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Yunus
Yunus

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Difference Between onBlur vs onTouched

Short Answer is:

onBlur is an event that occurs when a field loses focus, which can be used to trigger validation at that moment.

onTouched is a state indicating whether a field has been interacted with and then left, often used to control when to display validation messages.

  • What is onBlur?

Definition and Triggering Event:

onBlur is an event handler that is activated when an input field loses focus. This occurs when a user moves away from an input field after interacting with it.

Use in Form Validation:

It's commonly used in form validation to check a field's value against validation rules only when the user moves away from that field. This approach is less intrusive than validating every keystroke.

Practical Application:

This event is particularly useful when you want to validate a field after the user has finished entering data, avoiding constant validation during the typing process.

  • What is onTouched?

Definition and Role in Validation Libraries:

Unlike onBlur, onTouched is not an event but a state or property used in form validation libraries, like React Hook Form. It flags whether a user has interacted with a field.

Functionality:

A field is considered "touched" once the user has focused on it and then moved away. It's instrumental in determining when to display validation errors.

Enhancing User Experience:
onTouched improves user experience by delaying error messages until the field has been interacted with, preventing an overload of messages upon form load.

Understanding the roles and differences of onBlur and onTouched is vital in form design. While onBlur triggers validation when a field loses focus, onTouched indicates interaction with the field, helping in strategic display of validation messages. Together, they ensure a balance between providing immediate feedback and not overwhelming users with premature validation errors. Implementing these effectively can significantly enhance the user interaction and experience with your forms.

Both onBlur and onTouched are essential tools in a developer’s arsenal for creating responsive and user-friendly web forms. Knowing when and how to use them can make a substantial difference in how users perceive and interact with your web forms.

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