How to identify if javascript is disabled by browser

Question

I was puzzled with a question. Many browsers like Internet Explorer allows to disable the javascript.

How do I check through whether the user's Browser has disabled javascript or not?

What are you using the check for? It doesn't make sense to check if a user's browser has Javascript enabled, since that would require a programming language like Javascript to be enabled. You could use some `noscript` trickery though. — Waleed Khan, Feb 22 '13 at 15:28
Why do you need to detect? If you are trying to change CSS, a common way is to have a class on your body, `nojs` or something, and then remove it with JavaScript. — Brad, Feb 22 '13 at 15:28
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/121203/how-to-detect-if-javascript-is-disabled — marekful, Feb 22 '13 at 15:28

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:28

2

An approach that e.g. modernizr uses is that you set a class no-js and modernizr then removes that class after finishing.

answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:28

pdu

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:30

1

In addition to pdeurstler's answer, there is an old school way.

It is tad old school but, <noscript>...</noscript> detects JavaScript being disabled and executes the embed HTML.

answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:30

Starx

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+1 should I use script in noscript tag? Is there any example? – Umesh Patil Feb 22 '13 at 15:37
2

@Umesh - You just made my day - using a `script` tag in a `noscript` tag. Genius bro. No. Don't do it. Think before you talk. – Aadit M Shah Feb 22 '13 at 15:40
@AaditMShah, +1 Forgive me yar.. but I didn't get it. – Umesh Patil Feb 22 '13 at 15:41
@Umesh, Ha Ha.. please do not. – Starx Feb 22 '13 at 16:38

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:37

A common solution is to the meta tag in conjunction with noscript to refresh the page and notify the server when JavaScript is disabled, like this:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
    <head>
        <noscript>
            <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; /?javascript=false">
        </noscript>
        <meta charset="UTF-8"/>
        <title></title>
    </head>
</html>

In the above example when JavaScript is disabled the browser will redirect to the home page of the web site in 0 seconds. In addition it will also send the parameter javascript=false to the server.

A server side script such as node.js or PHP can then parse the parameter and come to know that JavaScript is disabled. It can then send a special non-JavaScript version of the web site to the client.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:29

0

Just have some text that says you need javascript to use the site, then onload destroy that text with javascript.

answered Feb 22 '13 at 15:29

Zachrip

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How to identify if javascript is disabled by browser

4 Answers4