Jquery Datepicker Close Datepicker After Selected Date

A common scenario that many developers encounter when using jQuery datepicker on a website or web application is the need to close the datepicker automatically after a user selects a date. This feature can enhance user experience and streamline the overall flow of the date selection process. In this article, we will guide you through how to achieve this functionality seamlessly.

One simple and effective method to automatically close the jQuery datepicker after a user selects a date is by utilizing the `onSelect` event handler provided by the datepicker widget. By leveraging this event, you can define a callback function that triggers the closure of the datepicker upon date selection.

Here's a step-by-step guide to implementing this feature:

Step 1: Include jQuery and jQuery UI Libraries
Ensure that you have included the jQuery library and jQuery UI library in your project. These libraries are essential for utilizing the jQuery datepicker widget. You can either download the libraries and link them in your HTML file or use content delivery networks (CDNs) for faster loading times.

Step 2: Initialize the Datepicker Widget
Create an input field in your HTML document and initialize the jQuery datepicker widget on that input field. You can customize the datepicker with various options according to your requirements.

$('#datepicker').datepicker({
  onSelect: function(dateText, inst) {
    $(this).datepicker('hide');
  }
});

In the code snippet above, we have specified the `onSelect` event handler within the datepicker initialization function. The function receives two parameters: `dateText`, which represents the selected date in text format, and `inst`, which provides access to the datepicker instance. Inside the callback function, we call `$(this).datepicker('hide')` to close the datepicker when a date is selected.

Step 3: Test Your Implementation
Once you have integrated the `onSelect` event handler into your datepicker initialization code, test the functionality to ensure that the datepicker closes automatically after a date is selected. Click on the datepicker input field, select a date from the calendar, and verify that the datepicker closes smoothly without any extra manual steps.

By following these straightforward steps and leveraging the `onSelect` event handler provided by the jQuery datepicker widget, you can enhance the user experience on your website or web application by automatically closing the datepicker after a date selection. This small but effective feature can contribute significantly to the usability and efficiency of your date selection process.