6 minutes read

Dynamic forms are an essential part of many web applications, allowing users to input and submit data in real-time. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how to create dynamic forms using Tailwind CSS, a utility-first CSS framework. We’ll cover everything from setting up the basic form structure to creating dynamic fields, and we’ll provide code examples to help you get started.

Step 1: Setting up the Basic Form Structure

The first step in creating a dynamic form with Tailwind CSS is to set up the basic form structure. This involves creating a HTML form element, adding input fields and labels, and styling the form with Tailwind CSS utility classes. Here’s an example of a basic form structure:

<form class="w-full max-w-sm">
  <div class="md:flex md:items-center mb-6">
    <div class="md:w-1/3">
      <label class="block text-gray-500 font-bold md:text-right mb-1 md:mb-0 pr-4" for="first_name">
        First Name
      </label>
    </div>
    <div class="md:w-2/3">
      <input class="bg-gray-200 appearance-none border-2 border-gray-200 rounded w-full py-2 px-4 text-gray-700 leading-tight focus:outline-none focus:bg-white focus:border-purple-500" id="first_name" type="text" placeholder="Jane">
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="md:flex md:items-center mb-6">
    <div class="md:w-1/3">
      <label class="block text-gray-500 font-bold md:text-right mb-1 md:mb-0 pr-4" for="last_name">
        Last Name
      </label>
    </div>
    <div class="md:w-2/3">
      <input class="bg-gray-200 appearance-none border-2 border-gray-200 rounded w-full py-2 px-4 text-gray-700 leading-tight focus:outline-none focus:bg-white focus:border-purple-500" id="last_name" type="text" placeholder="Doe">
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="md:flex md:items-center">
    <div class="md:w-1/3"></div>
    <div class="md:w-2/3">
      <button class="shadow bg-purple-500 hover:bg-purple-400 focus:shadow-outline focus:outline-none text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded" type="submit">
        Submit
      </button>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

In this example, we’re using Tailwind CSS utility classes to style the form, including classes for styling the input fields, labels, and submit button.

Step 2: Adding Dynamic Fields

Now that we’ve set up the basic form structure, it’s time to add dynamic fields. Dynamic fields allow users to add or remove form fields as needed, making it possible to collect any number of data points. To add dynamic fields to our form, we can use JavaScript to dynamically generate new fields and add them to the form. Here’s an example of how this could be done:

<form class="w-full max-w-sm" id="dynamic-form">
  <div class="md:flex md:items-center mb-6">
    <div class="md:w-1/3">
      <label class="block text-gray-500 font-bold md:text-right mb-1 md:mb-0 pr-4" for="first_name">
        First Name
      </label>
    </div>
    <div class="md:w-2/3">
      <input class="bg-gray-200 appearance-none border-2 border-gray-200 rounded w-full py-2 px-4 text-gray-700 leading-tight focus:outline-none focus:bg-white focus:border-purple-500" id="first_name" type="text" placeholder="Jane">
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="md:flex md:items-center mb-6">
    <div class="md:w-1/3">
      <label class="block text-gray-500 font-bold md:text-right mb-1 md:mb-0 pr-4" for="last_name">
        Last Name
      </label>
    </div>
    <div class="md:w-2/3">
      <input class="bg-gray-200 appearance-none border-2 border-gray-200 rounded w-full py-2 px-4 text-gray-700 leading-tight focus:outline-none focus:bg-white focus:border-purple-500" id="last_name" type="text" placeholder="Doe">
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="dynamic-fields"></div>

  <div class="md:flex md:items-center">
    <div class="md:w-1/3"></div>
    <div class="md:w-2/3">
      <button class="shadow bg-purple-500 hover:bg-purple-400 focus:shadow-outline focus:outline-none text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded" type="button" onclick="addField()">
        Add Field
      </button>
      <button class="shadow bg-purple-500 hover:bg-purple-400 focus:shadow-outline focus:outline-none text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded ml-4" type="submit">
        Submit
      </button>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

<script>
  function addField() {
    const form = document.getElementById('dynamic-form');
    const dynamicFields = form.querySelector('.dynamic-fields');
    const field = document.createElement('div');
    field.classList.add('md:flex', 'md:items-center', 'mb-6');

    const label = document.createElement('label');
    label.classList.add('block', 'text-gray-500', 'font-bold', 'md:text-right', 'mb-1', 'md:mb)

Here, we have created a form with two fields, first name and last name. We have added a button to dynamically add new fields, which when clicked, adds a new field to the form using JavaScript.

The new field consists of a label and an input element. The label and input element are both given the appropriate classes from Tailwind to style them correctly.

Note that we have used the md:flex class to create a responsive layout for the form. This class makes sure that the form elements are displayed correctly on different screen sizes, ensuring that your form looks great on any device.

We can use this method to dynamically generate as many fields as we need for our form, giving us complete control over its structure and layout.

Tailwind CSS provides a powerful and flexible toolkit for building beautiful and responsive forms. With its pre-defined classes and easy-to-use syntax, you can quickly create forms that look great and work seamlessly across different devices. Whether you’re starting from scratch or building on an existing form, Tailwind is a must-have tool for any front-end developer.