.last()

Categories: Traversing > Filtering

.last() Returns: jQuery

Description: Reduce the set of matched elements to the final one in the set.

version added: 1.4.last()

Given a jQuery object that represents a set of DOM elements, the .last() method constructs a new jQuery object from the last matching element.

Consider a page with a simple list on it:

<ul>
  <li>list item 1</li>
  <li>list item 2</li>
  <li>list item 3</li>
  <li>list item 4</li>
  <li>list item 5</li>
</ul>

We can apply this method to the set of list items:

$('li').last().css('background-color', 'red');

The result of this call is a red background for the final item.

Example:

Highlight the last span in a paragraph.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>.highlight{background-color: yellow}</style>
  <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <p><span>Look:</span> <span>This is some text in a paragraph.</span> <span>This is a note about it.</span></p>
<script>$("p span").last().addClass('highlight');</script>

</body>
</html>

Demo:

Support and Contributions

Need help with .last() or have a question about it? Visit the jQuery Forum or the #jquery channel on irc.freenode.net.

Think you've discovered a jQuery bug related to .last()? Report it to the jQuery core team.

Found a problem with this documentation? Report it on the GitHub issue tracker

Anonymous

This is amazing! Exactly what I need to quickly and lazily get the borders off the last item in my lists

naugtur

You always could – with pure CSS selector last

http://www.learningjquery.com/ Karl Swedberg

Well, I suppose you could use the :last-child selector, but that isn’t really the same as .last() and it isn’t supported by IE 6, 7, or 8.

http://leaverou.me Lea Verou

:first-child is supported by IE7+ and in most cases you can easily convert your CSS to use that instead.

Also, you can use li + li to target all list items EXCEPT first child, and that works fine in IE7+ too.

http://www.learningjquery.com/ Karl Swedberg

ok, but neither of those examples has anything to do with the .last() method.

AreN

Before 1.4 one would have to do the following:
var elements = $(“div”);
var lastElement = elements.eq(elements.length);

Note that using $(“ul li”).last() is not the same as $(“ul li:last-child”) (It had me somewhat confused)

http://www.learningjquery.com/ Karl Swedberg

Minor correction to your example:
var elements = $(“div”);
var lastElement = elements.eq(elements.length - 1);

Sergey

Isn’t it just

var lastElement = $(“div:last”);

or

var elements = $(“div”);
var lastElement = elements.filter(“:last”)

?

http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/POC5XYGMH3RARXD4AM6SKP7JE4 Kaleb

Still trying to figure this one out.
Is there any difference between ex:
$(“a.link:last”).text();
and
$(“a.link”).last().text();

Collar

There is no difference in your example, however if you have:
$(“a.link:last, a.otherLink:last”);
and
$(“a.link, a.otherLink”).last();

Then the first would return up to two object, where as the second would only return up to one, being the last link which had either of those classes.

Collar

There is no difference in your example, however if you have:
$(“a.link:last, a.otherLink:last”);
and
$(“a.link, a.otherLink”).last();

Then the first would return up to two object, where as the second would only return up to one, being the last link which had either of those classes.

jQuery API