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JavaScript jQuery Basics (2014) Creating a Simple Drawing Application Perform: Part 1

Gavin Broekema
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Gavin Broekema
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 22,443 Points
Posted by Gavin Broekema
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Gavin Broekema
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 22,443 Points

$(this)

Can someone give me some more insight as to when I should be using this vs. not? In previous lessons Andrew has exchanged the $(this) with variables, which has left me completely confused.

1 Answer

Rick Buffington
Rick Buffington
8,146 Points
Rick Buffington
Rick Buffington
8,146 Points

The this object is a reference to the parent object in the current function/scope. For example:

$("#potato").click(function() {
  $(this).hide();
}

In the above example, this refers to the #potato item that jQuery selected. The reason for this is because when $(this) is being referenced, it is within the click function. You could have also written it as:

$("#potato").click(function() {
  $("#potato").hide();
}

The two are equivalents - however this may be more appropriate when dealing with multiple jQuery selectors.