get parent element javascript with code examples

JavaScript provides various methods to access and manipulate the elements of a webpage, including the ability to access parent elements of a given element. In this article, we will explore the different ways to get the parent element of a given element using JavaScript.

The most common way to get the parent element of a given element is by using the parentNode property. The parentNode property returns the parent node of a given element as an object. Here is an example of how to use the parentNode property:

let childElement = document.getElementById("child");
let parentElement = childElement.parentNode;
console.log(parentElement);

In this example, we first get the child element with the id "child" using the getElementById() method. We then access the parentNode property of the child element, which returns the parent element as an object. We can then use the console.log() method to display the parent element in the console.

Another way to get the parent element of a given element is by using the parentElement property. The parentElement property is similar to the parentNode property, but it only returns the parent element as an object, rather than the parent node. Here is an example of how to use the parentElement property:

let childElement = document.getElementById("child");
let parentElement = childElement.parentElement;
console.log(parentElement);

In this example, we again get the child element with the id "child" using the getElementById() method. We then access the parentElement property of the child element, which returns the parent element as an object. We can then use the console.log() method to display the parent element in the console.

Another way to get the parent element of a given element is by using the closest() method. The closest() method returns the first ancestor (parent, grandparent, etc.) of an element that matches a given CSS selector. Here is an example of how to use the closest() method:

let childElement = document.getElementById("child");
let parentElement = childElement.closest(".parent-class");
console.log(parentElement);

In this example, we again get the child element with the id "child" using the getElementById() method. We then use the closest() method with a CSS selector of ".parent-class" to find the first ancestor of the child element that has the class "parent-class". We can then use the console.log() method to display the parent element in the console.

Finally, you can also traverse the DOM tree using the parentElement property in a loop. It will give you the parent element of an element until there is no parent element. It's useful when you want to check all the parent elements of an element and their properties.

let childElement = document.getElementById("child");
let parentElement = childElement.parentElement;

while (parentElement) {
  console.log(parentElement);
  parentElement = parentElement.parentElement;
}

In this example, we again get the child element with the id "child" using the getElementById() method. We then use a while loop, which will run as long as the parentElement is not null and access the parentElement property inside the loop which gives the parent element and again assigns the value to the parent
Another related topic when working with elements in JavaScript is the concept of siblings. Siblings refer to elements that share the same parent element. There are several ways to access the siblings of a given element in JavaScript, including the following:

• The previousSibling and nextSibling properties: These properties allow you to access the previous and next siblings of a given element, respectively. They return the siblings as objects, and can be used in the following way:

let currentElement = document.getElementById("current");
let previousSibling = currentElement.previousSibling;
let nextSibling = currentElement.nextSibling;
console.log(previousSibling);
console.log(nextSibling);

• The previousElementSibling and nextElementSibling properties: These properties work similarly to the previousSibling and nextSibling properties, but they only return the siblings that are elements, rather than text nodes or other types of nodes.

let currentElement = document.getElementById("current");
let previousElementSibling = currentElement.previousElementSibling;
let nextElementSibling = currentElement.nextElementSibling;
console.log(previousElementSibling);
console.log(nextElementSibling);

• The siblings() method: This method allows you to access all of the siblings of a given element, and is typically used in conjunction with a library such as jQuery.

let currentElement = $("#current");
let siblings = currentElement.siblings();
console.log(siblings);

Another related topic is traversing the DOM tree. Traversing the DOM tree refers to moving through the different elements and nodes of a webpage in order to access and manipulate specific elements. There are several methods and properties that can be used to traverse the DOM tree in JavaScript, including the following:

• The childNodes and children properties: These properties allow you to access the child nodes and child elements of a given element, respectively. The childNodes property returns all child nodes, including text nodes, whereas the children property only returns child elements.

let parentElement = document.getElementById("parent");
let childNodes = parentElement.childNodes;
let children = parentElement.children;
console.log(childNodes);
console.log(children);

• The firstChild and lastChild properties: These properties allow you to access the first and last child nodes of a given element, respectively.

let parentElement = document.getElementById("parent");
let firstChild = parentElement.firstChild;
let lastChild = parentElement.lastChild;
console.log(firstChild);
console.log(lastChild);

• The firstElementChild and lastElementChild properties: These properties work similarly to the firstChild and lastChild properties, but they only return the first and last child elements of a given element, rather than all child nodes.

let parentElement = document.getElementById("parent");
let firstElementChild = parentElement.firstElementChild;
let lastElementChild = parentElement.lastElementChild;
console.log(firstElementChild);
console.log(lastElementChild);

In summary, JavaScript provides various

Popular questions

1. What is the most common way to get the parent element of a given element in JavaScript?

• The most common way to get the parent element of a given element in JavaScript is by using the parentNode property.

2. What is the difference between the parentNode and parentElement properties in JavaScript?

• The parentNode property returns the parent node of a given element as an object, while the parentElement property returns the parent element of a given element as an object.

3. How can you use the closest() method in JavaScript to get the parent element of a given element?

• The closest() method can be used by passing a CSS selector to it, it will return the first ancestor (parent, grandparent, etc.) of an element that matches the given CSS selector.

4. How can you access the siblings of a given element in JavaScript?

• The previousSibling and nextSibling properties can be used to access the previous and next siblings of a given element, respectively. The previousElementSibling and nextElementSibling properties can also be used, which only return the siblings that are elements.

5. What is traversing the DOM tree and what are some ways to traverse the DOM tree in JavaScript?

• Traversing the DOM tree refers to moving through the different elements and nodes of a webpage in order to access and manipulate specific elements. Ways to traverse the DOM tree in JavaScript include using the childNodes, children, firstChild, lastChild, firstElementChild, and lastElementChild properties, as well as the siblings() method and while loops with parentElement property.

Tag

DOM (Document Object Model)