Dropdown vs Radio vs Checkbox: Choosing the Right Form Input (2025)
Learn how to select the most appropriate input types for your web forms. Get guidance on when to use text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, and other form controls.
When to use Different Types of Text Fields?
Loading diagram...
| Feature | Standard Text Field (<input type="text">) | Email Field (<input type="email">) | Password Field (<input type="password">) | Search Field (<input type="search">) | Telephone Field (<input type="tel">) | Number Field (<input type="number">) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use Case | General text input | Email addresses | Password entry | Search queries | Phone numbers | Numeric inputs |
| Supports Auto-Validation? | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (valid email format) | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (only numeric input allowed) |
| Supports Autofill? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Masking Support? | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (hides input characters) | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Allows Non-Standard Input? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (only valid email formats) | ✅ Yes (hidden input) | ✅ Yes (optimized for search) | ✅ Yes (any phone number format) | ❌ No (only numbers allowed) |
| Special Keyboard on Mobile? | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (@ and .com on keyboards) | ✅ Yes (secure keyboard) | ✅ Yes (optimized for searches) | ✅ Yes (numeric keyboard) | ✅ Yes (numeric keyboard) |
| Supports Pattern Matching? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Best For | General-purpose text input | Emails | Secure password entry | Search bars | Phone number input | Numeric-only input |
How is this guide?
Text vs Number vs Email Input: When to Use Each HTML5 Type (2025)
Select the most appropriate HTML input type based on your data collection needs and user experience requirements
Pagination vs Infinite Scroll: When to Use Each Pattern (2025)
Choose the right content loading pattern based on your user needs and content type