JavaScript this from jQuery this

Question

Is there a way to get JavaScript this from jQuery this?

Answer 1

There is:

$('a').click(function(){
   var jqueryobject = $(this);
   var domelement   = this;
}); 

Within such a closure, this always represent the native DOM element which must/can be wrapped into a jQuery object.

If you already got a jQuery object and need to get the DOM element either use

var DOMelement = $(this)[0];

or

var DOMelement = $(this).get(0);

Since jQuery objects are array like objects you can always grab them with standard array access [] notation. The jQuery method .get() will actually do the same. With both ways, you'll receive the DOM element at that array position.

General - what is this ?

• this contains a reference to the object of invocation
• this allows a method to know what object it is concerned with
• this allows a single function object to service many functions
• So this is the most important part of all protoypal inheritance things