Difference between <input type='button' /> and <input type='submit' />

Question

What is the difference between HTML and ?

Answer 1

It should be also mentioned that a named input of type="submit" will be also submitted together with the other form's named fields while a named input type="button" won't.

With other words, in the example below, the named input name=button1 WON'T get submitted while the named input name=submit1 WILL get submitted.

Sample HTML form (index.html):

The PHP script (checkout.php) that process the above form's action:

Test the above on your local machine by creating the two files in a folder named /tmp/test/ then running the built-in PHP web server from shell:

php -S localhost:3000 -t /tmp/test/

Open your browser at http://localhost:3000 and see for yourself.

One would wonder why would we need to submit a named button? It depends on the back-end script. For instance the WooCommerce WordPress plugin won't process a Checkout page posted unless the Place Order named button is submitted too. If you alter its type from submit to button then this button won't get submitted and thus the Checkout form would never get processed.

This is probably a small detail but you know, the devil is in the details.