Q. Does a submit button end the form submission?

[Rajeev Bagra]

How Does a Submit Button Work in an HTML Form? (Q&A)

Answer:
A submit button does not “end” a form, but it triggers the form submission at that moment.

When clicked, the browser immediately collects all the values the user has entered so far and sends them to the server.

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Q2. What exactly happens when a submit button is clicked?

Answer:
When a submit button is clicked, the browser:

1. Collects all valid input fields inside the <form>
2. Reads their name = value pairs
3. Identifies which submit button was clicked
4. Sends the data to the URL specified in the form’s action

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Q3. Are all previously entered values submitted?

Answer:
Yes.
All values entered before clicking the submit button are included in the submission, provided the inputs:

• Have a name attribute
• Are not disabled

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Q4. Does the submit button itself send any data?

Answer:
Only the clicked submit button sends data — and only if it has a name attribute.

Example:

<input type="submit" name="btnI" value="I'm Feeling Lucky">

This sends:

btnI=I'm+Feeling+Lucky

Other submit buttons in the same form are ignored.

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Q5. What input values are included in a form submission?

Answer:
Included:

• Text inputs, textareas, selects (with name)
• Checked checkboxes and radio buttons
• Hidden inputs
• The clicked submit button (if named)

Not included:

• Inputs without a name
• Disabled inputs
• Placeholder text
• Unclicked submit buttons

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Q6. Is placeholder text ever submitted?

Answer:
No.
Placeholder text is only a visual hint and is never treated as actual input data.

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Q7. Can one form have multiple submit buttons?

Answer:
Yes.
A single form can have multiple submit buttons, each representing a different action.

The server determines which action to perform based on which submit button was clicked.

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Q8. Why do some submit buttons have a name attribute?

Answer:
The name attribute allows the server to distinguish between different submit buttons.

Without a name, the server cannot tell which button triggered the submission.

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Q9. What is the simplest way to remember how submit buttons work?

Answer:
Think of a form like an envelope:

• The user fills it with information
• Clicking submit seals it
• The browser sends it to the destination

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One-Line Takeaway

A submit button triggers the form submission and sends all user-entered values up to that point, along with information about which button was clicked.

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