material Design can be.

Material Design form inputs can be validated using a combination of HTML and CSS. The :required and :valid selectors can be used to highlight errors and correct input.

Focused and Disabled States

Focused and disabled states are crucial for user interaction and accessibility.

To indicate that a field is disabled, we can use an attribute selector to update the style. This applies to both text inputs and textareas, as long as they have the .input class.

We'll use CSS variables to change the border color to a muted grey and the field background to a very light grey. This helps users understand that the field is not interactive.

Focused Animation

Credit: youtube.com, Input Field with Animation Effect | UI Design | HTML CSS | Animation on Focus of Input

Focused Animation is a simple yet effective way to add interactivity to a basic input field.

The CSS Input Focused Animation is a sleek and modern design that animates the padding when the input field is focused, giving the illusion of the field expanding.

This design is clean and modern, making it a great addition to any website or application, but it's not limited to just input fields.

Disabled Style

Disabled fields can be tricky to style, but we can use attribute selectors to update their style. We'll apply it to the .input class to cover textareas as well as other input types.

For disabled fields, we'll use a muted grey border color and a very light grey background. This is in line with user expectations, even though disabled fields don't need to meet the 3:1 contrast threshold for user interface elements.

To make it clear that the field is not interactive, we'll also apply the not-allowed cursor. This is just a hint, but it can be helpful for users.

As an accessibility note, disabled fields are not discoverable by assistive tech since they're not focusable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is box layout in CSS?

The CSS box model is a container that holds content, padding, borders, and margins, forming the foundation of web page design and layout. Understanding the box model is key to creating visually appealing and functional web pages.

Ann Predovic

Lead Writer

Ann Predovic is a seasoned writer with a passion for crafting informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for research, she has established herself as a go-to expert in various fields, including technology and software. Her writing career has taken her down a path of exploring complex topics, making them accessible to a broad audience.

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