jQuery event.type Property

Posted in jQuery Tutorial

Updated on May 15, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 35 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

jQuery is a powerful library that makes it easier to handle events in web development. One useful property in jQuery's event handling is the event.type property. This property allows you to determine the type of event that was triggered, enabling more precise control over your event-driven code.

In this guide, we will explore the event.type property, its syntax, and practical examples to help you harness its potential.

🧠 Understanding event.type Property

The event.type property in jQuery returns a string representing the type of event that was triggered. This can be particularly useful when you have multiple event handlers and need to distinguish between different types of events.

💡 Syntax

The syntax for the event.type property is straightforward:

syntax.js

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event.type

📝 Example

Logging the Event Type:

A basic use case for event.type is to log the type of event to the console. This can help you understand which events are being triggered and debug your code more effectively.
index.html
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```
<button id="myButton">Click me</button>
```
example.js
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```
$("#myButton").on("click mouseenter", function(event) {
  console.log("Event type: " + event.type);
});
```
In this example, clicking or hovering over the button will log the event type ("click" or "mouseenter") to the console.
Handling Multiple Event Types Differently:

You can use the event.type property to perform different actions based on the type of event that was triggered.
index.html
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```
<button id="actionButton">Action</button>
```
example.js
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```
$("#actionButton").on("click dblclick", function(event) {
  if (event.type === "click") {
      alert("Button clicked!");
  } else if (event.type === "dblclick") {
      alert("Button double-clicked!");
  }
});
```
Here, a single event handler differentiates between a click and a double-click, displaying different alerts accordingly.
Applying Conditional Logic Based on Event Type:

Using event.type can help you apply conditional logic based on the specific event type, making your event handling more flexible.
index.html
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```
<div id="eventDiv">Hover or Click me</div>
```
example.js
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```
$("#eventDiv").on("click mouseenter", function(event) {
    if (event.type === "click") {
        $(this).css("background-color", "lightgreen");
    } else if (event.type === "mouseenter") {
        $(this).css("background-color", "lightblue");
    }
});
```
In this example, the background color of the div changes to light green on a click and light blue on mouse enter.
Combining event.type with event Delegation:

When using event delegation, the event.type property remains just as useful. It allows you to handle events for dynamically added elements.
index.html
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```
<div id="container">
  <button class="dynamicButton">Click me</button>
</div>
```
example.js
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```
$("#container").on("click", ".dynamicButton", function(event) {
  alert("Event type: " + event.type);
});
```
Even if the buttons are added dynamically to the container, the event handler will correctly identify the event type when a button is clicked.

🎉 Conclusion

The jQuery event.type property is an essential tool for handling and distinguishing between different types of events. Whether you are logging events for debugging, handling multiple event types with a single handler, or applying conditional logic based on the event type, this property provides a straightforward and powerful way to enhance your event-driven code.

By mastering the event.type property, you can create more responsive and interactive web applications.