What is the purpose of the <input> tag in a form?

The purpose of the tag in a form is to create interactive controls that allow users to enter data. This tag supports various types of input fields, such as text boxes, radio buttons, checkboxes, and more, enabling the user to interact with the form in different ways based on the type of input control specified.

When you use the tag, you can set its "type" attribute to specify what kind of input you want the user to provide, enhancing the form's functionality and user experience. For instance, an input of type "text" allows for text entry, while an input of type "checkbox" enables toggling a boolean value. This versatility makes the tag a fundamental component in creating forms for user data submission and interaction on web pages.

In contrast, while there are other HTML elements that might handle specific tasks within a form (like creating submission buttons or displaying text), the unique role of the tag is to facilitate user interaction primarily through data input. Formatting the layout of the form may involve other HTML or CSS techniques but is not the responsibility of the tag.