Textarea

Figma Library	Local HTML	Global HTML	React
considering	stable	beta	beta

The Textarea component allows users to input multi-line text. It’s ideal for longer text fields, such as descriptions, messages, or comments, and offers flexibility in terms of size using rows and cols props. Additionally, it provides the option to set a character limit using the maxChars prop for better control over user input length.

Standard textarea

Textarea Label

Hint: This is a helpful hint

  <div class="gi-pt-2 gi-mb-4" >
    <label class="gi-text-md gi-mb-1 gi-block" for="textarea-id">
        Textarea Label
    </label>
    <div class="gi-text-md gi-mb-2 gi-font-normal gi-text-gray-700">
        Hint: This is a helpful hint.
    </div>
    <div class="gi-flex gi-items-center" data-module="gieds-textarea">
        <textarea id="textarea-id" rows="4" cols="100" autocomplete="on" class="gi-textarea" maxlength="100" />
    </div>
  </div>

{{ govieTextArea({
  "id": "textarea-id"
  "label": {
    "content": "Textarea Label",
    "for": "textarea-id"
  },
  "hint": {
    "content": "Hint text for textarea"
  },
  "rows": 4,
  "cols": 100,
}) }}

import { TextArea } from '@govie-ds/textarea';

<TextArea
label={{ text: 'Comments' }}
hint={{ text: 'Hint: This is a helpful hint' }}
/>

With Character limit

Textarea Label

Hint: This is a helpful hint

You have 100 characters remaining

  <div class="gi-pt-2 gi-mb-4" >
    <label class="gi-text-md gi-mb-1 gi-block" for="textarea-id">
        Textarea Label
    </label>
    <div class="gi-text-md gi-mb-2 gi-font-normal gi-text-gray-700">
        Hint: This is a helpful hint.
    </div>
    <div class="gi-flex gi-items-center" data-module="gieds-textarea">
        <textarea id="textarea-id" rows="4" cols="100" autocomplete="on" class="gi-textarea" maxlength="100" />
    </div>
    <div class="gi-textarea-remaining-chars">
      <div class="gi-text-md gi-mb-2 gi-font-normal gi-text-gray-700 ">
          You have 100 characters remaining
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>

{{ govieTextArea({
  "id": "textarea-id"
  "label": {
    "content": "Textarea Label",
    "for": "textarea-id"
  },
  "hint": {
    "content": "Hint text for textarea"
  },
  "maxChars": 30,
  "rows": 4,
  "cols": 100,
}) }}

import { TextArea } from '@govie-ds/textarea';

<TextArea
label={{ text: 'Comments' }}
hint={{ text: 'Hint: This is a helpful hint' }}
maxChars={100}
/>

When to use this component

Multi-line input: Use Textarea when the input requires multiple lines of text, such as:
Feedback forms, comments, or reviews
Messages, descriptions, or instructions
Long-form text fields like addresses or notes
Variable text length: Use it when you cannot predict how long the user's input will be, but expect it to exceed a single line.
Custom size control: Use rows and cols to control the visible size of the text box, tailoring the component to your layout needs.
Character limit: Use maxChars to limit the number of characters allowed.

When not to use this component

Single-line input: If you only expect short, single-line inputs (e.g., names, email addresses), use the TextInput component instead.
Structured data input: For specialised inputs like dates, numbers, or selections from predefined options, use components like DateInput, NumberInput, or Select instead of Textarea.
Large text area: If the input area becomes too large (like for editing full documents or code), consider a more robust solution, such as a dedicated text editor component or even a rich text editor.