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DOM Node insertBefore() Method
Example
Insert an item in a list:
document.getElementById("myList").insertBefore(newItem,existingItem);
Before inserting:
- Coffee
- Tea
After inserting:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
Try it yourself »
Definition and Usage
The insertBefore() method inserts a node as a child, right before an existing child, which you specify.
Tip: If you want to create a new list item, with text, remember to create the text as a Text node wich you append to the LI element, then insert the LI to the list.
You can also use the insertBefore method to insert/move an existing element.
Example
Move a list item from one list to another:
var node=document.getElementById("myList2").lastChild;
var list=document.getElementById("myList1");
list.insertBefore(node,list.childNodes[0]);
var list=document.getElementById("myList1");
list.insertBefore(node,list.childNodes[0]);
Before inserting:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Water
- Milk
After insertBefore:
- Milk
- Coffee
- Tea
- Water
Try it yourself »
The insertBefore() method is supported in all major browsers.
Syntax
node.insertBefore(newnode,existingnode)
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| newnode | Node object | Required. The node object you want to insert |
| existingnode | Node object | Required. The child node you want to insert the new node before |
Return Value
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Node object | The node you inserted |
Technical Details
| DOM Version | Core Level 1 |
|---|
Node Object
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