jQuery .prepend() Method

Posted in jQuery Tutorial

Updated on May 09, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 6 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 0

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

jQuery is renowned for its simplicity and effectiveness in manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM) of a web page. One of the essential methods in jQuery's arsenal is the .prepend() method. This method allows you to insert content at the beginning of selected elements, offering a seamless way to dynamically modify your webpage's structure.

In this guide, we'll explore the versatility of the jQuery .prepend() method through practical examples and explanations.

🧠 Understanding .prepend() Method

The .prepend() method inserts specified content as the first child of each element in the jQuery collection. It seamlessly integrates into jQuery's syntax, making it easy to enhance your webpage's interactivity and user experience.

💡 Syntax

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

syntax.js

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$(selector).prepend(content)

📝 Example

Adding Text at the Beginning of an Element:

Let's say you have a <div> element with some existing content, and you want to prepend additional text to it dynamically:
index.html
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```
<div id="myDiv">Existing Content</div>
```
example.js
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```
$("#myDiv").prepend("New Text: ");
```
After executing this code, the content of myDiv will become "New Text: Existing Content".
Prepending HTML Elements:

You can also prepend HTML elements to a target element. For instance, let's prepend a <span> element with a specific class to a <div>:
index.html
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```
<div id="targetDiv">Existing Content</div>
```
example.js
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```
$("#targetDiv").prepend("<span class='highlight'>New Element</span>");
```
This will add the <span> element with the class highlight as the first child of targetDiv.
Prepending Multiple Elements:

The .prepend() method can handle multiple elements simultaneously. Here's how you can prepend multiple paragraphs to a <div>:
index.html
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```
<div id="targetDiv">Existing Content</div>
```
example.js
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```
var paragraphs = "<p>Paragraph 1</p><p>Paragraph 2</p><p>Paragraph 3</p>";
$("#targetDiv").prepend(paragraphs);
```
This will add three paragraphs as the first children of targetDiv.
Combining .prepend() with .each() for Iteration:

If you have multiple target elements and want to prepend different content to each of them, you can utilize .each() along with .prepend(). For example:
index.html
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```
<div class="target">First Target</div>
<div class="target">Second Target</div>
<div class="target">Third Target</div>
```
example.js
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```
$(".target").each(function() {
  $(this).prepend("<span>Prefix: </span>");
});
```
his will prepend a <span> element containing "Prefix: " to each .target element.

🎉 Conclusion

The jQuery .prepend() method empowers developers to manipulate the DOM dynamically with ease. Whether you need to add text, HTML elements, or multiple elements at the beginning of selected elements, .prepend() offers a straightforward solution.

By mastering its usage, you can enhance the interactivity and user experience of your web pages effortlessly.