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Element: before() method

The Element.before() method inserts a set of Node or string objects in the children list of this Element's parent, just before this Element. String objects are inserted as equivalent Text nodes.

Syntax

before(param1)
before(param1, param2)
before(param1, param2, /* …, */ paramN)

Parameters

param1, …, paramN: A set of Node or string objects to insert.

Return value

None (undefined).

Exceptions

HierarchyRequestError DOMException: Thrown when the node cannot be inserted at the specified point in the hierarchy.

Examples

Inserting an element

let container = document.createElement("div");
let p = document.createElement("p");
container.appendChild(p);
let span = document.createElement("span");

p.before(span);

console.log(container.outerHTML);
// "<div><span></span><p></p></div>"

Inserting text

let container = document.createElement("div");
let p = document.createElement("p");
container.appendChild(p);

p.before("Text");

console.log(container.outerHTML);
// "<div>Text<p></p></div>"

Inserting an element and text

let container = document.createElement("div");
let p = document.createElement("p");
container.appendChild(p);
let span = document.createElement("span");

p.before(span, "Text");

console.log(container.outerHTML);
// "<div><span></span>Text<p></p></div>"

Specifications

Specification
DOM Standard # ref-for-dom-childnode-before①

Browser compatibility

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	WebView Android	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on IOS	Samsung Internet
`before`	54	17	49	No	39	10	54	54	49	41	10	6.0