Question

I have this form field:

email = forms.EmailField(
  required=True,
  max_length=100,
)

It has the required attribute, but in the html it is not adding the html attribute required. In fact it’s not even using email as the field type, it’s using text… though it appears to get max_length just fine.

Actual:

<input id="id_email" type="text" name="email" maxlength="100">

Expected:

<input id="id_email" type="email" name="email" maxlength="100" required="true">

How can I get Django to use the correct attributes in html forms?

Answer 1

Monkeypatching Widget is your best bet:

from django.forms.widgets import Widget
from django.contrib.admin.widgets import AdminFileWidget
from django.forms import HiddenInput, FileInput

old_build_attrs = Widget.build_attrs

def build_attrs(self, extra_attrs=None, **kwargs):
    attrs = old_build_attrs(self, extra_attrs, **kwargs)

    # if required, and it's not a file widget since those can have files
    # attached without seeming filled-in to the browser, and skip hidden "mock"
    # fileds created for StackedInline and TabbedInline admin stuff
    if (self.is_required
            and type(self) not in (AdminFileWidget, HiddenInput, FileInput)
            and "__prefix__" not in attrs.get("name", "")):
        attrs['required'] = 'required'

    return attrs

Widget.build_attrs = build_attrs