How to check if an element has any children in JavaScript ?

The task is find out whether an element is having child elements or not with the help of JavaScript. We’re going to discuss few techniques.

Approach:

  • Select the Parent Element.
  • Use one of the firstChild, childNodes.length, children.length property to find whether element has child or not.
  • hasChildNodes() method can also be used to find the child of the parent node.

Example 1: In this example, hasChildNodes() method is used to determine the child of <div> element.

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<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
  
<head>
    <title>
        How to check if element has
        any children in JavaScript ?
    </title>
</head>
  
<body style="text-align:center;">
      
    <h1 style="color:green;"> 
        GeeksForGeeks
    </h1>
      
    <div id="div">
        <p id="GFG_UP" style=
            "font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;">
        </p>
    </div>
      
    <button onclick="GFG_Fun()">
        click here
    </button>
      
    <p id="GFG_DOWN" style=
        "color:green; font-size:24px; font-weight:bold;">
    </p>
      
    <script>
        var parentDiv = document.getElementById("div");
        var el_up = document.getElementById("GFG_UP");
        var el_down = document.getElementById("GFG_DOWN");
          
        el_up.innerHTML = "Click on the button to check "
                    + "whether element has children.";
  
        function GFG_Fun() {
            var ans = "Element <div> has no children";
              
            if (parentDiv.hasChildNodes()) {
                ans = "Element <div> has children";
            }
              
            el_down.innerHTML = ans;
        }
    </script>
</body>
  
</html>

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Output:


    

  • 
Before clicking on the button:
    


    • 

  • 
After clicking on the button:
    


    • 



Example 2: In this example, children.length Property is used to determine the child of <div> element.











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<!DOCTYPE HTML> 


<html> 


  


<head> 


    <title> 


        How to check if element has 


        any children in JavaScript ? 


    </title> 


</head> 


  


<body style="text-align:center;"> 


      


    <h1 style="color:green;">  


        GeeksForGeeks 


    </h1> 


      


    <div id="div"> 


        <p id="GFG_UP" style= 


            "font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"> 


        </p> 


    </div> 


      


    <button onclick="GFG_Fun()"> 


        click here 


    </button> 


      


    <p id="GFG_DOWN" style= 


        "color:green; font-size:24px; font-weight:bold;"> 


    </p> 


      


    <script> 


        var parentDiv = document.getElementById("div"); 


        var el_up = document.getElementById("GFG_UP"); 


        var el_down = document.getElementById("GFG_DOWN"); 


          


        el_up.innerHTML = "Click on the button to "+ 


                "check whether element has children."; 


  


        function GFG_Fun() { 


            var ans = "Element <div> has no children"; 


              


            if (parentDiv.children.length > 0) { 


                ans = "Element <div> has children"; 


            } 


              


            el_down.innerHTML = ans; 


        } 


    </script> 


</body> 


  


</html> 



















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Output:


    

  • 
Before clicking on the button:
    


    • 

  • 
After clicking on the button:
    


    • 



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