---
title: Date picker
order: 10
summary: A date picker lets users pick a date from a calendar instead of typing it by hand. Use it for booking forms, event dates, deadlines, or any field that expects a specific date.
docs-libs: [litepicker]
description: Let users pick a date from a calendar with the Litepicker plugin, as a plain input, an icon input, or an inline calendar.
related: [/ui/forms/elements, /ui/plugins/color-picker]
---

import Example from '@components/Example.astro';
import CdnImportPlugin from '@components/CdnImportPlugin.astro';
import TabsPackage from '@components/TabsPackage.astro';
import Icon from '@ui/Icon.astro';
import { Code } from 'astro:components';
import { site } from '@shared/lib/site.ts';

## Overview

The date picker is a normal text input with the [Litepicker](https://litepicker.com/) plugin attached. Litepicker opens a calendar when the field is focused and writes the picked date back into the input, so the field still works in a form like any other text field.

<Example>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="datepicker-overview" placeholder="Select a date" />
</Example>

## Installation

Install Litepicker with npm:

<TabsPackage name="litepicker" />

Or include it from a CDN:

<Code lang="html" code={`<script src="${site.cdnUrl}/dist/libs/litepicker/dist/litepicker.js"></script>`} />

Tabler restyles the calendar to match the rest of the interface. Those styles live in the vendors plugin, so include `tabler-vendors.css` as well:

<CdnImportPlugin plugins={['vendors']} />

## Usage

### Basic input

Add a text input with the `form-control` class, then attach Litepicker to it with its `element` option.

<Example codeOnly>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="datepicker-basic" placeholder="Select a date" />
</Example>

```js
const picker = new Litepicker({
  element: document.getElementById('datepicker-basic'),
});
```

### Icon input

Wrap the field in `.input-icon` and add a calendar icon, so users can see what the field is for at a glance. Use `.input-icon-addon` after the input to place the icon on the right, or before it to place the icon on the left.

<Example>
<div class="input-icon">
  <input type="text" class="form-control" id="datepicker-icon" placeholder="Select a date" />
  <span class="input-icon-addon"><Icon name="calendar" /></span>
</div>
</Example>

<Example>
<div class="input-icon">
  <span class="input-icon-addon"><Icon name="calendar" /></span>
  <input type="text" class="form-control" id="datepicker-icon-prepend" placeholder="Select a date" />
</div>
</Example>

### Inline calendar

Give Litepicker an empty `div` instead of an input, and pass `inlineMode: true`. The calendar then renders directly on the page instead of opening in a popover. Use this when the date is the main thing on the screen, for example a booking or availability page.

<Example>
<div class="datepicker-inline" id="datepicker-inline"></div>
</Example>

```js
const picker = new Litepicker({
  element: document.getElementById('datepicker-inline'),
  inlineMode: true,
});
```

## JavaScript

### Custom navigation icons

Litepicker's default previous/next month buttons are plain arrows. Tabler replaces them with [Tabler Icons](/icons) chevrons through the `buttonText` option, which accepts HTML for each button.

```js
const picker = new Litepicker({
  element: document.getElementById('datepicker-basic'),
  buttonText: {
    previousMonth: '<svg class="icon" ...><!-- chevron-left --></svg>',
    nextMonth: '<svg class="icon" ...><!-- chevron-right --></svg>',
  },
});
```

Litepicker uses `buttonText` as the buttons' `innerHTML`, and the icon SVGs are `aria-hidden`, so the generated buttons have no accessible name on their own. Litepicker also re-renders these buttons on every open and every month change, so re-apply the labels on each `render` event instead of once at init:

```js
picker.on('render', () => {
  picker.ui?.querySelector('.button-previous-month')?.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Previous month');
  picker.ui?.querySelector('.button-next-month')?.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Next month');
});
```

### Common options

These are the options you will need most often. Litepicker has more, and they are listed in its [documentation](https://litepicker.com/#option).

| Option | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| `element` | The input or element Litepicker attaches to. |
| `inlineMode` | Renders the calendar on the page instead of in a popover. |
| `singleMode` | `true` picks one date; `false` picks a date range. |
| `format` | Format of the date shown in the field, for example `YYYY-MM-DD`. |
| `minDate` / `maxDate` | Limits the range of selectable dates. |
| `lockDays` | List of dates users cannot pick. |
| `numberOfColumns` / `numberOfMonths` | Shows more than one month at a time. |
| `buttonText` | HTML for the previous/next month and other buttons. |

## Accessibility

- Always add a `<label>` linked to the input with `for` and `id`. The calendar icon alone does not say what the field is for.
- Litepicker's month-navigation buttons carry no accessible name on their own — set `aria-label` on the `render` event, as shown above.
- Keep the typed value working. Users can type a date directly into the input; the picker is a shortcut, not the only way to set the value.
- The picker can be operated with the keyboard: focus the input to open it, use arrow keys to move between days, and <kbd>Enter</kbd> to pick a date.

<script>{`
window.addEventListener('load', function () {
	if (typeof Litepicker === 'undefined') return;

	function initPicker(el, options) {
		if (!el) return;
		var picker = new Litepicker(Object.assign({ element: el }, options));
		picker.on('render', function () {
			var prev = picker.ui && picker.ui.querySelector('.button-previous-month');
			var next = picker.ui && picker.ui.querySelector('.button-next-month');
			if (prev) prev.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Previous month');
			if (next) next.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Next month');
		});
		return picker;
	}

	initPicker(document.getElementById('datepicker-overview'));
	initPicker(document.getElementById('datepicker-basic'));
	initPicker(document.getElementById('datepicker-icon'));
	initPicker(document.getElementById('datepicker-icon-prepend'));
	initPicker(document.getElementById('datepicker-inline'), { inlineMode: true });
});
`}</script>