What is the difference between this and $(this)

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What's the difference between $(this) and this in jQuery?

In jquery selector, the example code is:

<body>
  <select name="garden" multiple="multiple">

    <option>Flowers</option>
    <option selected="selected">Shrubs</option>
    <option>Trees</option>
    <option selected="selected">Bushes</option>

    <option>Grass</option>
    <option>Dirt</option>
  </select>
  <div></div>
<script>

    $("select").change(function () {
          var str = "";
          $("select option:selected").each(function () {
                str += $(this).text() + " "; // I interested it this line
              });
          $("div").text(str);
        })
        .trigger('change');
</script>

</body>

In the example code, there is a portion of code:

str += $(this).text() + " ";

I am wondering, why here does not use str += this.text() + " ";? In another word, why not use this but use $(this) in that portion of code? what is the difference between this and $(this) in this circumstance?

Duplicate of [What's the difference between $(this) and this in jQuery?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3685508/whats-the-difference-between-this-and-this-in-jquery) and/or [jQuery $(this) vs this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1051782/jquery-this-vs-this) and/or a few others :-) — T.J. Crowder, Jun 26 '11 at 13:21

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 26 '11 at 13:19

3

jQuery's each function sets this to the raw DOM element for each call to the iteration callback (docs). Calling $() on that raw element gives you a jQuery object wrapped around it, giving you access to the jQuery functions such as text.

answered Jun 26 '11 at 13:19

T.J. Crowder

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 26 '11 at 13:19

1

this is a standard javascript obect, $(this) is the jQuery-wrapped object, exposing all the jQuery goodness like functions and properties that regular JavaScript does not.

Sometimes the jQuery wrapper is not needed, and could be considered overkill.

answered Jun 26 '11 at 13:19

Neil N

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 26 '11 at 13:20

0

For the same reason you use $("select") and not select. It puts the object into proper jQuery context and returns the jQuery-wrapped object(s).

answered Jun 26 '11 at 13:20

Kon

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 26 '11 at 14:01

0

$("this") is jquery and 'this' is javascript.

answered Jun 26 '11 at 14:01

Bee

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What is the difference between this and $(this)

4 Answers4