Rails Form_tag - Ruby

Rails form_tag is a helper method provided by the Rails framework that generates a HTML form element with specified options. It is often used to create user input forms for web applications. This helper is a little different from Rails' form_for helper in that it doesn't specifically attach a model to the form.

Syntax

Here's the basic syntax for using Rails' form_tag helper:

<%= form_tag('/path/to/your/action', method: 'post') do %>
  <%= text_field_tag 'name', 'value' %>
  <%= password_field_tag 'password' %>
  <%= submit_tag 'Submit' %>
<% end %>

The code above will generate a form element that posts to a specified action, with a text field, a password field, and a submit button.

Options

Rails form_tag accepts several options that customize the generated form element. Here are some of the most common ones:

• method: Specifies the HTTP method to use. Defaults to 'POST'.
• url: Specifies the URL to submit the form to.
• multipart: If true, the form will have enctype="multipart/form-data".
• class: Specifies a CSS class for the form element.
• id: Specifies an ID for the form element.

Form Elements

Here are some of the most commonly used form elements that can be generated by Rails' form_tag helper:

• text_field_tag: A single-line text input field.
• email_field_tag: An email input field.
• password_field_tag: A password input field.
• hidden_field_tag: A hidden input field.
• select_tag: A drop-down selection box.
• check_box_tag: A check box input field.
• radio_button_tag: A radio button input field.
• textarea_tag: A multi-line text input field.

Conclusion

Rails form_tag is a versatile helper that can greatly simplify the process of generating forms in your Ruby on Rails applications. By providing a convenient and flexible way to create HTML form elements, this helper can save you a great deal of time and effort when building web applications.