jQuery .addBack() Method

Posted in jQuery Tutorial

Updated on May 07, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 5 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 0

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

jQuery is renowned for its simplicity and efficiency in DOM manipulation. Among its arsenal of methods, the .addBack() method stands out as a powerful tool for refining and extending jQuery selections.

In this guide, we'll explore the .addBack() method in detail, understanding its syntax, usage, and practical examples to leverage its full potential in your web development projects.

🧠 Understanding .addBack() Method

The .addBack() method in jQuery allows you to add the previous set of elements to the current set of elements in the jQuery object. This is particularly useful when chaining multiple jQuery methods or when you want to include both the original selection and its ancestors or siblings in subsequent operations.

💡 Syntax

The syntax for the .addBack() method is straightforward:

syntax.js

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.addBack([selector])

Parameters

[selector] (Optional): A selector expression to filter the elements that are added back.

📝 Example

Adding Previous Elements to the Current Selection:

Consider a scenario where you have a list of paragraphs, and you want to add the list items containing those paragraphs to your selection. You can achieve this using the .addBack() method as follows:
index.html
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```
<ul>
  <li>Item 1</li>
  <li class="selected">Item 2</li>
  <li>Item 3</li>
</ul>
```
example.js
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```
$("li.selected").next().addBack().css("color", "red");
```
This will change the color of both Item 2 and Item 3 to red, as .next() selects the next sibling of the .selected item, and .addBack() adds the original .selected item back to the selection.
Filtering Elements to Add Back:

You can also provide a selector expression to filter the elements that are added back. For instance, let's add back only the siblings of the selected list item:
example.js
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```
$("li.selected").next().addBack("li").css("font-weight", "bold");
```
This will make both the selected list item and its siblings bold.
Chaining .addBack() with Other Methods:

Combining .addBack() with other jQuery methods opens up a myriad of possibilities. Here's an example where we toggle a class on a parent element along with its children:
index.html
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```
<div class="parent">
  <p>Child 1</p>
  <p class="selected">Child 2</p>
  <p>Child 3</p>
</div>
```
example.js
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```
$(".selected").parent().addBack().toggleClass("highlight");
```
This will toggle the class highlight on both the selected child and its parent.

🎉 Conclusion

The .addBack() method in jQuery provides a convenient way to include both the original selection and its preceding set of elements in subsequent operations. Whether you're refining selections, chaining methods, or filtering elements, .addBack() enhances your ability to manipulate the DOM efficiently.

By mastering its usage, you can streamline your jQuery code and build more dynamic and interactive web applications.