JavaScript Output

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"If you want to go on a new path, you have to pave it yourself"
Steve Jobs

JavaScript Displays Possibilities

JavaScript can "display" data in different ways:

Writing into an HTML element, using innerHTML.
Writing into the HTML output using document.write().
Writing into an alert box, using window.alert().
Writing into the browser console, using console.log().

Using innerHTML

To access an HTML element, JavaScript can use the document.getElementById(id) method.

The id attribute defines the HTML element. The innerHTML property defines the HTML content:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>My First Web Page</h1>
<p>My First Paragraph</p>

<p id="demo"></p>

<script>
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = 5 + 6;
</script>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Changing the innerHTML property of an HTML element is a common way to display data in HTML.

Using document.write()

For testing purposes, it is convenient to use document.write():

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>My First Web Page</h1>
<p>My first paragraph.</p>

<script>
document.write(5 + 6);
</script>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Using document.write() after an HTML document is loaded, will delete all existing HTML:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>My First Web Page</h1>
<p>My first paragraph.</p>

<button type="button" onclick="document.write(5 + 6)">Try it</button>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

The document.write() method should only be used for testing.

Using window.alert()

You can use an alert box to display data:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>My First Web Page</h1>
<p>My first paragraph.</p>

<script>
window.alert(5 + 6);
</script>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

You can skip the window keyword.

In JavaScript, the window object is the global scope object, that means that variables, properties, and methods by default belong to the window object. This also means that specifying the window keyword is optional:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>My First Web Page</h1>
<p>My first paragraph.</p>

<script>
alert(5 + 6);
</script>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Using console.log()

For debugging purposes, you can call the console.log() method in the browser to display data.

You will learn more about debugging in a later chapter.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<script>
console.log(5 + 6);
</script>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

JavaScript Print

JavaScript does not have any print objects or print methods.

You cannot access output devices from JavaScript.

The only exception is that you can call the window.print() method in the browser to print the content of the current window.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<button onclick="window.print()">Print this page</button>

</body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »