Executing a JavaScript function when the content within a div is altered without using jQuery

I am currently seeking a way to execute a JavaScript function whenever the content within a specific element (such as div, span, p) is altered. I had initially assumed that there might be a universal event for this, much like onchange, but I've come to realize that onchange does not apply to divs and I haven't discovered an alternative yet.

Despite my efforts to look into it, all I could find were jQuery solutions to this issue.

Answer №1

If you're working in modern browsers, consider using Mutation observers for detecting changes in the DOM. For older browsers like IE9-10, Mutation Events can be used instead. Keep in mind that IE versions below 9 do not support these events. In such cases, you can utilize the onpropertychange event which is triggered under specific circumstances.

Here's an example showcasing the Mutation Observer:

var observer = new MutationObserver(function (m) { // Setting up the observer
        console.log(m);
    }),
    elem = document.getElementById('test');

observer.observe(elem, {childList: true}); // Activating the observer
setTimeout(function () {
    elem.textContent += ' This additional text will trigger the Mutation Observer.';
}, 2000);

You can view a live demonstration on jsFiddle.

Answer №2

If you're looking for a solution, consider using MutationObserver along with setInterval as a fallback for IE11-. For further details, refer to MutationObserver.

UPDATE

Check out the code snippet below:

var TextObserver = function () {
};

TextObserver.prototype.observe = function (target, callback) {
    var self = this;
    self.target = target;

    if (window.MutationObserver) {
        self.observer = new MutationObserver(function (mutations) {
            if (mutations.length) {
                var m = mutations[0];
                callback && callback(self.target.textContent, m.oldValue);
            }
        });

        self.observer.observe(self.target, {
            subtree: true,
            characterData: true,
            characterDataOldValue: true
        });
    } else { //for IE11-
        self._oldText = self.target.innerText;
        self.observer = setInterval(function () {
            var newText = self.target.innerText;
            if (self._oldText !== newText) { //changed
                callback && callback(newText, self._oldText);

                self._oldText = newText; //replace the old text;
            }
        }, 300);
    }

    return self;
};

new TextObserver().observe(document.getElementById('test'), function (newValue, oldValue) {
    alert('New value:' + newValue + '; oldValue: ' + oldValue);
});

To see a live demonstration of this functionality, visit the following demo on jsfiddle.

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