Element: before() method

The Element.before() method inserts a set of {{domxref("Node")}} objects or strings in the children list of this Element's parent, just before this Element. Strings are inserted as equivalent {{domxref("Text")}} nodes.

Syntax

js-nolint

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

Parameters

param1, …, paramN
- : A set of {{domxref("Node")}} objects or strings to insert.

Return value

None ({{jsxref("undefined")}}).

Exceptions

HierarchyRequestError {{DOMxRef("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>"