CharacterData

The CharacterData abstract interface represents a Node object that contains characters. This is an abstract interface, meaning there aren't any object of type CharacterData: it is implemented by other interfaces, like Text, Comment, or ProcessingInstruction which aren't abstract.

Properties

Inherits properties from its parent, Node, and implements the ChildNode and NonDocumentTypeChildNode interface.

CharacterData.data
Is a DOMString representing the textual data contained in this object.
CharacterData.length Read only
Returns an unsigned long representing the size of the string contained in CharacterData.data.
NonDocumentTypeChildNode.nextElementSibling Read only
Returns the Element immediately following the specified one in its parent's children list, or null if the specified element is the last one in the list.
NonDocumentTypeChildNode.previousElementSibling Read only
Returns the Element immediately prior to the specified one in its parent's children list, or null if the specified element is the first one in the list.

Methods

Inherits methods from its parent, Node, and implements the ChildNode and NonDocumentTypeChildNode interface.

CharacterData.appendData()
Appends the given DOMString to the CharacterData.data string; when this method returns, data contains the concatenated DOMString.
CharacterData.deleteData()
Removes the specified amount of characters, starting at the specified offset, from the CharacterData.data string; when this method returns, data contains the shortened DOMString.
CharacterData.insertData()
Inserts the specified characters, at the specified offset, in the CharacterData.data string; when this method returns, data contains the modified DOMString.
ChildNode.remove()
Removes the object from its parent children list.
CharacterData.replaceData()
Replaces the specified amount of characters, starting at the specified offset, with the specified DOMString; when this method returns, data contains the modified DOMString.
CharacterData.substringData()
Returns a DOMString containing the part of CharacterData.data of the specified length and starting at the specified offset.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
DOM
The definition of 'CharacterData' in that specification.		 Living Standard Added implemention of the ChildNode and NonDocumentTypeChildNode interface.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 3 Core Specification
The definition of 'CharacterData' in that specification.		 Obsolete No change from Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Core Specification.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Core Specification
The definition of 'CharacterData' in that specification.		 Obsolete No change from Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification
The definition of 'CharacterData' in that specification.		 Obsolete Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

 

Update compatibility data on GitHub
DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
CharacterDataChrome Full support 1Edge Full support YesFirefox Full support 1IE Full support 6Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
Implements the ChildNode interface
Non-standard
Chrome Full support YesEdge Full support YesFirefox Full support 25
Notes
Full support 25
Notes
Notes Two properties, nextElementSibling and previousElementSibling, have been moved to the NonDocumentTypeChildNode interface, also implemented by CharacterData.
IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari No support NoWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 25
Notes
Full support 25
Notes
Notes Two properties, nextElementSibling and previousElementSibling, have been moved to the NonDocumentTypeChildNode interface, also implemented by CharacterData.
Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS ? Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
appendDataChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
dataChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
deleteDataChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
insertDataChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
lengthChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
replaceDataChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
substringDataChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 12Firefox Full support YesIE ? Opera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes

Legend

Full support  
Full support
No support  
No support
Compatibility unknown  
Compatibility unknown
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.

See also

 

Related Topics
  1. Document Object Model
  2. CharacterData
  3. Properties
    1. nextElementSibling
    2. previousElementSibling
  4. Methods
    1. after()
    2. before()
    3. remove()
    4. replaceWith()
  5. Inheritance:
    1. Node
    2. EventTarget
  6. Related pages for DOM
    1. AbortController
    2. AbortSignal
    3. AbstractRange
    4. Attr
    5. ByteString
    6. CDATASection
    7. CSSPrimitiveValue
    8. CSSValue
    9. CSSValueList
    10. ChildNode
    11. Comment
    12. CustomEvent
    13. DOMConfiguration
    14. DOMError
    15. DOMErrorHandler
    16. DOMException
    17. DOMImplementation
    18. DOMImplementationList
    19. DOMImplementationRegistry
    20. DOMImplementationSource
    21. DOMLocator
    22. DOMObject
    23. DOMParser
    24. DOMPoint
    25. DOMPointInit
    26. DOMPointReadOnly
    27. DOMRect
    28. DOMString
    29. DOMTimeStamp
    30. DOMTokenList
    31. DOMUserData
    32. Document
    33. DocumentFragment
    34. DocumentType
    35. Element
    36. ElementTraversal
    37. Entity
    38. EntityReference
    39. Event
    40. EventTarget
    41. HTMLCollection
    42. MutationObserver
    43. Node
    44. NodeFilter
    45. NodeIterator
    46. NodeList
    47. NonDocumentTypeChildNode
    48. ProcessingInstruction
    49. PromiseResolver
    50. Range
    51. StaticRange
    52. Text
    53. TextDecoder
    54. TextEncoder
    55. TimeRanges
    56. TreeWalker
    57. TypeInfo
    58. USVString
    59. UserDataHandler
    60. XMLDocument