innerHTML vs appendChild: Which Should You Use for Optimal DOM Manipulation?

innerHTML vs appendChild: What Happens Under the Hood?

When working with DOM manipulation, developers often grapple with the choice between using "innerHTML = ..." and "appendChild(txtNode)". Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these methods is crucial for optimizing performance and preventing unintended consequences.

ReFlow and DOM Rebuild

Both methods trigger a "ReFlow", a process where the browser recalculates the position and size of elements. However, unlike "innerHTML = ...", "appendChild(txtNode)" does not cause a complete rebuild of the DOM.

innerHTML's Side Effects

Setting "innerHTML" replaces the existing content with new HTML. This causes references to previously existing child nodes to become invalid. This happens because the DOM is rebuilt, creating new nodes and replacing the references.

appendChild's Efficiency

When appending a text node via "appendChild", the DOM does not need to be rebuilt for the entire target element. Instead, it appends the new node as a child of the target. References to existing child nodes remain intact.

Other Append Options

In addition to "innerHTML" and "appendChild", several other options are available for appending content:

• append: Appends nodes or HTML strings to an element. Supports multiple arguments and HTML strings.
• insertAdjacentHTML: Inserts HTML into or adjacent to an element, using arguments to specify the position ("beforebegin", "afterbegin", "beforeend", "afterend").
• insertAdjacentText: Inserts text into or adjacent to an element, avoiding HTML parsing.

Best Practices for Appending

When dealing with appending content, consider the following:

• Use "appendChild" or "append" for efficient appending without affecting existing nodes.
• Use "innerHTML" for full content replacement.
• Explore "insertAdjacentHTML" or "insertAdjacentText" for flexibility and variable placement.

Understanding the nuances of these methods will empower you to make informed decisions during DOM manipulation, ensuring performance optimalization and reliable behavior.

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