The root element of the Document Object Model (DOM) is the <html> element. It represents the root of the HTML document tree and encapsulates all other elements within the document. The DOM tree is a hierarchical representation of the structure of an HTML document, with the <html> element serving as the highest level or starting point.
Key Points:
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Root Element: The
<html>element is the top-level element in the DOM hierarchy, representing the entire HTML document. -
Encapsulation: All other elements within the HTML document are descendants of the
<html>element and are encapsulated within it. -
Parent Element: While the
<html>element is the root of the DOM tree, it serves as the parent element for the<head>and<body>elements, which encapsulate metadata and document content, respectively. - DOM Manipulation: Developers can manipulate the DOM tree programmatically using JavaScript to access, modify, or add elements dynamically.
Features:
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Basic Structure: The HTML document begins with the
<html>element, followed by the<head>and<body>elements, which contain metadata and document content, respectively. -
Hierarchical Representation: The DOM tree represents the hierarchical structure of the HTML document, with the
<html>element at the root and child elements nested within it. -
Accessing the Root Element: Developers can access the root element of the DOM using JavaScript methods such as
document.documentElementor by querying for the<html>element directly. - DOM Manipulation: The root element and its descendants can be manipulated using JavaScript to dynamically update the content, structure, or styling of the HTML document.