Learnings

Discussion: Native `date_field` vs alternatives

Discussion: I considered alternatives to the native HTML5 date_field due to inconsistent styling/icon placement across browsers (Chrome vs Firefox vs Safari).
Alternative Considered: Rails date_select helper (outputs three dropdowns: Year, Month, Day). Custom JS date pickers were ruled out by the 37signals philosophy.
Decision: I stuck with date_field for simplicity and reliance on native browser behavior, accepting the minor cross-browser styling limitations. I added (YYYY-MM-DD) format hint to the label for clarity, as placeholder text isn't supported consistently for date inputs.
Learning: Native form elements offer simplicity, accessibility, and avoid JS dependencies but have limited styling control. I learned to weigh the trade-offs between custom solutions (more control, more complexity/JS) and accepting native limitations based on project philosophy (e.g., 37signals favors simplicity and defaults). Providing clear labels and format hints is important.