History: replaceState() method

{{APIRef("History API")}}

The replaceState() method of the {{domxref("History")}} interface modifies the current history entry, replacing it with the state object and URL passed in the method parameters. This method is particularly useful when you want to update the state object or URL of the current history entry in response to some user action.

Syntax

replaceState(state, unused)
replaceState(state, unused, url)

Parameters

• state
  • : An object which is associated with the history entry passed to the replaceState() method. The state object can be null.
• unused
  • : This parameter exists for historical reasons, and cannot be omitted; passing the empty string is traditional, and safe against future changes to the method.
• url {{optional_inline}}
  • : The URL of the history entry. The new URL must be of the same origin as the current URL; otherwise the replaceState() method throws an exception.

Return value

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

Exceptions

• SecurityError {{domxref("DOMException")}}
  • : Thrown if the associated document is not fully active, or if the provided url parameter is not a valid URL, or if the method is called too frequently.
• DataCloneError {{domxref("DOMException")}}
  • : Thrown if the provided state parameter is not serializable.

Examples

Suppose https://www.mozilla.org/foo.html executes the following JavaScript:

const stateObj = { foo: "bar" };
history.pushState(stateObj, "", "bar.html");

On the next page you could then use history.state to access the stateObj that was just added.

The explanation of these two lines above can be found in the Working with the History API article. Then suppose https://www.mozilla.org/bar.html executes the following JavaScript:

history.replaceState(stateObj, "", "bar2.html");

This will cause the URL bar to display https://www.mozilla.org/bar2.html, but won't cause the browser to load bar2.html or even check that bar2.html exists.

Suppose now that the user navigates to https://www.microsoft.com, then clicks the Back button. At this point, the URL bar will display https://www.mozilla.org/bar2.html. If the user now clicks Back again, the URL bar will display https://www.mozilla.org/foo.html, and totally bypass bar.html.

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}