Difference between text type and hidden type in context of adding custom Google Search form on a website

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June 27, 2024 at 3:20 am #2783
Splendid Digital Solutions
Keymaster
[dm_code_snippet background=”yes” background-mobile=”yes” slim=”no” line-numbers=”no” bg-color=”#abb8c3″ theme=”dark” language=”markup” wrapped=”no” height=”” copy-text=”Copy Code” copy-confirmed=”Copied”]
```
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en>
   <head>
        <title> "Google Search" </title>
        <link rel="stylessheet" href="styles.css"

   </head>
   <body>
         <form action="https://google.com/search">
         <input name="q" type="text" />
         <input type="submit" value="Google Search" />
         </form>
    </body>
</html>
```
[/dm_code_snippet]

"Google Search"

Instead of type=”text”, I believe type=”hidden” should be more relevant for input name=”q”.

ChatGPT:

Yes, you are correct that using type="hidden" for the <input type="text" /> field with name="q" would change its behavior. Here’s how it would affect the form:

Understanding type="hidden"

When you use type="hidden" for an <input type="text" /> field, it means that:
- Visibility: The input field is hidden from the user interface. Users cannot see or interact with it directly on the webpage.
- Data Submission: The input field’s value is still submitted along with the form data when the form is submitted.
Applicability to Google Search Form

In the context of your Google search form:
- type="hidden": Changing type to "hidden" for the q input field means that users won’t see the search query input box. Instead, you’d manually set the value of q to the search query you want to submit. For example, <input name="q" type="hidden" value="openai gpt-3 tutorial" />.
Usage: This approach is suitable if you want to programmatically set the search query without user interaction visible on the webpage. It’s often used when you want to predefine the search query based on some context or data dynamically.

Considerations

User Interaction: With type="hidden", users won’t be able to modify the search query directly in the form. The search query is set by you in the HTML code.
Dynamic Values: You can dynamically generate the value of q using server-side scripting or JavaScript, allowing you to customize the search query based on user actions or other criteria.

Conclusion

Using type="hidden" for the q input field in your Google search form is appropriate if you want to control the search query programmatically and hide the input from users. It’s a design choice that depends on how you intend users to interact with your search form and what level of control you want over the search query submitted.

Additional menu

Understanding type="hidden"

Applicability to Google Search Form

Considerations

Conclusion

Footer

Understanding `type="hidden"`