Is the HTML aside tag appropriate for displaying form error messages?

Question

Is the HTML aside tag appropriate for displaying form error messages?

As I work on creating a form with error messages associated with each input/element, I have implemented the <aside> tag in an interesting way. Here is what I have come up with:

    <section class="fieldrow" id="rowJobTitle">

        <label for="txtJobTitle" id="lblJobTitle">
            <span>Job title:</span>
        </label>

        <input type="text" id="txtJobTitle" name="txtJobTitle">

        <aside id="errJobTitle" class="errormessage">
            <span role="alert">Please tell us your job title.</span>
        </aside>

    </section>

In order to toggle the display of these error messages using CSS and a bit of JS, I considered using just a span tag. However, since a span tag lacks semantic value, I decided to utilize the <aside> tag instead. While most sources suggest that this approach should work fine, I am seeking validation or any potential drawbacks from those who have attempted it before.

Thank you, Si.

css html error-handling semantics

Answer 1

Answer №1

The <aside> element is compatible with all major web browsers.

There are, however, more elegant approaches to achieve the same result as using the <aside> element, which may not be the most semantically appropriate choice for your purpose. According to the HTML5 specifications:

An aside element represents a section of a webpage containing content that is tangentially related to the surrounding content, and could be considered separate from that content. Such sections are commonly displayed as sidebars in print media.

In this case, your error message is not truly separate from the main content, making it unsuitable for the use of the <aside> element.

You might want to explore how Twitter Bootstrap handles in-line form errors instead.

Ultimately, the decision on how to structure your code is subjective and based on semantics. If it works for you and makes sense, there is no reason not to use it.

EDIT

After reviewing Rob's link, I realized that using the <aside> element is even more inappropriate than initially thought. Since it is not a child element of the <input>, there is no logical connection between them for a parser to interpret. It would be best to refrain from using it in this scenario.

MDN provides examples of suitable use cases for the <aside> element, none of which align with your current situation:

Examples include explanations like glossary definitions, loosely related content such as advertisements, author biographies, or profile information in web applications along with related blog links.

Answer 2

The <aside> element is compatible with all major web browsers.

There are, however, more elegant approaches to achieve the same result as using the <aside> element, which may not be the most semantically appropriate choice for your purpose. According to the HTML5 specifications:

An aside element represents a section of a webpage containing content that is tangentially related to the surrounding content, and could be considered separate from that content. Such sections are commonly displayed as sidebars in print media.

In this case, your error message is not truly separate from the main content, making it unsuitable for the use of the <aside> element.

You might want to explore how Twitter Bootstrap handles in-line form errors instead.

Ultimately, the decision on how to structure your code is subjective and based on semantics. If it works for you and makes sense, there is no reason not to use it.

EDIT

After reviewing Rob's link, I realized that using the <aside> element is even more inappropriate than initially thought. Since it is not a child element of the <input>, there is no logical connection between them for a parser to interpret. It would be best to refrain from using it in this scenario.

MDN provides examples of suitable use cases for the <aside> element, none of which align with your current situation:

Examples include explanations like glossary definitions, loosely related content such as advertisements, author biographies, or profile information in web applications along with related blog links.

Answer 3

Answer №2

In older versions of Internet Explorer, the <aside> element is not fully supported. This means that any styles applied to it may not display correctly in those browsers. While you can use JavaScript to try and work around this issue, it begs the question - is it worth the effort? What are you really gaining by trying to force compatibility?

From a logical standpoint, using the <aside> element may not align with the intended semantics of HTML5. The documentation on this topic is somewhat ambiguous, but I would argue that an error message should not be considered as merely a side note; often, it contains crucial information that is integral to the main content.

The <aside> element could be appropriate for displaying ads, anecdotes, historical notes, or other supplementary content that relates to the main subject matter but is not essential to understanding it.

In reality, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that search engines, browsers, or browser extensions actually make use of the <aside> markup. It seems to be more of a theoretical concept at this point.

A more practical solution, particularly when dealing with errors in client-side code, might involve keeping error messages within JavaScript strings. When an error is detected, these messages can be dynamically added to the page near the relevant form field, and then removed once the error is resolved. This method eliminates the need to rely on CSS for styling purposes.

By implementing error messages in this manner, their placement relative to the form field becomes more flexible. While the specific HTML elements used for displaying these messages may not significantly impact functionality (as they are unlikely to be parsed by search engines or browsers), a structure like

<div><strong>...</strong></div>

could prove to be a suitable choice.

Answer 4

In older versions of Internet Explorer, the <aside> element is not fully supported. This means that any styles applied to it may not display correctly in those browsers. While you can use JavaScript to try and work around this issue, it begs the question - is it worth the effort? What are you really gaining by trying to force compatibility?

From a logical standpoint, using the <aside> element may not align with the intended semantics of HTML5. The documentation on this topic is somewhat ambiguous, but I would argue that an error message should not be considered as merely a side note; often, it contains crucial information that is integral to the main content.

The <aside> element could be appropriate for displaying ads, anecdotes, historical notes, or other supplementary content that relates to the main subject matter but is not essential to understanding it.

In reality, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that search engines, browsers, or browser extensions actually make use of the <aside> markup. It seems to be more of a theoretical concept at this point.

A more practical solution, particularly when dealing with errors in client-side code, might involve keeping error messages within JavaScript strings. When an error is detected, these messages can be dynamically added to the page near the relevant form field, and then removed once the error is resolved. This method eliminates the need to rely on CSS for styling purposes.

By implementing error messages in this manner, their placement relative to the form field becomes more flexible. While the specific HTML elements used for displaying these messages may not significantly impact functionality (as they are unlikely to be parsed by search engines or browsers), a structure like

<div><strong>...</strong></div>

could prove to be a suitable choice.

Answer 5

Answer №3

This is directly related to the article, making it perfectly acceptable within this context. In fact, I believe it is a clever use of an aside element. Take a look at this for more information.

UPDATE: After much discussion, it seems there isn't a specific semantic element that fits this situation perfectly. Perhaps using a generic div element would be the most practical solution instead of trying to fit it into a forced HTML5 element.

Answer 6

This is directly related to the article, making it perfectly acceptable within this context. In fact, I believe it is a clever use of an aside element. Take a look at this for more information.

UPDATE: After much discussion, it seems there isn't a specific semantic element that fits this situation perfectly. Perhaps using a generic div element would be the most practical solution instead of trying to fit it into a forced HTML5 element.

Is the HTML aside tag appropriate for displaying form error messages?

Answer №1

EDIT

Answer №2

Answer №3

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