textarea tag
The textarea tag, which, when implemented in the code, is written like this - <textarea>, is an HTML tag that belongs to forms and input tags. Form and Input HTML tags are used to create interactive website elements, hence the name of the category. It includes object such as HTML drop-downs, buttons etc.
<textarea> defines a multi-line text input control. A text area can hold an unlimited number of characters, and the text renders in a fixed-width font (usually Courier). This tag is supported in the current version of HTML, which is HTML5.
Browser support
Here you can see whether <textarea> is supported by a certain browser, and, if yes, starting from which version it is supported.
| Chrome | Firefox | Edge | Opera | Safari |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is supported | Is supported | Is supported | Is supported | Is supported |
Attributes and values
An attribute is a piece of additional information about a tag. While tags denote the type of objects they mark or create, attributes set the parameters of these objects. These parameters can include anything from the types of possible interactions to its visual style to its actual contents.
Values indicate how a certain attribute is actually implemented, if there is a number of ways it can happen.
What attributes are actually allowed in a certain tag depends on the tag itself. Much like possible attributes depend on a tag, possible values depend on an attribute.
The <textarea> tag supports the following attributes (with their respective values):
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| autofocus | autofocus | Specifies that a text area should automatically get focus when the page loads |
| cols | number | Specifies the visible width of a text area |
| dirname | textareaname.dir | Specifies that the text direction of the textarea will be submitted |
| disabled | disabled | Specifies that a text area should be disabled |
| form | form_id | Specifies one or more forms the text area belongs to |
| maxlength | number | Specifies the maximum number of characters allowed in the text area |
| name | text | Specifies a name for a text area |
| placeholder | text | Specifies a short hint that describes the expected value of a text area |
| readonly | readonly | Specifies that a text area should be read-only |
| required | required | Specifies that a text area is required/must be filled out |
| number | number | Specifies the visible number of lines in a text area |
|
| Specifies how the text in a text area is to be wrapped when submitted in a form |
Global Attributes
Global attributes are HTML tag attributes that can be used by any tag, hence the name "global". They are in contrast to unique attributes that are tag-specific.
<textarea> supports global attributes.
Event Attributes
Event attributes are HTML tag attributes that allow triggering actions upon specific conditions, hence the name "event". Other types of attributes, namely global and unique attributes, can also trigger actions, but the difference is that even attributes allow calling scripts, such as JavaScript functions, while most other attributes only support a certain type of action.
<textarea> supports event attributes.