HTML DOM Element previousElementSibling attribute

Definition and Usage

previousElementSibling The attribute returns the previous element at the same tree level.

previousElementSibling The attribute is read-only.

See also:

nextElementSibling attribute

children attribute

firstElemenChild property

lastElemenChild property

childElementCount property

HTML node and element

In HTML DOM(Document Object Model), an HTML document is a collection of nodes (or without child nodes).

NodeRefers to element nodes, text nodes, and comment nodes.

ElementThe whitespace between elements is also a text node.

While element is just an element node.

Sibling vs element sibling

SiblingIs 'brother' and 'sister'.

SiblingIs a node that has the same parent node (in the same childNodes in the list).

Element siblingIs an element that has the same parent element (in the same children in the list).

Child nodes vs child elements

childNodes ReturnsChild node(Element node, text node, and comment node).

children ReturnsChild element(Not text and comment nodes).

nextSibling vs nextElementSibling

nextSibling Returns the nextNode(Element node, text node, or comment node). The whitespace between elements is also a text node.

nextElementSibling Returns the nextElement(Does not return text and comment nodes).

previousSibling vs previousElementSibling

previousSibling Returns the previousNode(Element node, text node, or comment node). The whitespace between elements is also a text node.

previousElementSibling Returns the previousElement(Does not return text and comment nodes).

Example

Returns the HTML content of the previous sibling:

let text = element.previousElementSibling.innerHTML;

Try it yourself

Syntax

element.previousElementSibling

Return value

Type Description
Element Previous sibling element.
null If there is no preceding sibling.

Browser support

element.previousElementSibling It is a DOM Level 3 (2004) feature.

All browsers fully support it:

Chrome IE Edge Firefox Safari Opera
Chrome IE Edge Firefox Safari Opera
Support 9-11 Support Support Support Support