CharacterData

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

Properties

CharacterData inherits properties from its parent, Node.

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.

Element.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.

Element.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

CharacterData inherits methods from its parent, Node.

CharacterData.after()

Inserts a set of Node or DOMString objects in the children list of the CharacterData's parent, just after the CharacterData object.

CharacterData.appendData()

Appends the given DOMString to the CharacterData.data string; when this method returns, data contains the concatenated DOMString.

CharacterData.before()

Inserts a set of Node or DOMString objects in the children list of the CharacterData's parent, just before the CharacterData object.

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.

CharacterData.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.replaceWith()

Replaces the characters in the children list of its parent with a set of Node or DOMString objects.

CharacterData.substringData()

Returns a DOMString containing the part of CharacterData.data of the specified length and starting at the specified offset.

Specifications

Browser compatibility

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	WebView Android	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on IOS	Samsung Internet
CharacterData	1	12	1	5	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
after	54	17	49	No	39	10	54	54	49	41	10	6.0
appendData	1	12	1	6	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
before	54	17	49	No	39	10	54	54	49	41	10	6.0
data	1	12	1	5	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
deleteData	1	12	1	6	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
insertData	1	12	1	6	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
length	1	12	1	5	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
nextElementSibling	29	17	25	No	16	9	≤37	29	25	16	9	2.0
previousElementSibling	29	17	25	No	16	9	≤37	29	25	16	9	2.0
remove	24	12	23	No	15	7	≤37	25	23	14	7	1.5
replaceData	1	12	1	6	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0
replaceWith	54	17	49	No	39	10	54	54	49	41	10	6.0
substringData	1	12	1	6	≤12.1	1	1	18	4	≤12.1	1	1.0

See also

• The DOM interfaces index.