Web/API/NodeIterator

The NodeIterator interface represents an iterator over the members of a list of the nodes in a subtree of the DOM. The nodes will be returned in document order.

Syntax

A NodeIterator can be created using the Document.createNodeIterator() method, as follows:

const nodeIterator = document.createNodeIterator(root, whatToShow, filter);

Properties

This interface doesn't inherit any property.

NodeIterator.root Read only

Returns a Node representing the root node as specified when the NodeIterator was created.

NodeIterator.whatToShow Read only

Returns an unsigned long being a bitmask made of constants describing the types of Node that must to be presented. Non-matching nodes are skipped, but their children may be included, if relevant.

The possible values are:

Constant	Numerical value	Description
`NodeFilter.SHOW_ALL`	`-1` (that is the max value of `unsigned long`)	Shows all nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_ATTRIBUTE` '	`2`	Shows attribute `Attr` nodes. This is meaningful only when creating a `NodeIterator` with an `Attr` node as its root; in this case, it means that the attribute node will appear in the first position of the iteration or traversal. Since attributes are never children of other nodes, they do not appear when traversing over the document tree.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_CDATA_SECTION` '	`8`	Shows `CDATASection` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_COMMENT`	`128`	Shows `Comment` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_DOCUMENT`	`256`	Shows `Document` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_DOCUMENT_FRAGMENT`	`1024`	Shows `DocumentFragment` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_DOCUMENT_TYPE`	`512`	Shows `DocumentType` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_ELEMENT`	`1`	Shows `Element` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_ENTITY` '	`32`	Shows `Entity` nodes. This is meaningful only when creating a `NodeIterator` with an `Entity` node as its root; in this case, it means that the `Entity` node will appear in the first position of the traversal. Since entities are not part of the document tree, they do not appear when traversing over the document tree.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_ENTITY_REFERENCE` '	`16`	Shows `EntityReference` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_NOTATION` '	`2048`	Shows `Notation` nodes. This is meaningful only when creating a `NodeIterator` with a `Notation` node as its root; in this case, it means that the `Notation` node will appear in the first position of the traversal. Since entities are not part of the document tree, they do not appear when traversing over the document tree.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_PROCESSING_INSTRUCTION`	`64`	Shows `ProcessingInstruction` nodes.
`NodeFilter.SHOW_TEXT`	`4`	Shows `Text` nodes.

NodeIterator.filter Read only

Returns a NodeFilter used to select the relevant nodes.

NodeIterator.expandEntityReferences Read only '

Is a Boolean indicating if, when discarding an EntityReference its whole sub-tree must be discarded at the same time.

NodeIterator.referenceNode Read only '

Returns the Node to which the iterator is anchored.

NodeIterator.pointerBeforeReferenceNode Read only '

Returns a Boolean flag that indicates whether the NodeIterator is anchored before, the flag being true, or after, the flag being false, the anchor node.

Methods

This interface doesn't inherit any method.

NodeIterator.detach() ': This operation is a no-op. It doesn't do anything. Previously it was telling the engine that the NodeIterator was no more used, but this is now useless.
NodeIterator.previousNode(): Returns the previous Node in the document, or null if there are none.
NodeIterator.nextNode(): Returns the next Node in the document, or null if there are none.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
DOMThe definition of 'NodeIterator' in that specification.	Living Standard	Added the `referenceNode` and `pointerBeforeReferenceNode` properties. Removed the `expandEntityReferences` property. The method `detach()` has been changed to be a no-op. The methods `previousNode()` and `nextNode()` don't raise an exception any more.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Traversal and Range SpecificationThe definition of 'NodeIterator' in that specification.	Obsolete	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`NodeIterator`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`detach` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox No support 3.5 — 22	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android No support 4 — 22	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`expandEntityReferences` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox No support 3.5 — 21	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android No support 4 — 21	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`filter`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`nextNode`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`pointerBeforeReferenceNode` Experimental'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 17	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE No support No	Opera Full support Yes	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support Yes	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`previousNode`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`referenceNode` Experimental'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 17	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE No support No	Opera Full support Yes	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support Yes	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`root`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`whatToShow`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.5	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 3	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.': Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.': Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.': Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.