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Version: v9.1.0

ontario-form-container

The ontario-form-container component defines vertical spacing (referred to as gap) between child form elements within a container. It ensures consistent and accessible spacing between form elements, aligning with design tokens from the Ontario Design System.

Usage Guidance​

When to use this component​

Use the ontario-form-container component when:

  • You need to apply consistent vertical spacing between form elements
  • A clear visual hierarchy is required within a form
  • Different elements require varying spacing levels (default or condensed)

When not to use this component​

Avoid using this component if:

  • You need horizontal spacing between elements
  • The spacing is purely decorative

Technical Specifications​

The component uses a single default slot to render child elements. It is designed to be used with the following form components: ontario-fieldset, ontario-input, ontario-textarea, ontario-checkboxes, ontario-dropdown-list, ontario-radio-buttons, ontario-date-input and ontario-button.

By default, the above components do not have built-in margins to separate them from one another. The ontario form container component should be used for maintaining readability and creating visual hierarchy.

Spacing options:

  • Default (40px) corresponds to $spacing-7.
  • Condensed (16px) corresponds to $spacing-4.

Styling:

  • Applies margin-bottom values to all child elements except the last one
  • Supports nested usage, allowing smaller spacing within larger spacing containers. Nested spacing should be used when elements are closely linked and require reduced spacing

Examples​

Default gap example​

No gap prop is required when using the default gap option.

<form>
	<ontario-form-container>
		<ontario-fieldset legend-size="large" legend="What is your delivery address?">
			<ontario-input
				id="delivery-address-form-line-1"
				caption="Address line 1"
				required
				name="delivery-address-form-line-1"
				hint-text="Street and number or P.O. Box."
				enable-live-validation
				required-validation-message="Please enter your address"
			></ontario-input>
			<ontario-input
				caption="Address line 2"
				name="delivery-address-form-line-2"
				hint-text="Apartment, suite, unit, building, etc."
			></ontario-input>
			<ontario-dropdown-list
				caption="Province/territory"
				name="delivery-address-form-province-selection-form"
				element-id="delivery-address-form-province-territory"
				required
				is-empty-start-option="true"
				options='[
					{ "value": "ON", "label": "Ontario" },
					{ "value": "QC", "label": "Quebec" },
					{ "value": "SK", "label": "Saskatchewan" }
				]'
			></ontario-dropdown-list>
		</ontario-fieldset>
	</ontario-form-container>
</form>

Mixed gap example​

This example uses both default and condensed gaps.

<form>
	<ontario-form-container>
		<ontario-fieldset legend-size="large" legend="What is your delivery address?">
			<ontario-input
				name="email"
				input-width="20-char-width"
				caption='{
                    "captionText": "Email",
                    "captionType": "large"
                }'
				required="true"
			></ontario-input>
			<ontario-form-container gap="condensed">
				<ontario-textarea
					name="comments"
					caption='{
                        "captionText": "Comments",
                        "captionType": "large"
                    }'
					required="true"
				></ontario-textarea>
				<ontario-button type="secondary">✅ Share my feedback</ontario-button>
			</ontario-form-container>
		</ontario-fieldset>
	</ontario-form-container>
</form>
✅ Share my feedback

Best Practices​

  • Use the default gap spacing for standard forms
  • Use the condensed gap spacing when form elements are closely related but of different types
  • Limit the number of nested spacing levels to avoid complex and unreadable layouts

Accessibility considerations​

  • Readability and Usability: Ensure that spacing choices support clear and structured layouts
  • Focus Order: Spacing should not disrupt the expected focus order when navigating with a keyboard or screen reader
  • Visual Hierarchy: Appropriate spacing improves visual hierarchy, reducing cognitive load
  • Semantic Markup: When using condensed spacing sections, consider using semantic elements to group items together, such as the <ontario-fieldset>

Configuration​

Once the component package has been installed (see the Ontario Design System Component Library for installation instructions), the ontario-form-container component can be added directly into the project's code and customized using the gap property.

Overview​

Ontario Form Container applies consistent spacing between grouped form elements.

For component guidance, see:

Properties​

PropertyAttributeDescriptionTypeDefault
gapgapDefines the gap (bottom margin) between slotted form elements. If no gap prop is provided, it will default to 'default'."condensed" | "default"'default'

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