DOM NodeList – Access and Iterate Over Collections of DOM Nodes

Introduction – Why Learn About DOM NodeList?

When working with XML or HTML documents, you’ll frequently retrieve multiple nodes using methods like getElementsByTagName, childNodes, or querySelectorAll. These methods return a NodeList—a collection-like object that lets you iterate over nodes, access by index, and traverse the document tree efficiently.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What a DOM NodeList is and how it works
• The difference between live and static NodeLists
• How to access, loop, and convert NodeLists
• Use cases in XML and web scripting

What Is a NodeList?

A NodeList is an ordered collection of DOM nodes, returned by certain DOM traversal and selection methods. It behaves similarly to an array, but it’s not a true array.

You can access items by index, loop through them, and use length.

How to Get a NodeList

Example – NodeList from childNodes

<book>
  <title>XML Guide</title>
  <author>Jane Doe</author>
</book>

JavaScript:

const book = document.getElementsByTagName("book")[0];
const children = book.childNodes;

for (let i = 0; i < children.length; i++) {
  console.log(children[i].nodeName);
}

Logs: #text, title, #text, author, #text

Looping Through a NodeList

const items = document.querySelectorAll("item");

items.forEach(item => {
  console.log(item.textContent);
});

If forEach() is not supported (older NodeList), use:

for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
  console.log(items[i].textContent);
}

Live vs Static NodeLists

Convert NodeList to Array

const list = document.querySelectorAll("div");
const array = Array.from(list); // ES6+

// Or traditional:
const arrayAlt = [].slice.call(list);

Useful to use array methods like map, filter, reduce.

Best Practices with NodeList

• ✔️ Use querySelectorAll() for static, CSS-style queries
• ✔️ Filter childNodes with nodeType to ignore whitespace/text nodes
• ✔️ Convert to array for advanced operations
• ✔️ Be cautious with live NodeLists—they update as DOM changes
• Don’t assume .forEach() works on all NodeLists—check browser support
• Avoid modifying DOM during NodeList iteration—it can desync live lists

Summary – Recap & Next Steps

NodeLists are collections of nodes returned by DOM methods, helping you iterate and access parts of your document efficiently. Mastering NodeLists is essential for XML parsing and client-side scripting.

Key Takeaways:

• NodeLists are array-like, ordered collections of DOM nodes
• They can be live or static, depending on the method used
• Convert NodeLists to arrays to use modern JavaScript methods

Real-world relevance: Used in XML DOM parsers, JavaScript frontends, AJAX, XSLT processors, and more.

FAQs – DOM NodeList

Is NodeList an array?
No. It’s array-like but lacks full array methods.

How do I know if a NodeList is live or static?
childNodes and getElementsByTagName() return live lists. querySelectorAll() returns static.

Can I use forEach() on all NodeLists?
Most modern browsers support it on static NodeLists. Convert to array if unsure.

Do NodeLists include whitespace text nodes?
Yes—especially with childNodes. Use nodeType === 1 to filter for elements.

How do I get the number of nodes?
Use nodeList.length.