The "Basic Contact Form" project aims to develop a simple, user-friendly form that allows visitors to a website to send messages or inquiries to the website owner. The contact form will include fields such as name, email, subject, and message. Upon submission, the form will send the message to a predefined email address or store the message in a database. The focus of the project is on simplicity, ease of use, and reliability, ensuring that messages are delivered securely and efficiently.
Detailed Description
A contact form is an essential feature for websites, enabling users to reach out to the site owner or team for inquiries, support, or feedback. This project will create a basic contact form that captures user input and delivers it to the appropriate recipient. The form will include validation to ensure correct and secure data submission, and users will receive confirmation that their message has been sent successfully. The contact form will be easy to integrate into any website, ensuring seamless functionality across different platforms.
Here’s a detailed look at how users will interact with the form:
Form Fields:
Name: A field for users to enter their full name.
Email Address: A field for users to provide their email address. This will be validated to ensure the input is a valid email format.
Subject: A field where users can provide a subject for their message.
Message: A textarea field where users can type their inquiry or message.
Submit Button: A button that submits the form once all required fields are completed.
Form Submission:
Email Delivery: Once submitted, the form will send the message content (name, email, subject, message) to a predefined email address (e.g., site owner’s email).
Database Option: Optionally, the form can store the message in a database for later review.
Confirmation Message: Users will see a success message once their message has been sent, indicating that their inquiry has been successfully delivered.
Validation and Error Handling:
Field Validation: All fields must be completed before submission. The email address will be validated to ensure it is in a valid format.
Error Messages: If any required fields are missing or incorrect, an error message will notify the user, prompting them to fix the issue before submission.
Security:
CAPTCHA: Optionally include a CAPTCHA (e.g., Google reCAPTCHA) to prevent spam submissions.
Input Sanitization: Sanitize all inputs to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks or SQL injection vulnerabilities.
Email Injection Protection: Protect the form from email injection attacks by sanitizing email-related inputs.
Responsive Design:
Mobile Friendly: Ensure the form is responsive and works well on mobile devices, tablets, and desktops.
Accessible: The form will be accessible to users with disabilities, including support for screen readers and keyboard navigation.
Optional Features:
Attachment Support: Allow users to upload files (e.g., images or documents) along with their message.
Auto-Responder: Automatically send a confirmation email to users once their message has been received.
Real-World Example
Imagine a small business owner named Emma who has a website for her bakery. She wants her customers to easily reach out to her with questions about orders, feedback, or general inquiries. Emma integrates the contact form into her website, allowing visitors to fill out their name, email, subject, and message. When a visitor submits the form, Emma receives an email with the customer’s inquiry, allowing her to respond quickly and provide better customer service.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
The "Basic Contact Form" project will provide a simple and reliable method for users to contact the website owner by filling out a form. The form will capture essential information like name, email, subject, and message, and will send it to the intended recipient via email or store it in a database.
2. Objectives
Provide users with a straightforward method to contact the website owner.
Ensure secure and reliable message delivery.
Validate form inputs to prevent incomplete or invalid submissions.
Optionally store submissions in a database for future reference.
3. Functional Requirements
Form Fields
Name: A required text field for users to enter their name.
Email: A required text field for users to enter their email address, with validation for email format.
Subject: A required text field for the subject of the message.
Message: A required textarea for users to write their inquiry or feedback.
Submit Button: A button to submit the form once all fields are completed.
Form Submission
Email Delivery: Send the form data to a predefined email address.
Database Option: Option to store the message in a database instead of or alongside email delivery.
Success Message: Display a confirmation message to users after successful submission.
Validation and Error Handling
Required Fields: Ensure all required fields are filled in before submission.
Email Validation: Validate that the email input is correctly formatted.
Error Feedback: Display error messages if the form is incomplete or incorrect.
4. Non-Functional Requirements
Scalability: The form should handle multiple simultaneous submissions without delays.
Performance: Ensure that messages are delivered instantly and that the form loads quickly.
Security: Protect against spam, XSS, and email injection attacks.
Usability: The form should be easy to use, with clear instructions, and accessible for all users.
5. Use Cases
User Submits Inquiry: A visitor submits an inquiry using the contact form, and the website owner receives the message via email.
Incomplete Form: A visitor attempts to submit the form without filling all required fields and receives an error message prompting them to complete the form.
Spam Protection: A spam bot attempts to submit multiple messages, but the CAPTCHA prevents spam submissions.
6. User Stories
As a visitor, I want to submit a message through the contact form so that I can inquire about services or provide feedback.
As a visitor, I want to receive a confirmation message after submitting the form so that I know my inquiry was sent successfully.
As the website owner, I want to receive messages from users via email to respond to inquiries promptly.
As a visitor, I want to see clear error messages if I submit an incomplete or invalid form so that I can correct the issue.
7. Technical Requirements
Programming Language: Use suitable programming languages for web development (e.g., HTML, JavaScript, PHP, Node.js).
Email Integration: Integrate with an email delivery service (e.g., SMTP, SendGrid) for sending messages.
Database (Optional): Use a relational or NoSQL database (e.g., MySQL, MongoDB) to store message submissions if required.
CAPTCHA Integration: Optionally implements CAPTCHA for spam protection (e.g., Google reCAPTCHA).
8. API Endpoints
Contact Form Submission
POST /contact: Submit a new message via the contact form.
Database Storage (Optional)
POST /messages: Store the message in the database.GET /messages: Retrieve all messages (for admin view).
9. Security
CAPTCHA: Include CAPTCHA to prevent spam submissions.
Sanitization: Sanitize form inputs to prevent XSS and SQL injection.
SSL: Use SSL to encrypt data during form submission.
10. Performance
Ensure the form processes submissions quickly, with email delivery occurring instantly.
Implement server-side caching to optimize performance if needed.
11. Documentation
Provide user instructions for setting up and integrating the contact form into a website.
Provide API documentation if integrating with an external service or database.
12. Glossary
CAPTCHA: Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, used to prevent spam submissions.
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, used for sending emails.
13. Appendix
Include relevant screenshots or mockups showing the contact form UI.
Let me know if you need further modifications or additional details!
