Should I put input elements inside a label element?

Question

Is there a best practice concerning the nesting of label and input HTML elements?

classic way:

<label for="myinput">My Text</label>
<input type="text" id="myinput" />

or

<label for="myinput">My Text
   <input type="text" id="myinput" />
</label>

Answer 1

From the W3's HTML4 specification:

The label itself may be positioned before, after or around the associated control.

---

<label for="lastname">Last Name</label>
<input type="text" id="lastname" />

or

<input type="text" id="lastname" />
<label for="lastname">Last Name</label>

or

<label>
   <input type="text" name="lastname" />
   Last Name
</label>

Note that the third technique cannot be used when a table is being used for layout, with the label in one cell and its associated form field in another cell.

Either one is valid. I like to use either the first or second example, as it gives you more style control.

Answer 2

I prefer

<label>
  Firstname
  <input name="firstname" />
</label>

<label>
  Lastname
  <input name="lastname" />
</label>

over

<label for="firstname">Firstname</label>
<input name="firstname" id="firstname" />

<label for="lastname">Lastname</label>
<input name="lastname" id="lastname" />

Mainly because it makes the HTML more readable. And I actually think my first example is easier to style with CSS, as CSS works very well with nested elements.

But it's a matter of taste I suppose.

---

If you need more styling options, add a span tag.

<label>
  <span>Firstname</span>
  <input name="firstname" />
</label>

<label>
  <span>Lastname</span>
  <input name="lastname" />
</label>

Code still looks better in my opinion.