Bootstrap Validation - How to Validate Forms with Bootstrap 5
Bootstrap Validation
- Provide valuable, actionable feedback to your users with HTML5 form validation, via browser default behaviors or custom styles and JavaScript.
How it works
- HTML form validation is applied via CSS’s two pseudo-classes, :invalid and :valid. It applies to <input>, <select>, and <textarea> elements.
- Bootstrap scopes the :invalid and :valid styles to parent .was-validated class, usually applied to the <form>. Otherwise, any required field without a value shows up as invalid on page load. This way, you may choose when to activate them.
- To reset the appearance of the form (for instance, in the case of dynamic form submissions using AJAX), remove the .was-validated class from the <form> again after submission.
- Due to constraints in how CSS works, we cannot (at present) apply styles to a <label> that comes before a form control in the DOM without the help of custom JavaScript.
- You may provide custom validity messages with setCustomValidity in JavaScript.
Custom Styles
- Custom feedback styles apply custom colors, borders, focus styles, and background icons to better communicate feedback. Background icons for <select>s are only available with .form-select, and not .form-control.
Sample Code
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet" />
<link href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/assets/css/docs.css" rel="stylesheet" />
<title>Bootstrap Example</title>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body class="p-3 m-0 border-0 bd-example">
<form class="row g-3 needs-validation" novalidate="">
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationCustom01" class="form-label">First name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationCustom01" value="KaashivInfotech" required="" />
<div class="valid-feedback">Looks good!</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationCustom02" class="form-label">Last name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationCustom02" value="Wikitechy" required="" />
<div class="valid-feedback">Looks good!</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationCustomUsername" class="form-label">Username</label>
<div class="input-group has-validation">
<span class="input-group-text" id="inputGroupPrepend">@</span>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationCustomUsername" aria-describedby="inputGroupPrepend" required=""/>
<div class="invalid-feedback">Please choose a username.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-6">
<label for="validationCustom03" class="form-label">City</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationCustom03" required=""/>
<div class="invalid-feedback">Please provide a valid city.</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<label for="validationCustom04" class="form-label">State</label>
<select class="form-select" id="validationCustom04" required="">
<option selected="" disabled="" value="">Choose...</option>
<option>...</option>
</select>
<div class="invalid-feedback">Please select a valid state.</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<label for="validationCustom05" class="form-label">Zip</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationCustom05" required="" />
<div class="invalid-feedback">Please provide a valid zip.</div>
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<div class="form-check">
<input class="form-check-input" type="checkbox" value="" id="invalidCheck" required="" />
<label class="form-check-label" for="invalidCheck">
Agree to terms and conditions
</label>
<div class="invalid-feedback">You must agree before submitting.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<button class="btn btn-primary" type="submit">Submit form</button>
</div>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Output
Bootstrap Validation Browser Defaults
- Not interested in custom validation feedback messages or writing JavaScript to change form behaviors? All good, you can use the browser defaults. Try submitting the form below. Depending on your browser and OS, you’ll see a slightly different style of feedback.
- While these feedback styles cannot be styled with CSS, you can still customize the feedback text through JavaScript.
Sample Code
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/assets/css/docs.css" rel="stylesheet">
<title>Bootstrap Example</title>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body class="p-3 m-0 border-0 bd-example">
<form class="row g-3">
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationDefault01" class="form-label">First name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationDefault01" value="KaashivInfotech" required="">
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationDefault02" class="form-label">Last name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationDefault02" value="Wikitechy" required="">
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationDefaultUsername" class="form-label">Username</label>
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-text" id="inputGroupPrepend2">@</span>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationDefaultUsername" aria-describedby="inputGroupPrepend2" required="">
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-6">
<label for="validationDefault03" class="form-label">City</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationDefault03" required="">
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<label for="validationDefault04" class="form-label">State</label>
<select class="form-select" id="validationDefault04" required="">
<option selected="" disabled="" value="">Choose...</option>
<option>...</option>
</select>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<label for="validationDefault05" class="form-label">Zip</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationDefault05" required="">
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<div class="form-check">
<input class="form-check-input" type="checkbox" value="" id="invalidCheck2" required="">
<label class="form-check-label" for="invalidCheck2">
Agree to terms and conditions
</label>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<button class="btn btn-primary" type="submit">Submit form</button>
</div>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Output
Bootstrap Validation Server Side
- We recommend using client-side validation, but in case you require server-side validation, you can indicate invalid and valid form fields with .is-invalid and .is-valid. Note that .invalid-feedback is also supported with these classes.
- For invalid fields, ensure that the invalid feedback/error message is associated with the relevant form field using aria-describedby (noting that this attribute allows more than one id to be referenced, in case the field already points to additional form text).
- To fix issues with border radius, input groups require an additional .has-validation class.
Sample Code
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/assets/css/docs.css" rel="stylesheet">
<title>Bootstrap Example</title>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body class="p-3 m-0 border-0 bd-example">
<form class="row g-3">
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationServer01" class="form-label">First name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control is-valid" id="validationServer01" value="KaashivInfotech" required="">
<div class="valid-feedback">
Looks good!
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationServer02" class="form-label">Last name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control is-valid" id="validationServer02" value="Wikitechy" required="">
<div class="valid-feedback">
Looks good!
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<label for="validationServerUsername" class="form-label">Username</label>
<div class="input-group has-validation">
<span class="input-group-text" id="inputGroupPrepend3">@</span>
<input type="text" class="form-control is-invalid" id="validationServerUsername" aria-describedby="inputGroupPrepend3 validationServerUsernameFeedback" required="">
<div id="validationServerUsernameFeedback" class="invalid-feedback">
Please choose a username.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-6">
<label for="validationServer03" class="form-label">City</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control is-invalid" id="validationServer03" aria-describedby="validationServer03Feedback" required="">
<div id="validationServer03Feedback" class="invalid-feedback">
Please provide a valid city.
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<label for="validationServer04" class="form-label">State</label>
<select class="form-select is-invalid" id="validationServer04" aria-describedby="validationServer04Feedback" required="">
<option selected="" disabled="" value="">Choose...</option>
<option>...</option>
</select>
<div id="validationServer04Feedback" class="invalid-feedback">
Please select a valid state.
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<label for="validationServer05" class="form-label">Zip</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control is-invalid" id="validationServer05" aria-describedby="validationServer05Feedback" required="">
<div id="validationServer05Feedback" class="invalid-feedback">
Please provide a valid zip.
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<div class="form-check">
<input class="form-check-input is-invalid" type="checkbox" value="" id="invalidCheck3" aria-describedby="invalidCheck3Feedback" required="">
<label class="form-check-label" for="invalidCheck3">
Agree to terms and conditions
</label>
<div id="invalidCheck3Feedback" class="invalid-feedback">
You must agree before submitting.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<button class="btn btn-primary" type="submit">Submit form</button>
</div>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Output
Bootstrap Validation Supported elements
- Validation styles are available for the following form controls and components:
- <input>s and <textarea>s with .form-control (including up to one .form-control in input groups)
- <select>s with .form-select
- .form-checks
Sample Code
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/assets/css/docs.css" rel="stylesheet">
<title>Bootstrap Example</title>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body class="p-3 m-0 border-0 bd-example">
<form class="was-validated">
<div class="mb-3">
<label for="validationTextarea" class="form-label">Textarea</label>
<textarea class="form-control" id="validationTextarea" placeholder="Required example textarea" required=""></textarea>
<div class="invalid-feedback">
Please enter a message in the textarea.
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-check mb-3">
<input type="checkbox" class="form-check-input" id="validationFormCheck1" required="">
<label class="form-check-label" for="validationFormCheck1">Check this checkbox</label>
<div class="invalid-feedback">Example invalid feedback text</div>
</div>
<div class="form-check">
<input type="radio" class="form-check-input" id="validationFormCheck2" name="radio-stacked" required="">
<label class="form-check-label" for="validationFormCheck2">Toggle this radio</label>
</div>
<div class="form-check mb-3">
<input type="radio" class="form-check-input" id="validationFormCheck3" name="radio-stacked" required="">
<label class="form-check-label" for="validationFormCheck3">Or toggle this other radio</label>
<div class="invalid-feedback">More example invalid feedback text</div>
</div>
<div class="mb-3">
<select class="form-select" required="" aria-label="select example">
<option value="">Open this select menu</option>
<option value="1">One</option>
<option value="2">Two</option>
<option value="3">Three</option>
</select>
<div class="invalid-feedback">Example invalid select feedback</div>
</div>
<div class="mb-3">
<input type="file" class="form-control" aria-label="file example" required="">
<div class="invalid-feedback">Example invalid form file feedback</div>
</div>
<div class="mb-3">
<button class="btn btn-primary" type="submit" disabled="">Submit form</button>
</div>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Output
Bootstrap Validation Tooltips
- If your form layout allows it, you can swap the .{valid|invalid}-feedback classes for .{valid|invalid}-tooltip classes to display validation feedback in a styled tooltip. Be sure to have a parent with position: relative on it for tooltip positioning. In the example below, our column classes have this already, but your project may require an alternative setup.
Sample Code
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/assets/css/docs.css" rel="stylesheet">
<title>Bootstrap Example</title>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body class="p-3 m-0 border-0 bd-example">
<form class="row g-3 needs-validation" novalidate="">
<div class="col-md-4 position-relative">
<label for="validationTooltip01" class="form-label">First name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationTooltip01" value="KaashivInfotech" required="">
<div class="valid-tooltip">
Looks good!
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4 position-relative">
<label for="validationTooltip02" class="form-label">Last name</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationTooltip02" value="Wikitechy" required="">
<div class="valid-tooltip">
Looks good!
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4 position-relative">
<label for="validationTooltipUsername" class="form-label">Username</label>
<div class="input-group has-validation">
<span class="input-group-text" id="validationTooltipUsernamePrepend">@</span>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationTooltipUsername" aria-describedby="validationTooltipUsernamePrepend" required="">
<div class="invalid-tooltip">
Please choose a unique and valid username.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-6 position-relative">
<label for="validationTooltip03" class="form-label">City</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationTooltip03" required="">
<div class="invalid-tooltip">
Please provide a valid city.
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3 position-relative">
<label for="validationTooltip04" class="form-label">State</label>
<select class="form-select" id="validationTooltip04" required="">
<option selected="" disabled="" value="">Choose...</option>
<option>...</option>
</select>
<div class="invalid-tooltip">
Please select a valid state.
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3 position-relative">
<label for="validationTooltip05" class="form-label">Zip</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="validationTooltip05" required="">
<div class="invalid-tooltip">
Please provide a valid zip.
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-12">
<button class="btn btn-primary" type="submit">Submit form</button>
</div>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Output
