How to create elements in the DOM using Javascript

In web development, one of the fundamental concepts is the manipulation of the DOM (Document Object Model). The DOM is an in-memory representation of the HTML structure of a web page, and allows us to interact with its elements using Javascript.

What is the DOM?

The Document Object Model (DOM) is a programming interface that allows us to access and manipulate the elements of a web page. Each HTML element is represented as a node in the DOM, and we can manipulate these nodes using different Javascript methods and properties.

Create elements in the DOM

One of the most common tasks when working with the DOM is creating new elements. To do this, we use the method createElement of the interface Document. For example, if we want to create a new element p (paragraph), we can do it as follows:

var newParagraph = document.createElement('p');

Once the element is created, we can modify its properties and attributes using the different properties and methods available. For example, to set the content of the element, we can use the property textContent:

newParagraph.textContent = 'This is a new paragraph created through the DOM';

Finally, to insert the new element into the page, we must use the method appendChild of the parent element to which we want to add it. For example, if we want to add the paragraph to the end of the body:

document.body.appendChild(newParagraph);

Create internal links

Now that we know how to create elements in the DOM, we can use this technique to create internal links in our web pages. For example, if we want to create a link to the contact page of our site, we can do it as follows:

var contactLink = document.createElement('a'); contactLink.href = 'https://nelkodev.com/contacto'; contactLink.textContent = 'Contact'; document.body.appendChild(contactLink);

In this way, we will be creating a new element a (link) with attribute href pointing to the contact page of our site, and the link text will be 'Contact'.

Conclusion

Manipulating the DOM is a fundamental skill in web development, and it allows us to create and modify the elements of a page dynamically. Using Javascript, we can create new elements in the DOM and customize them according to our needs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the DOM?

The DOM (Document Object Model) is a programming interface that allows us to access and manipulate the elements of a web page.

How do you create an element in the DOM using Javascript?

Using the method createElement of the interface Document we can create a new element in the DOM.

How do you insert a created element into the DOM?

Using the method appendChild of the parent element to which we want to add it.

How do you create an internal link in the DOM?

Using the method createElement to create a new element a (link) and modifying its properties and attributes according to our needs.