Why is createElement a better choice than innerHTML for DOM manipulation?

Advantages of Using createElement over innerHTML

createElement and innerHTML are two methods commonly used for manipulating HTML elements in JavaScript. While innerHTML can appear more straightforward and efficient, createElement offers several advantages that make it the preferred choice in many scenarios:

Preserving DOM References and Event Handlers

Appending elements using innerHTML requires parsing and recreating existing DOM nodes. This process invalidates any references to those nodes, rendering event handlers attached to them inoperable. createElement, on the other hand, preserves existing references, ensuring that event handlers continue to function correctly.

Efficiency in Multiple Append Operations

When performing multiple additions to the DOM, re-assigning innerHTML becomes inefficient as it triggers repeated parsing and creation of elements. createElement allows appending new elements without overwriting existing content, potentially improving performance.

Enhanced Code Readability and Maintainability

Creating elements with createElement promotes code readability and maintainability by clearly defining the structure of the HTML. It allows developers to create elements in a modular and reusable way, enhancing collaboration and codebase organization.

Example:

The following code snippet demonstrates the use of the make function to create an HTML paragraph element with a link:

<code class="js">make(["p", "Here is a ", ["a", { href: "http://www.google.com/" }, "link"], "."]);</code>

This produces the following HTML:

<code class="html"><p>Here is a <a href="http://www.google.com/">link</a>.</p></code>

Additional Considerations

While createElement offers these benefits, it's important to note that in certain cases, innerHTML can still be preferable due to its simplicity or performance gains in simple changes. However, when considering code safety, preserving references and event handlers, and maintaining code readability, createElement stands as the superior choice for effective HTML manipulation.

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