x-model

x-model allows you to bind the value of an input element to Alpine data.

Here's a simple example of using x-model to bind the value of a text field to a piece of data in Alpine.

<div x-data="{ message: '' }">
    <input type="text" x-model="message">

    <span x-text="message"></span>
</div>

    <div class="pt-4" x-text="message"></div>
</div>

Now as the user types into the text field, the message will be reflected in the <span> tag.

x-model is two-way bound, meaning it both "sets" and "gets". In addition to changing data, if the data itself changes, the element will reflect the change.

We can use the same example as above but this time, we'll add a button to change the value of the message property.

<div x-data="{ message: '' }">
    <input type="text" x-model="message">

    <button x-on:click="message = 'changed'">Change Message</button>
</div>

    <button x-on:click="message = 'changed'">Change Message</button>
</div>

Now when the <button> is clicked, the input element's value will instantly be updated to "changed".

x-model works with the following input elements:

• <input type="text">
• <textarea>
• <input type="checkbox">
• <input type="radio">
• <select>
• <input type="range">

<a name="text-inputs"></a>

Text inputs

<input type="text" x-model="message">

<span x-text="message"></span>

    <div class="pt-4" x-text="message"></div>
</div>

Despite not being included in the above snippet, x-model cannot be used if no parent element has x-data defined. → Read more about x-data

<a name="textarea-inputs"></a>

Textarea inputs

<textarea x-model="message"></textarea>

<span x-text="message"></span>

    <div class="pt-4" x-text="message"></div>
</div>

<a name="checkbox-inputs"></a>

Checkbox inputs

<a name="single-checkbox-with-boolean"></a>

Single checkbox with boolean

<input type="checkbox" id="checkbox" x-model="show">

<label for="checkbox" x-text="show"></label>

    <label for="checkbox" x-text="open"></label>
</div>

<a name="multiple-checkboxes-bound-to-array"></a>

Multiple checkboxes bound to array

<input type="checkbox" value="red" x-model="colors">
<input type="checkbox" value="orange" x-model="colors">
<input type="checkbox" value="yellow" x-model="colors">

Colors: <span x-text="colors"></span>

    <div class="pt-4">Colors: <span x-text="colors"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="radio-inputs"></a>

Radio inputs

<input type="radio" value="yes" x-model="answer">
<input type="radio" value="no" x-model="answer">

Answer: <span x-text="answer"></span>

    <div class="pt-4">Answer: <span x-text="answer"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="select-inputs"></a>

Select inputs

<a name="single-select"></a>

Single select

<select x-model="color">
    <option>Red</option>
    <option>Orange</option>
    <option>Yellow</option>
</select>

Color: <span x-text="color"></span>

    <div class="pt-4">Color: <span x-text="color"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="single-select-with-placeholder"></a>

Single select with placeholder

<select x-model="color">
    <option value="" disabled>Select A Color</option>
    <option>Red</option>
    <option>Orange</option>
    <option>Yellow</option>
</select>

Color: <span x-text="color"></span>

    <div class="pt-4">Color: <span x-text="color"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="multiple-select"></a>

Multiple select

<select x-model="color" multiple>
    <option>Red</option>
    <option>Orange</option>
    <option>Yellow</option>
</select>

Colors: <span x-text="color"></span>

    <div class="pt-4">Color: <span x-text="color"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="dynamically-populated-select-options"></a>

Dynamically populated Select Options

<select x-model="color">
    <template x-for="color in ['Red', 'Orange', 'Yellow']">
        <option x-text="color"></option>
    </template>
</select>

Color: <span x-text="color"></span>

    <div class="pt-4">Color: <span x-text="color"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="range-inputs"></a>

Range inputs

<input type="range" x-model="range" min="0" max="1" step="0.1">

<span x-text="range"></span>

    <div class="pt-4" x-text="range"></div>
</div>

<a name="modifiers"></a>

Modifiers

<a name="lazy"></a>

.lazy

On text inputs, by default, x-model updates the property on every keystroke. By adding the .lazy modifier, you can force an x-model input to only update the property when user focuses away from the input element.

This is handy for things like real-time form-validation where you might not want to show an input validation error until the user "tabs" away from a field.

<input type="text" x-model.lazy="username">
<span x-show="username.length > 20">The username is too long.</span>

<a name="change"></a>

.change

.change syncs the data only when the input loses focus and its value has changed (the native change event). This is functionally equivalent to .lazy.

<input type="text" x-model.change="username">

<a name="blur"></a>

.blur

.blur syncs the data when the input loses focus, regardless of whether the value has changed.

<input type="text" x-model.blur="email">

<a name="enter"></a>

.enter

.enter syncs the data when the user presses the Enter key. This is useful for search fields where you want to trigger an action only when the user explicitly submits.

<input type="text" x-model.enter="search">

Note: .enter does not prevent the default behavior. If the input is inside a form, the form will still submit.

<a name="combining-event-modifiers"></a>

Combining Event Modifiers

The .change, .blur, and .enter modifiers can be combined to sync on multiple events. This is useful when you want to give users flexibility in how they submit data.

<!-- Sync on blur OR enter -->
<input type="text" x-model.blur.enter="search" placeholder="Press Enter or click away">

<!-- Sync on change, blur, OR enter -->
<input type="text" x-model.change.blur.enter="message">

    <div class="pt-4">Search: <span x-text="search"></span></div>
</div>

<a name="number"></a>

.number

By default, any data stored in a property via x-model is stored as a string. To force Alpine to store the value as a JavaScript number, add the .number modifier.

<input type="text" x-model.number="age">
<span x-text="typeof age"></span>

<a name="boolean"></a>

.boolean

By default, any data stored in a property via x-model is stored as a string. To force Alpine to store the value as a JavaScript boolean, add the .boolean modifier. Both integers (1/0) and strings (true/false) are valid boolean values.

<select x-model.boolean="isActive">
    <option value="true">Yes</option>
    <option value="false">No</option>
</select>
<span x-text="typeof isActive"></span>

<a name="debounce"></a>

.debounce

By adding .debounce to x-model, you can easily debounce the updating of bound input.

This is useful for things like real-time search inputs that fetch new data from the server every time the search property changes.

<input type="text" x-model.debounce="search">

The default debounce time is 250 milliseconds, you can easily customize this by adding a time modifier like so.

<input type="text" x-model.debounce.500ms="search">

<a name="throttle"></a>

.throttle

Similar to .debounce you can limit the property update triggered by x-model to only updating on a specified interval.

The default throttle interval is 250 milliseconds, you can easily customize this by adding a time modifier like so.

<input type="text" x-model.throttle.500ms="search">

<a name="fill"></a>

.fill

By default, if an input has a value attribute, it is ignored by Alpine and instead, the value of the input is set to the value of the property bound using x-model.

But if a bound property is empty, then you can use an input's value attribute to populate the property by adding the .fill modifier.

<a name="programmatic access"></a>

Programmatic access

Alpine exposes under-the-hood utilities for getting and setting properties bound with x-model. This is useful for complex Alpine utilities that may want to override the default x-model behavior, or instances where you want to allow x-model on a non-input element.

You can access these utilities through a property called _x_model on the x-modeled element. _x_model has two methods to get and set the bound property:

• el._x_model.get() (returns the value of the bound property)
• el._x_model.set() (sets the value of the bound property)

<div x-data="{ username: 'calebporzio' }">
    <div x-ref="div" x-model="username"></div>

    <button @click="$refs.div._x_model.set('phantomatrix')">
        Change username to: 'phantomatrix'
    </button>

    <span x-text="$refs.div._x_model.get()"></span>
</div>

    <button @click="$refs.div._x_model.set('phantomatrix')">
        Change username to: 'phantomatrix'
    </button>

    <span x-text="$refs.div._x_model.get()"></span>
</div>