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JavaScript

Posted by docgunthrop
docgunthrop
12,445 Points

Does event.preventDefault() require jQuery?

At about 3:29 in the video, Dave states that the event.preventDefault() method is a "jQuery thing". But in the MDN documentation, there is no mention of jQuery, which may suggest that this method does not necessitate the use of jQuery, and, parenthetically, that this method does not originate from jQuery.

Is anybody certain on the origins of this method?

3 Answers

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,149 Points
Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,149 Points

The good news is it's not specifically tied to jquery. preventDefault is a dom method per the w3. Read it here: https://www.w3.org/TR/DOM-Level-2-Events/events.html#Events-flow-cancelation

Erik Nuber
Erik Nuber
20,629 Points

I read the documentation, could you elaborate on that? I would like to understand myself. Does this mean we can use

function whatever(event) {
   event.preventDefault
}

without having the jQuery library CDN or download in our html file?

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,149 Points

Yeah, check this out.

Disclaimer, I'm pretty noobish with pure js, I'll be the first to say that.

jQuery's example at the bottom of the page: https://api.jquery.com/event.preventdefault/

Rewritten without jQuery, go ahead, check under the JS settings, no jQuery needed: http://codepen.io/kevink/pen/zBWjpd

Erik Nuber
Erik Nuber
20,629 Points

Thank you for taking the time to do that. Even watching and rewatching the same videos over and over there are definitely still many things I am missing.

docgunthrop
docgunthrop
12,445 Points

Thanks, Kevin. I had a strong feeling that was the case but, at my experience level, I'm not in any position to refute the words of an instructor.

Erik Nuber
Erik Nuber
20,629 Points
Erik Nuber
Erik Nuber
20,629 Points

yes, it is apart of the jQuery library.

https://api.jquery.com/event.preventdefault/

Kevin Kenger
Kevin Kenger
32,834 Points
Kevin Kenger
Kevin Kenger
32,834 Points

Yup, it's a method that's included in the DOM API. The DOM version is actually a bit different than jQuery's though. While on the surface they do the same thing, internally the code is being handled a little differently. But yeah, you can use it without including jQuery.