Detect Backspace And Del On Input Event

Have you ever wondered how to detect when a user presses the "Backspace" or "Delete" key while typing in an input field on a web page? Well, you're in luck! In this article, we will walk you through the process of detecting these specific key presses using the input event in JavaScript.

The input event is fired whenever the value of an input field changes. This event is commonly used to handle user input and make real-time updates to the content on a web page. However, by utilizing the input event along with some JavaScript code, we can also detect when the user hits the "Backspace" or "Delete" key.

To get started, you'll need an HTML input element on your web page where users can type. Let's say you have an input field with the id "myInput". We can listen for the input event on this input field and check if the key that triggered the event is either the "Backspace" or "Delete" key.

Here's a simple example to demonstrate how this works:

const inputField = document.getElementById('myInput');

inputField.addEventListener('input', function(event) {
    const key = event.inputType;

    if (key === 'deleteContentBackward' || key === 'deleteContentForward') {
        console.log('Backspace or Delete key pressed!');
    }
});

In this code snippet, we first get a reference to the input field with the id "myInput". Then, we add an event listener for the input event on this field. Inside the event handler function, we check the value of `event.inputType` to determine if it corresponds to the "Backspace" or "Delete" key. If it does, we simply log a message to the console.

Keep in mind that the `inputType` property is not supported in all browsers. For broader compatibility, you may need to use other properties like `keyCode` or `key` to detect the key presses. Additionally, you can customize the behavior based on your specific requirements, such as triggering a function or updating the UI when the keys are pressed.

By leveraging the input event and some basic JavaScript, you can easily detect when the user presses the "Backspace" or "Delete" key while typing in an input field on your web page. This can be particularly useful for validating input, providing feedback to the user, or enhancing the user experience. Experiment with the code snippet provided and adapt it to suit your needs!