Introduction

Multi-step forms are a great way to break down complex user inputs into smaller, more manageable steps. They improve user experience by guiding users through the form and requiring them to focus on one set of inputs at a time. In this article, we will explore how to implement multi-step forms using session storage in JavaScript.

What is Session Storage?

Session Storage is a built-in web API that allows web applications to store key-value pairs locally in the user’s browser. The data stored in session storage is accessible only within the origin domain and persists until the user closes the browser tab or refreshes the page.

Implementation Steps

Before we start implementing the multi-step form, make sure you have a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

1. Create HTML for the form structure

   Start by creating the HTML structure for your multi-step form. Divide the form into multiple sections, each representing a step. Each section should contain the necessary input fields and navigation buttons to move between the steps.

2. Create JavaScript functionality

   In your JavaScript file, you need to add event listeners to handle the navigation buttons and store form values in session storage.

    const formSections = document.querySelectorAll('.form-section');
    const prevButton = document.getElementById('prev');
    const nextButton = document.getElementById('next');
   
    let currentSectionIndex = 0;
   
    function showSection(sectionIndex) {
      formSections.forEach((section, index) => {
        section.style.display = index === sectionIndex ? 'block' : 'none';
      });
    }
   
    function handlePrevClick() {
      currentSectionIndex--;
      showSection(currentSectionIndex);
    }
   
    function handleNextClick() {
      const currentSection = formSections[currentSectionIndex];
      const inputs = currentSection.querySelectorAll('input');
   
      inputs.forEach((input) => {
        sessionStorage.setItem(input.name, input.value);
      });
   
      currentSectionIndex++;
      showSection(currentSectionIndex);
    }
   
    prevButton.addEventListener('click', handlePrevClick);
    nextButton.addEventListener('click', handleNextClick);
   

3. Display the correct section based on the current step

   Add the following CSS to hide all sections except the first one by default:

    .form-section {
      display: none;
    }
   
    .form-section:first-child {
      display: block;
    }
   

4. Retrieve form values from session storage

   To retrieve the form values from session storage, you can add the following code at the beginning of your JavaScript file:

    formSections.forEach((section) => {
      const inputs = section.querySelectorAll('input');
   
      inputs.forEach((input) => {
        const storedValue = sessionStorage.getItem(input.name);
   
        if (storedValue) {
          input.value = storedValue;
        }
      });
    });
   

Conclusion

In this article, we learned how to implement multi-step forms using session storage in JavaScript. By breaking down complex forms into smaller steps, we can improve the user experience and ensure that users focus on one set of inputs at a time. Session storage allows us to store form values temporarily, making it easier to navigate and retain form data as users move between steps.

#webdevelopment #javascript