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JavaScript jQuery Basics (2014) Creating a Mobile Drop Down Menu Perform: Part 1

Calum Hartley
Calum Hartley
6,959 Points
Posted by Calum Hartley
Calum Hartley
6,959 Points

Why do you need dollar sign before appending html to a page?

What is the difference between:

var $select = $("<select></select>"); $("#menu").append($select);

and

var $select = "<select></select>"; $("#menu").append($select);

Notice that the second version is without the $ sign and parentheses when assigning to the variable. I tested both and they both have the same outcome.

Thanks.

1 Answer

rydavim
rydavim
18,813 Points
rydavim
rydavim
18,813 Points

For the purposes of the example you're working on, it probably doesn't matter.

However, they are not the same thing. $ is shorthand for jQuery, so that first version is the a jQuery object - whereas the second is just an empty string.

console.log($("")); // Object {  }
console.log(""); // (empty string)