When To Use 'submit' & 'click' Events
Tags: webdev, javascript, programming, community
Published: 2023-10-18 18:21:01


JavaScript is the backbone of modern web development, offering many tools and events to create interactive and responsive web applications. Two fundamental events in JavaScript are 'submit' and 'click,' each serving distinct purposes. Understanding when and how to use these events effectively is essential for building robust and user-friendly web applications as a software engineer. This blog post will explore the significance of 'submit' and 'click' events and provide insights into when to use them in your JavaScript code.

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**_<u>Submit Event:</u>_**
The 'submit' event is connected to HTML forms. When a user initiates a form submission, typically by clicking the "Submit" button or pressing the Enter key while an input field is in focus. The primary purpose of the 'submit' event is to capture form data, enabling actions such as data validation and data transmission to a server.

**_<u>Click Event:</u>_**
Conversely, the 'click' event is wider than forms. The user can apply it to any clickable HTML element, including buttons, links, images, etc. The ' click ' event occurs whenever a user clicks on such an element. It is versatile and serves various interactive purposes, such as toggling content visibility, navigating between pages, and triggering animations.

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**_<u>When to Use the 'Submit' Event:</u>_**
As a software engineer, understanding when to use the 'submit' event is critical for handling form submissions and data manipulation. Here are some scenarios where the 'submit' event shines:

**_Form Submissions:_**
The most common and fundamental use case for the 'submit' event is handling form submissions. When you need to capture and process data entered by users, this is the event you should employ. It encompasses tasks like validating user input, managing login or registration processes, and updating user profiles.

**_Preventing Default Behavior:_**
In numerous scenarios, you'll want to prevent the default form submission behavior to handle data asynchronously. In conjunction with JavaScript, the 'submit' event is your ally here by invoking the event.preventDefault() method, you can halt the default form submission, enabling you to conduct custom actions and validation before the form is submitted.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/f22zrgp32ag3irbpzsoe.png)

_**Form Reset:**_
The 'submit' event also allows users to reset a form and clear input fields. You can achieve this by adding a button with a 'reset' type. When clicked, it triggers the 'submit' event associated with the form, effectively resetting all input fields.

_**Form Data Manipulation:**_
The 'submit' event is invaluable when manipulating form data before submission. For example, you might want to append additional information or format the data differently before sending it to the server. It can be beneficial in scenarios where data needs to be transformed or enriched for backend processing.

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_**<u>When to Use the 'Click' Event:</u>**_
On the other hand, the 'click' event offers a wide range of applications and is particularly useful for software engineers looking to create interactive and user-friendly web applications. Here are some scenarios where the 'click' event is essential:

_**Button Clicks:**_
The 'click' event is the perfect choice for handling button clicks. Whether it's a "Submit" button on a form, a "Like" button on a social media platform, or a "Read More" button to expand text content, the 'click' event allows you to define the actions that occur when users interact with these elements.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5b9d30qk2eum3a70xwbh.png)

_**Image Sliders:**_
The 'click' event is commonly used in image sliders. You can use it to navigate different slides, showing the next or previous image when users click arrow buttons or indicators. It is crucial for creating visually appealing and interactive components in web applications.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/gl38iq0podtny4xfwnow.png)

_**Show/Hide Elements:**_
The' click' event is your go-to choice if you want to create interactive elements or show or hide content. You can use it to toggle the visibility of a dropdown menu, offer additional information, or display a modal dialog. It is handy for enhancing the user experience by providing dynamic and user-friendly features.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/kgzfog6chnvs59hsnsd0.png)