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Introduction to the Document Object Model

Contents:

Who Should Read This Document?
Organization of This Document
Apple Documentation Resources
See Also

This programming topic describes the Document Object Model (DOM) and how it can be beneficial to developers using web content.

Who Should Read This Document?

This document is intended for developers who want to learn about the Document Object Model, and how to use it in their own applications. An existing knowledge of the DOM specification, while not required, would be beneficial to developers reading this document. Links to more information on the DOM can be found in the “See Also” section.

Organization of This Document

The following article covers key concepts of the Document Object Model:

• “Overview of the Document Object Model” describes the Document Object Model (DOM) and why it is relevant to web content developers.

Apple Documentation Resources

Apple supports the Document Object Model in the Web Kit, opening its functionality to Cocoa Objective-C applications and any web pages viewed using Safari or a Web Kit view.

JavaScript developers should read the Web Kit DOM Programming Topics.

Cocoa Objective-C developer should read the Web Kit Objective-C Programming Guide.

See Also

The Document Object Model API is based on the DOM Level 2 specification provided by the W3C. As such, the reference material provided by the W3C can be very beneficial to you.

The DOM Level 2 specification is grouped into these reference documents:

• DOM Level 2 Core Specification

• DOM Level 2 Views Specification

• DOM Level 2 Events Specification

• DOM Level 2 HTML Specification

• DOM Level 2 Style Specification

• DOM Level 2 Traversal and Range Specification

The W3C’s DOM page, containing a description of the Document Object Model, its goals, and the newest specifications can be found at www.w3.org/DOM. Apple’s own DOM material, written primarily for JavaScript developers, is at developer.apple.com/internet/webcontent/dom2i.html.

A related text book resource is:

• Dynamic HTML: The Definitive Reference (O’Reilly)

Also refer to the World Wide Web Consortium at www.w3.org for the latest information.

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