How to check if DOM is ready without a framework?

Vilx- picture Vilx- · Nov 11, 2011 · Viewed 69.3k times · Source

The question is so like a zillion others here and on the web - How to check if DOM has loaded in Javascript? But here's the catch:

  • Without using a framework like jQuery etc;
  • Without knowing if your script has been loaded via a statically placed <script> tag or via some other Javascript much later after the DOM has already loaded.

Can this be done more or less reliably and with cross-browser compatibility?

Added: Let me clarify: I'm writing a standalone .JS file which can be included in arbitrary webpages. I want to execute code AFTER the DOM has been loaded. But I don't know HOW my script will be included. It could be by placing a <script> tag (in which case the traditional onload or DOM-readiness solutions will work); or it could be loaded via AJAX or some other means, much later after the DOM is already loaded (so the previously mentioned solutions will never fire).

Answer

Digital Plane picture Digital Plane · Nov 11, 2011

The document.readyState property can be used to check if the document is ready. From MDN:

Values

The readyState of a document can be one of following:

  • loading – The document is still loading.
  • interactive – The document has finished loading and the document has been parsed but sub-resources such as images, stylesheets and frames are still loading.
  • complete – The document and all sub-resources have finished loading. The state indicates that the load event is about to fire.

Code example:

if(document.readyState === "complete") {
    // Fully loaded!
}
else if(document.readyState === "interactive") {
    // DOM ready! Images, frames, and other subresources are still downloading.
}
else {
    // Loading still in progress.
    // To wait for it to complete, add "DOMContentLoaded" or "load" listeners.

    window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
        // DOM ready! Images, frames, and other subresources are still downloading.
    });

    window.addEventListener("load", () => {
        // Fully loaded!
    });
}