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JavaScript JavaScript and the DOM (Retiring) Getting a Handle on the DOM Selection Review

Angelica Islas
Angelica Islas
4,082 Points

How do I solve this problem

How would you select the body element using document.getElementsByTagName, and store it in the variable body?

(Hint: Don't forget that this method returns a zero-based collection, not a single element.)

const body = document.getElementsByTagName['body'];

1 Answer

Hi Angelica,

you are close...

First tiny thing is you have to use the () brackets not the square brackets [] after document.getElementsByTagName.

So it's document.getElementsByTagName("body") not document.getElementsByTagName["body"].

But then afterwards you use the square brackets [] to define the index of the selected element. Because as the hint says document.getElementsByTagName gives you a "a zero-based collection, not a single element".

So if you want the first item in the collection you add [0], if you want the second you add [1] etc.

So in this case the collection only has ONE body you can just add [0] at the end.

document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]

Makes sense?

Blessings from Berlin and happy java-scripting, Nils

PS: If my answer helped you or solved your issues, please upvote my answer and/or mark it as "Best answer" (so people browsing the community forum know your issue is solved)