What's the point of having hidden input in HTML? What are common uses for this?

Question

I don\'t see the benefit of having hidden input? If you set the value of the hidden input why not just use that value at the point where you reference this hidden input?

Answer 1

All answers explained why we using hidden inputs in form but here is the security concern.

Security concern

Using hidden inputs in forms can be tampered/changed by View source or using developer tools in any browser.

Solution

Use cryptography in your code/project to avoid changing values in hidden input by attackers/hackers.

Generic Solution

If you want to store any data in hidden input first encrypt the data and store them in hidden input. When form is submitted then decrypt them if values not change then save your data. If changed then show some error or else.

Further reading

Cryptography

Wiki Cryptography

---

For framework Developers

Other framework developers can find cryptography in their framework.

Cryptography in Laravel(PHP)

Cryptography in .Net

Cryptography in Django