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/DOM

element.tagName

Returns the name of the element.

Syntax

elementName = element.tagName;
  • elementName is a string containing the name of the current element.

Notes

In XML (and XML-based languages such as XHTML), tagName preserves case. On HTML elements in DOM trees flagged as HTML documents, tagName returns the element name in the uppercase form. The value of tagName is the same as that of nodeName.

Example

HTML content

<span id="born">When I was born...</span>

JavaScript content

var span = document.getElementById("born");
console.log(span.tagName);

In XHTML (or any other XML format), "span" would be output. In HTML, "SPAN" would be output instead.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 3 Core Specification
The definition of 'Element.tagName' in that specification.
Recommendation No change
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Core Specification
The definition of 'Element.tagName' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Edge Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
Feature Android Edge Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support ? (Yes) ? ? ? ?

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/element/tagName