children vs childNodes
Written byPhuoc Nguyen
Category
DOM
Created
04 Sep, 2023
If you're using the JavaScript Document Object Model (DOM) to access an element's child nodes, you have two options:
`children` and `childNodes`. Although these properties may seem similar at first glance, they actually work a bit differently. Let's dive in!To show the contrast between two properties, let's imagine you have an unordered list (
`ul`) with a comment node (wrapped inside `<!-- and -->`), and three list items (`li`).<ul>
<!-- Here are some sample items -->
<li>A</li>
<li>B</li>
<li>C</li>
</ul>#The children property
The
`children` property is pretty handy. It lets you grab all of the child elements of an element, but not any non-element nodes like text or comment nodes.Here's an example:
const parent = document.querySelector('ul');
const children = parent.children;
console.log(children.length); // 3You can use the
`querySelector` method to grab the list element, and then use the `children` property to get all of its child elements. Easy-peasy!#The childNodes property
On the other hand, the
`childNodes` property returns all of the child nodes of an element, including non-element nodes like text or comment nodes.To help you understand this concept better, here's an example:
const parent = document.querySelector('ul');
const childNodes = parent.childNodes;
console.log(childNodes.length); // 4In this example, we use the
`querySelector` method to select the list element. Then, we retrieve a collection of all the child nodes of the parent element using the `childNodes` property.It's important to note that, unlike the
`children` property, the `childNodes` property includes the comment node `<!-- Here are some sample items -->`. This is why the `childNodes.length` returns the number 4.Good to knowBoth`children`and`childNodes`return a collection of nodes that is constantly updated. To learn more, check out the Dynamic vs static NodeList post.
Questions? 🙋
Do you have any questions? Not just about this specific post, but about any topic in front-end development that you'd like to learn more about? If so, feel free to send me a message on Twitter or send me an email. You can find them at the bottom of this page.
I have a long list of upcoming posts, but your questions or ideas for the next one will be my top priority. Let's learn together! Sharing knowledge is the best way to grow 🥷.
Recent posts ⚡
Copy the content of an element to your clipboard
01 Oct, 2023
Make a text area fit its content automatically
30 Sep, 2023
Quickly insert alternate characters while typing
30 Sep, 2023
Zebra-like background
30 Sep, 2023
Add autocomplete to your text area
28 Sep, 2023
Linear scale of a number between two ranges
28 Sep, 2023
Highlight the current line in a text area
27 Sep, 2023
Create your own custom cursor in a text area
27 Sep, 2023
Mirror a text area for improving user experience
26 Sep, 2023
Display the line numbers in a text area
24 Sep, 2023
Select a given line in a text area
24 Sep, 2023
Newsletter 🔔
If you're into front-end technologies and you want to see more of the content I'm creating, then you might want to consider subscribing to my newsletter.
By subscribing, you'll be the first to know about new articles, products, and exclusive promotions.
Don't worry, I won't spam you. And if you ever change your mind, you can unsubscribe at any time.
Phước Nguyễn