Use jQuery's $.closest() vs $.parents()

jQuery's .closest() vs .parents(): A Detailed Comparison

Choosing between jQuery's .closest() and .parents() methods often hinges on understanding their key differences. This article clarifies their functionalities and provides practical examples.

Method

Starting Point

Search Direction

Return Value

Method	Starting Point	Search Direction	Return Value
.closest()	Current element	Up the DOM tree	Zero or one element
.parents()	Parent element	Up the DOM tree	Zero or more elements (in reverse order)

Current element

Up the DOM tree

Zero or one element

Parent element

Up the DOM tree

Zero or more elements (in reverse order)

The core distinction lies in their starting point. .closest() begins its search with the current element, while .parents() starts with the immediate parent. Both traverse upwards through the DOM tree, but .closest() stops at the first matching ancestor, whereas .parents() continues to the root, collecting all matching ancestors.

A visual representation:

Example using .parents():

This code removes the parent <li> element of a clicked button:

<code class="language-javascript">$('.btn.remove').on('click', _this.cache.$container, function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    console.log('remove...');
    $(this).parents('li').first().remove();
});</code>

Note the .first() method is necessary because .parents() can return multiple elements.

Example using .closest():

This achieves the same result more efficiently:

<code class="language-javascript">$('.btn.remove').on('click', _this.cache.$container, function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    console.log('remove...');
    $(this).closest('li').remove();
});</code>

.closest() directly returns the first matching ancestor, eliminating the need for .first(). This often leads to improved performance, as demonstrated in various benchmarks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

<li>

Main Difference: .closest() searches from the current element, stopping at the first match; .parents() searches from the parent, returning all matches.

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Multiple Elements Returned: .closest() returns at most one; .parents() can return multiple.

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Using without a Selector: .closest() without a selector returns the immediate parent.

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Finding Specific Ancestors: Both methods accept selectors to target specific ancestor elements.

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No Match: Both return an empty jQuery object if no match is found.

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Case Sensitivity: Selectors are case-sensitive.

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Chaining: Both methods allow chaining with other jQuery methods.

In summary, for finding the nearest ancestor matching a specific selector, .closest() is generally preferred for its efficiency and cleaner syntax. .parents() is useful when you need to work with all matching ancestor elements. Choose the method that best suits your specific needs and coding style.

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