.toArray()

Categories: Miscellaneous > DOM Element Methods

.toArray() Returns: Array

Description: Retrieve all the DOM elements contained in the jQuery set, as an array.

version added: 1.4.toArray()

.toArray() returns all of the elements in the jQuery set:

alert($('li').toArray());

All of the matched DOM nodes are returned by this call, contained in a standard array:

[<li id="foo">, <li id="bar">]

Example:

Selects all divs in the document and returns the DOM Elements as an Array, then uses the built-in reverse-method to reverse that array.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  span { color:red; }
  </style>
  <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  Reversed - <span></span>

  <div>One</div>
  <div>Two</div>
  <div>Three</div>
<script>

    function disp(divs) {
      var a = [];
      for (var i = 0; i < divs.length; i++) {
        a.push(divs[i].innerHTML);
      }
      $("span").text(a.join(" "));
    }
    
    disp( $("div").toArray().reverse() );
</script>

</body>
</html>

Demo:

Support and Contributions

Need help with .toArray() 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 .toArray()? Report it to the jQuery core team.

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

Joel

Is this different from .get() in some way, or just another name for the same thing?

http://ejohn.org/ John Resig

Yep, it's identical to .get(), just a different (and more usable) name. Although, .get() takes an argument for retrieving a single element and .toArray() does not.
http://bobbonifield.com Bob Bonifield

Just some sugga!

AreN

You can treat a jQuery object as an array in some cases, however it seems that some array functions are missing (!?). For example you can get the dom element this way:
var elements = $(“div”);
for(var i=0; i<elements.length; i++) { var element = elements[i]; }

If you feel like peeking at the jquery object, run “console.dir($(“#myElement”));” in firebug.
Hari Karam Singh

Are the elements of the array JQuery objects or native JS DOM ones?
Hari Karam Singh

Are the elements of the array JQuery objects or native JS DOM ones?

jQuery API