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If you want to be a web developer, you need to know what the DOM is. You should know how to pick out different DOM elements so you can read their contents or change them. DOM traversing tells you how to Traverse the DOM Using JavaScript that HTML documents create. Here is a full guide on how to use JavaScript to move through the DOM.
The Document Object Model, or DOM, is a tree-like way to show what an HTML document looks like. It gives you an API that lets you, as a web developer, use JavaScript to interact with a website. Each part of the DOM is called a “node.” The DOM is the only way to change the structure, content, and style of an HTML document.
DOM traversal, also called walking or navigating the DOM, is the process of choosing nodes in the DOM tree from other nodes. You probably already know how to use the id, class, or tag name of an element to get to it in the DOM tree.
How to Traverse the DOM Using JavaScript
Understanding the DOM Tree
The DOM is set up like a tree, with each branch being a node. Even though many nodes stand for HTML elements, they also stand for the attributes and text that go with elements. In the sections that follow, you will learn more about how the DOM tree is put together. You also learn about the parts that are used to identify nodes and groups of nodes, which is the key to accessing nodes in a useful way.
- The
document
object is the base of all of the DOM’s nodes. The nodes are arranged as a tree, with nodes nested under other nodes. Below, is an example of the DOM representation of a simple web page: - Knowing the arrangement of the DOM tree and its leaves, helps you understand how to access specific nodes when working with JavaScript. This is especially true when you are working with more complicated web pages. The Navigating the DOM Tree section of this guide includes a more in-depth discussion on moving around the nodes of the DOM tree.
- Using standard methods on DOM objects. These have been around for a longer time and provide some of the most straightforward selection methods.
- Using query selectors. These are relatively new features in standard JavaScript and provide advanced selection methods. They are ideal when you want to make complicated queries in a few commands.
FAQ
Can you access the DOM using JavaScript?
JavaScript can use the className attribute of an HTML element to find it and return an array of nodes that match. getElementByClassName is the built-in function for this operation ().
How to handle DOM in JavaScript?
- JavaScript can change all the HTML elements in the page.
- JavaScript can change all the HTML attributes in the page.
- JavaScript can change all the CSS styles in the page.
- JavaScript can remove existing HTML elements and attributes.
- JavaScript can add new HTML elements and attributes.
How do I access the DOM of a website?
- Focus your cursor on the Elements panel.
- Press Control + F or Command + F (Mac). The Search bar opens at the bottom of the DOM Tree.
- Type The Moon is a Harsh Mistress . The last sentence is highlighted in the DOM Tree.