What is the function of the <form> tag in HTML?

The

tag in HTML serves the essential function of collecting user input. It provides a structured way for users to submit data through various form elements, such as text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, and dropdown lists. When a user fills out the form and submits it, the data is sent to a server for processing, enabling functionalities like user registration, login, feedback submissions, and many other web-based interactions.

The other options do not describe the primary role of the tag. For instance, the creation of visual layouts is typically achieved through the use of other HTML elements combined with CSS, rather than through the tag itself. Additionally, while the tag can indeed be styled, defining style elements is not its main purpose; that responsibility lies with CSS. Lastly, linking external styles relates to specifying stylesheets using the tag within the section of an HTML document and is unrelated to the user input collection that focuses on.