JavaScript - Using QuerySelector on multi-nested lists

Question

If I have a nested list like this:

<div class="nav">
    <ul>
        <li><a href="#number-one">Number 1</a></li>
        <li><a href="#number-two">Number 2</a></li>
        <ul>
            <li><a href="#number-three">Number 3</a></li>
            <li><a href="#number-four">Number 4</a></li>
        </ul>
        <li><a href="#number-five">Number 5</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>

I want to be able to get the href values from every one of these links using querySelector.

Something like this only returns the links in the top level :

const getNav = document.querySelector('.nav li');

How can I get all of the href values from every link in a nested list?

I think it should get them all. If not, I'll delete this comment. Just make sure you use `document.querySelectorAll()` if you want to select multiple elements — IT goldman, Jul 11 '22 at 18:46
Something like `[...document.querySelectorAll('.nav li>a')].map(dom => dom.href);` ? — nick zoum, Jul 11 '22 at 18:46

XMehdi01 · Answer 1 · 2022-07-11T18:56:30.027

1

In one line with querySelectorAll & map :

[...document.querySelectorAll('.nav li a')].map(({href})=>href)

Gives result:

['https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72943233/javas…ng-queryselector-on-multi-nested-lists#number-one', 'https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72943233/javas…ng-queryselector-on-multi-nested-lists#number-two', 'https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72943233/javas…-queryselector-on-multi-nested-lists#number-three', 'https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72943233/javas…g-queryselector-on-multi-nested-lists#number-four', 'https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72943233/javas…g-queryselector-on-multi-nested-lists#number-five']

live example

console.log([...document.querySelectorAll('.nav li a')].map(({href})=>href))

<div class="nav">
    <ul>
        <li><a href="#number-one">Number 1</a></li>
        <li><a href="#number-two">Number 2</a></li>
        <ul>
            <li><a href="#number-three">Number 3</a></li>
            <li><a href="#number-four">Number 4</a></li>
        </ul>
        <li><a href="#number-five">Number 5</a></li>
    </ul>
</div>

edited Jul 11 '22 at 18:56

answered Jul 11 '22 at 18:52

XMehdi01

5,538
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Might as well add a live example – nick zoum Jul 11 '22 at 18:55
1

Added see update! – XMehdi01 Jul 11 '22 at 18:56
Great answer, could still improve it by mentioning the difference between `.href` and `.getAttribute("href")` – nick zoum Jul 11 '22 at 19:09
1

Glad to help, Yes there's a difference and already [answered](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10280250/getattribute-versus-element-object-properties) – XMehdi01 Jul 11 '22 at 19:11
I know, I meant you should include that in your answer – nick zoum Jul 11 '22 at 19:18

Tomas Caetano · Answer 2 · 2022-07-11T19:02:10.217

querySelector only returns one element, in this case you will get the first li element after the nav class. To get all li you can use: querySelectorAll - as it return an array matching your select options. MDN DOCS

To get an attribute you'll use: element.getAttribute('href')

MDN DOCS

Example:

let elements = document.querySelectorAll('.nav li a')
elements.forEach(el => { 
 // logic goes here 
 let href = el.getAttribute('href')
})

Atena Dadkhah · Answer 3 · 2022-07-11T19:03:34.377

0

You can use this code to get every href values.

const getNav = document.querySelectorAll('.nav li a');
   
    getNav.forEach(element=>{
        console.log(element.getAttribute("href"))
    })

querySelectorAll gets all of the a elements that are in .nav li then by a foreach loop you'll be able to get all href values of them.

edited Jul 11 '22 at 19:03

answered Jul 11 '22 at 18:57

Atena Dadkhah

623
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JavaScript - Using QuerySelector on multi-nested lists

3 Answers3

live example