How can you check for a #hash in a URL using JavaScript?

Question

I have some jQuery/JavaScript code that I want to run only when there is a hash (#) anchor link in a URL. How can you check for this character using JavaScript?

Answer 1

Most people are aware of the URL properties in document.location. That's great if you're only interested in the current page. But the question was about being able to parse anchors on a page not the page itself.

What most people seem to miss is that those same URL properties are also available to anchor elements:

// To process anchors on click    
jQuery('a').click(function () {
   if (this.hash) {
      // Clicked anchor has a hash
   } else {
      // Clicked anchor does not have a hash
   }
});

// To process anchors without waiting for an event
jQuery('a').each(function () {
   if (this.hash) {
      // Current anchor has a hash
   } else {
      // Current anchor does not have a hash
   }
});