First (:first)

Description and Syntax

$(':first')

select the first element within the matched set.

  • $('li:first') selects the first <li> element
  • $('.myclass:first') selects the first element with the class myclass

Examples

The :first pseudo-class is shorthand for :eq(0). It could also be written as :lt(1).

The following code selects the first paragraph.


<html>
  <head>
    <script src="http://java2s.com/style/jquery-1.8.0.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(document).ready(function(){<!--from   w  w  w.ja va 2 s  . co  m-->
               var str = $("p:first").text()+"added";
               $("p:last").html(str);
        });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <body>
         <p>java2s.com</p>
         <p>java2s.com</p>
         <p>java2s.com</p>
         <p>java2s.com</p>
  </body>
</html>

Click to view the demo

The code above generates the following result.

First (:first)

Select the first span element

The following code selects the first span.


<html>
  <head>
    <style>
      .test{ border: 1px solid red; }
    </style>
  <!--from  w w w  .  j  a  va  2s  .c  o m-->
    <script src="http://java2s.com/style/jquery-1.8.0.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
    $(document).ready(function(){
           $("span:first").text($(":hidden", document.body).length + " hidden elements.");
    });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
      <span></span>
        <div></div>
        <div style="display:none;">java 2s.c om!</div>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
        <form>
            <input type="hidden" />
            <input type="hidden" />
            <input type="hidden" />
        </form>
        <span></span>
  </body>
</html>

Click to view the demo

The code above generates the following result.

First (:first)

Combine first with id selector

The following code combine the first selector and id selector.


<html>
  <head>
    <script src="http://java2s.com/style/jquery-1.8.0.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(document).ready(function(){<!-- ww w  . j  a v  a2  s .  c om-->
           $("#container").click(function (e) {
              var $ch = $(e.target).children();
              
              $("#results span:first").text($ch.length);
              
              e.preventDefault();
              return false;
            });
        });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <body>
    <div id="container">
        <div>
          <p>This <span>is the <em>way</em> we</span> 
          write <em>the</em> demo,</p>
        </div>
        
    </div>
    <span id="results">Found <span>0</span> children in <span>TAG</span>.</span>
  </body>
</html>

Click to view the demo

The code above generates the following result.

First (:first)

Select first row

The following code selects the first row.


<html>
  <head>
    <script src="http://java2s.com/style/jquery-1.8.0.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
  $(document).ready(function(){<!--from  ww w  . ja  v  a  2  s .  c  om-->
      $("tr:first").css("font-style", "italic");

  });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
      <table>
        <tr><td>Row 1</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Row 2</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Row 3</td></tr>
      </table>
  </body>
</html>

Click to view the demo

The code above generates the following result.

First (:first)