JavaScript Form Validation

JavaScript can be used to validate data in HTML forms before sending off the content to a server.

Form data that typically are checked by a JavaScript could be:

• has the user left required fields empty?
• has the user entered a valid e-mail address?
• has the user entered a valid date?
• has the user entered text in a numeric field?

Required Fields

The function below checks if a field has been left empty. If the field is blank, an alert box alerts a message, the function returns false, and the form will not be submitted:

function validateForm()
{
var x=document.forms["myForm"]["fname"].value;
if (x==null || x=="")
  {
  alert("First name must be filled out");
  return false;
  }
}

The function above could be called when a form is submitted:

<form name="myForm" action="demo_form.asp" onsubmit="return validateForm()" method="post">
First name: <input type="text" name="fname">
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>