Access <html> node

Question

I'd like to add a class to the <html> element and run the code for it in the <head> element. What's the best way to do that?

document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0].className = 'class';

or

document.documentElement.className = 'class';

Take great care when doing this, especially on the anti-browser. Do test on all supported browsers, because some consider the html element special in some way. — rid
– rid, Commented Jun 1, 2011 at 0:25
Why would you need to add a class to <html> instead of the <body> ? — Teneff
– Teneff, Commented Jun 1, 2011 at 0:26

McKayla · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-01 00:24:30Z

4

Neither way is really 'better', but documentElement is a tiny bit faster, because it doesn't have to run the matching function, so go with it.

answered Jun 1, 2011 at 0:24

McKayla

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1 Comment

document.body.parentNode

Ben · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-01 00:25:45Z

3

Modernizr seems to use document.documentElement (by looking at the source).

I guess that's a good reference :)

answered Jun 1, 2011 at 0:25

Ben

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Typekit uses document.getElementsByTagName, also a good reference ; )