How to prevent buttons from submitting forms

Diving into button types

The <button> tag within a form by default assumes type="submit". Therefore, the button triggers form submission when clicked. To counteract this default action, you should define type="button" on such buttons.

Controlling button events with JavaScript

The behavior of button clicks can be efficiently controlled via JavaScript, especially within the context of form handling. Employ event.preventDefault() in your event handlers to prevent the form from submitting. This proves especially useful when you need to carry out some checks or other logic before you make the decision to submit.

Advanced Event Management

While you might be tempted to stop form submission with inline JavaScript handlers, such as onclick="return false;", it's actually the poor man's way out. A more effective, maintainable method is to bind event listeners using JavaScript/jQuery:

$('#buttonID').on('click', function(event){
  event.preventDefault(); // Don't shoot the messenger (aka, don't submit the form).
  // Include other form handling logic here.
});


Taking event control to another level

To prevent both default action and event bubbling up the hierarchy, use both event.preventDefault(); and event.stopPropagation(); at the head of your handler. Imagine it's a vaccine for your form; it prevents the form submission disease from spreading to innocent bystander event handlers.

Button Behavior in Dynamic Forms: Be Wary!

Beware! Browsers have a nasty tendency to differ in the way they handle form submission via button clicks. Always check your form behavior against the W3C standards, and validate cross-browser compatibility. In scenarios involving dynamically generated form rows, non-submit buttons may invite chaos if not handled rightly.

Secure those Forms!

While client-side validation wins you brownie points for user experience, server-side validation is the knight in shining armor that truly saves the day. That's right - always validate on the server, even if you're adorning your forms with client-side scripts for interactivity and instant feedback. Remember: Accessibility matters. The form should be accessible to everyone, including those using screen readers or other assistive technologies.

Be Smart: Streamline JavaScript Efficiency

When handling jQuery, it's efficient to consolidate your selectors and operations for a quicker, cleaner, and bloat-free script. Trust me on this, your browser will thank you one day:

$(document).ready(function() {
  var $buttons = $('button').not('[type="submit"]');
  
  $buttons.on('click', function(e) {
    e.preventDefault(); // Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's super-button!
    // Button, do thy bidding.
  });
});


Safeguard your Event Handlers with Error Traps!

Incorporate a robust exception handling mechanism within your event handlers. How do I stress this more? It's as important as sunscreen on a beach day. Without it, you might as well sign up for unexpected behavior and spontaneous form submissions:

function safeButtonClick(event) {
  try {
    // Code. Things can go wrong. You know, murphy's law?
  } catch(error) {
    console.error(error);
    event.preventDefault(); // Is this an error I see before me? Stop!
  }
}

$('#safeButton').on('click', safeButtonClick);


Prioritize Code Maintainability

It's wiser to keep your event handler logic centralized instead of distributing it like free candy across numerous inline handlers. Imagine it as the "One Ring to rule them all" of your form interactions. Simplifies debugging, doesn't it?

Selecting the Last Item: A Mini Hack

Need to target the last button in your form? jQuery's filter(":last") function helps you single it out:

$('form button').filter(':last').on('click', function(event) {
  event.preventDefault();
  // Just the last button's deeds
});


The Power of Naming

A tiny but mighty hack: including a name attribute to the form elements. This makes server-side processing and data collection a breezy walk in the park:

<input type="text" name="username" />


Equip these elements with corresponding ids, and JavaScript targeting becomes easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Tuning your Form's Action with JavaScript

There may be times when you'd want to modify the action attribute of the form based on different circumstances. JavaScript, your guardian angel, allows you to do so gracefully:

document.querySelector('form').action = '/new-action';
