What are the differences between Event.preventDefault() and Event.stopPropagation() in JavaScript?
Benjamin C

In JavaScript,Event.preventDefault() andEvent.stopPropagation() are two methods used to control the behavior of event propagation and default event actions. They serve different purposes and have distinct effects: 1.Event.preventDefault(): ThepreventDefault() method is used to prevent the default action associated with an event from occurring. Every DOM event has a default action associated with it, such as submitting a form, following a link, or scrolling the page. By callingpreventDefault() within an event handler, you can stop the default action from happening. Here's an example:

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document.getElementById('myLink').addEventListener('click', function(event) {
  event.preventDefault(); // Prevents the default link behavior
  // Perform custom actions instead
});

In this example, when a link with the ID "myLink" is clicked, the event handler is executed. By callingpreventDefault(), the default action of following the link is prevented, allowing you to perform custom actions instead. 2.Event.stopPropagation(): ThestopPropagation() method is used to stop the propagation of an event through the DOM hierarchy. When an event occurs on an element, it typically triggers event handlers on that element and then propagates to its parent elements. By callingstopPropagation() within an event handler, you can prevent the event from reaching parent elements. Here's an example:

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document.getElementById('myButton').addEventListener('click', function(event) {
  event.stopPropagation(); // Stops the event from propagating further
  // Perform specific actions for the button only
});

In this example, when a button with the ID "myButton" is clicked, the event handler is executed. By callingstopPropagation(), the event is prevented from propagating to any parent elements, ensuring that only the button-specific actions are performed. To summarize the differences: -preventDefault() prevents the default action associated with an event from occurring, whilestopPropagation() stops the event from propagating further through the DOM hierarchy. -preventDefault() affects the default behavior of the event on the current element, whilestopPropagation() affects the event propagation to parent elements. -

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