What Is a "label" Tag/Element?

A "label" element is an inline element that you can use to define a label for a form input field. Here are basic rules about a "label" element:

• "label" elements are inline elements.
• "label" elements can only be used as sub-elements of "form" elements.
• A "label" element can have empty content.
• A "label" element can have text content.
• A "label" element can have other inline elements as its sub-elements.
• A "label" element should be linked to another form input field. The link is defined with <label for="linkID"> and <input id="linkID" ...>.
• A "label" element will be displayed as a clickable text. When a label is clicked, the click will be applied to the linked input field.

Here is a tutorial example of label texts linked to radio buttons:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
  "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html>
 <head>
  <title>Label Text</title>
 </head>
 <body>
  <h4>Online Survey</h4>
  <form action="http://localhost/submit">
  <p style="background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 8px;">
   How did you find FYIcenter:<br/>
    &nbsp; &nbsp; <input type="radio" name="channel"
     value="google" checked="checked" id="radio_1"/>
     <label for="radio_1">Google search</label><br/>
    &nbsp; &nbsp; <input type="radio" name="channel"
     value="yahoo" id="radio_2"/>
     <label for="radio_2">Yahoo search</label><br/>
    &nbsp; &nbsp; <input type="radio" name="channel"
     value="friend" id="radio_3"/>
     <label for="radio_3">Your friend</label><br/>
   <input type="submit" value="Submit"/>
  </p>
  </form>
 </body>
</html>

If you save the above document as field-label.html, and view it with Internet Explorer, you will see 3 radio buttons linked to 3 labels. Try to click the labels to see what happens to radio buttons:

⇒ Can Two HTML Forms Be Nested

⇐ HTML Drop Down List 'option' Tag/Element

⇑ HTML Forms and Input Fields

⇑⇑ HTML Tutorials