Editing innerHTML or DOM This edit will create a new revision. Your details (optional) Name Email (won’t be displayed; might be used for Gravatar) URL Test case details Title * Published (uncheck if you want to fiddle around before making the page public) Description (in case you feel further explanation is needed)(Markdown syntax is allowed) Most dynamic websites use innerHTML because they think it's faster. But is it? This compares hand-optimised DOM and innerHTML along with a sugared DOM and Handlebars templated version. Handlebars, when compiled directly in the browser, cannot be run through a JIT optimization step, because it is constructed with the `Function` constructor (eval). Production environments are encouraged to use precompiled Handlebars templates. Are you a spammer? (just answer the question) Preparation code Preparation code HTML (this will be inserted in the <body> of a valid HTML5 document in standards mode) (useful when testing DOM operations or including libraries) <div id="targetEl" style="display:none"></div> <script> var HtmlFactory = (function () { "use strict"; function unfoldArgumentInto(el, arr) {//can't check for window.Node: not available in IE8. var len = arr.length; if (len > 0) { var firstArg = arr[0]; if (firstArg !== null && firstArg !== undefined) { if (firstArg.nodeType) el.appendChild(firstArg); else if (firstArg instanceof Array) unfoldArgumentInto(el, firstArg); else el.textContent = firstArg; } for (var i = 1; i < len; i++) { var argVal = arr[i]; if (argVal !== null && argVal !== undefined) { if (argVal.nodeType) el.appendChild(argVal); else if (argVal instanceof Array) unfoldArgumentInto(el, argVal); else //assume it's text or convertable to text el.appendChild(document.createTextNode(argVal)); } } } return el; }; //Creates an element; returns a function for filling it. function forElem(elemName) { //Adds JS property/value pairs as attributes. (onXXX properties that are functions are instead added as event handlers.) //returns a content-addition function function addAttrThenContent(attrContent) { var attrContentArgs = arguments; //Adds all arguments to the element's content. return function () { var el = document.createElement(elemName); var len = attrContentArgs.length; for (var ai = 0; ai < len; ai++) { var attrContentArg = attrContentArgs[ai]; if (typeof attrContentArg === "object") for (var prop in attrContentArg) { var propVal = attrContentArg[prop]; if (propVal !== undefined) { if (typeof propVal === "function" && prop.substr(0, 2) === 'on') { el.addEventListener(prop.substr(2), propVal, false); } else { el.setAttribute(prop, propVal); } } } } return unfoldArgumentInto(el, arguments); }; } function justAddContent() { return unfoldArgumentInto(document.createElement(elemName), arguments); };//addAttrThenContent(); justAddContent.attrs = addAttrThenContent; return justAddContent; } var elNames = "a,abbr,address,article,aside,audio,b,blockquote,body,br,button,cite,code,del,details,dfn,div,em,fieldset,figcaption,figure,footer,form,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,head,header,hgroup,hr,html,i,img,input,ins,kbd,label,legend,li,link,mark,meta,meter,nav,noscript,ol,optgroup,option,p,pre,q,samp,script,section,select,small,source,span,strong,style,sub,summary,sup,table,tbody,td,textarea,tfoot,th,thead,time,title,tr,ul,var,video,area,base,bdo,canvas,caption,col,colgroup,command,datalist,dd,dl,dt,embed,iframe,keygen,map,menu,object,output,param,progress,rp,rt,ruby".split(","); var retval = { //Adds all arguments to a document fragment. $fragment: function () { return unfoldArgumentInto.apply(document.createDocumentFragment(), arguments); }, $elem: forElem }; for (var elI = 0; elI < elNames.length; elI++) retval[elNames[elI]] = forElem(elNames[elI]); //creates a document fragment; appends all arguments as content. return retval; })(); </script> <script src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/wycats/handlebars.js/handlebars-1.0.0.beta.6.js"></script> <script id="template" type="text/x-handlebars-template"><div class="Foo{{#if isSelected}} selected{{/if}}{{#if isActive}} selected{{/if}}"> <label><input type="checkbox" checked="{{#if isSelected}}checked{{/if}}"></label> <button class="button" title="A title">The button text</button> <a href="{{href}}"><span class="lorem{{#ifGreaterThanOne total}} ipsum{{/ifGreaterThanOne}}"> <span class="dolores" unselectable="on">{{text}}</span> {{#ifGreaterThanOne total}} <span class="total" unselectable="on">({{total}})</span> {{/ifGreaterThanOne}} {{#if yes}} <span class="yes">*</span> {{/if}} <span class="text" unselectable="on"> {{#ifGreaterThanOne total}}{{text}}{{/ifGreaterThanOne}} </span> <time unselectable="on" title="{{displayDate}}">{{displayDate}}</time> <span class="preview" unselectable="on">{{preview}}</span> </a> </div> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> "use strict"; var create = (function () { var doc = document; var directProperties = { 'class': 'className', className: 'className', defaultValue: 'defaultValue', 'for': 'htmlFor', html: 'innerHTML', text: 'textContent', value: 'value' }; var booleanProperties = { checked: 1, defaultChecked: 1, disabled: 1, multiple: 1, selected: 1 }; var setProperty = function ( el, key, value ) { var prop = directProperties[ key ]; if ( prop ) { el[ prop ] = ( value == null ? '' : '' + value ); } else if ( booleanProperties[ key ] ) { el[ key ] = !!value; } else if ( value == null ) { el.removeAttribute( key ); } else { el.setAttribute( key, '' + value ); } }; var appendChildren = function ( el, children ) { var i, l, node; for ( i = 0, l = children.length; i < l; i += 1 ) { node = children[i]; if ( node ) { if ( node instanceof Array ) { appendChildren( el, node ); } else { if ( typeof node === 'string' ) { node = doc.createTextNode( node ); } el.appendChild( node ); } } } }; var create = function ( tag, props, children ) { if ( props instanceof Array ) { children = props; props = null; } var parts, name, el, i, j, l, node, prop; el = doc.createElement( tag ); if ( props ) { for ( prop in props ) { setProperty( el, prop, props[ prop ] ); } } if ( children ) { appendChildren( el, children ); } return el; }; return create; }() ); var data = { isSelected: true, isActive: false, href: 'http://www.google.com', total: 4, displayDate: '28th December 2011', text: 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.', preview: 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.' }; var genDOMWithSugar = function ( data, target ) { var el = create; target.appendChild( el( 'div', { className: 'Foo' + ( data.isSelected ? ' selected' : '' ) + ( data.isActive ? ' active' : '' ) }, [ el( 'label', [ el( 'input', { type: 'checkbox', checked: data.isSelected ? 'checked': '' }) ]), el( 'button', { className:'button', title: 'A title', text: 'The button text' }), el( 'a', { href: data.href }, [ el( 'span', { className: 'lorem' + ( data.total > 1 ? ' ipsum' : '' ) }, [ el( 'span', { className:'dolores', unselectable: 'on' }, [ data.text ]), data.total > 1 ? el( 'span', { className:'total', unselectable: 'on', text: '(' + data.total + ')' }) : null ]), data.yes ? el( 'span', { className:'yes',text: '*' }) : null, el( 'span', { className:'text',unselectable: 'on' }, [ data.total > 1 ? data.text : null ]), el( 'time', { unselectable: 'on', text: data.displayDate, title: data.displayDate }), el( 'span', { className:'preview',unselectable: 'on', text: data.preview }) ]) ] ) ); }; var genHtmlFactory = function (data, target) { "use strict"; var _ = HtmlFactory; var content = _.div.attrs({ 'class': 'Foo' + (data.isSelected ? ' selected' : '') + (data.isActive ? ' active' : '') })( _.label( _.input.attrs({ type: 'checkbox', checked: data.isSelected ? 'checked' : null })() ), _.button.attrs({ 'class': 'button', title: 'A title', })('The button text'), _.a.attrs({ href: data.href })( _.span.attrs({ 'class': 'lorem' + (data.total > 1 ? ' ipsum' : '') })( _.span.attrs({ 'class': 'dolores', unselectable: 'on' })(data.text), data.total > 1 ? _.span.attrs({ 'class': 'total', unselectable: 'on', })('(' + data.total + ')') : null ), data.yes ? _.span.attrs({ 'class': 'yes' })('*') : null, _.span.attrs({ 'class': 'text', unselectable: 'on' })(data.total > 1 ? data.text : null), _.time.attrs({ unselectable: 'on', title: data.displayDate })(data.displayDate), _.span.attrs({ 'class': 'preview', unselectable: 'on' })(data.preview) ) ); target.appendChild(content); }; var genDOM = function ( data, target ) { var doc = document, div = doc.createElement( 'div' ); div.className = 'Foo' + ( data.isSelected ? ' selected' : '' ) + ( data.isActive ? ' active' : '' ); var label = doc.createElement( 'label' ), input = doc.createElement( 'input' ); input.setAttribute( 'type', 'checkbox' ); input.checked = !!data.isSelected; label.appendChild( input ); div.appendChild( label ); var button = doc.createElement( 'button' ); button.className = 'button'; button.setAttribute( 'title', 'A title' ); button.textContent = 'The button text'; div.appendChild( button ); var a = doc.createElement( 'a' ); a.setAttribute( 'href', data.href ); var span = doc.createElement( 'span' ); span.className = 'lorem' + ( data.total > 1 ? ' ipsum' : '' ); var span2 = doc.createElement( 'span' ); span2.className = 'dolores'; span2.setAttribute( 'unselectable', 'on' ); span2.appendChild( doc.createTextNode( data.text ) ); span.appendChild( span2 ); if ( data.total > 1 ) { span2 = doc.createElement( 'span' ); span2.className = 'total'; span2.setAttribute( 'unselectable', 'on' ); span2.textContent = '(' + data.total + ')'; span.appendChild( span2 ); } a.appendChild( span ); if ( data.yes ) { span = doc.createElement( 'span' ); span.className = 'yes'; span.textContent = '*'; a.appendChild( span ); } span = doc.createElement( 'span' ); span.className = 'text'; span.setAttribute( 'unselectable', 'on' ); if ( data.total > 1 ) { span.appendChild( doc.createTextNode( data.text ) ); } a.appendChild( span ); var time = doc.createElement( 'time' ); time.setAttribute( 'unselectable', 'on' ); time.textContent = data.displayDate; time.setAttribute( 'title', data.displayDate ); a.appendChild( time ); span = doc.createElement( 'span' ); span.className = 'preview'; span.setAttribute( 'unselectable', 'on' ); span.textContent = data.preview; a.appendChild( span ); div.appendChild( a ); target.appendChild(div); }; var genDOMWithInnerHTML = function ( data,target ) { target.innerHTML = '<div class="Foo' + (data.isSelected ? ' selected' : '') + (data.isActive ? ' active' : '') + '">' + '<label><input type="checkbox" checked="' + (data.isSelected ? 'checked': '') + '"></label>' + '<button class="button" title="A title">The button text</button>' + '<a href="' + data.href + '"><span class="lorem' + ( data.total > 1 ? ' ipsum' : '' ) + '"><span class="dolores" unselectable="on">' + data.text + '</span>' + ( data.total > 1 ? '<span class="total" unselectable="on">(' + data.total + ')</span>' : '') + '</span>' + (data.yes ? '<span class="yes">*</span>' : '') + '<span class="text" unselectable="on">' + (data.total > 1 ? data.text : null) + '</span>' + '<time unselectable="on" title="' + data.displayDate + '">' + data.displayDate + '</time><span class="preview" unselectable="on">' + data.preview + '</span></a></div>'; }; Handlebars.registerHelper( 'ifGreaterThanOne', function( number, options ) { if ( number > 1 ) { return options.fn( this ); } }); var template = Handlebars.template(function (Handlebars,depth0,helpers,partials,data) { helpers = helpers || Handlebars.helpers; var buffer = "", stack1, stack2, foundHelper, tmp1, self=this, functionType="function", helperMissing=helpers.helperMissing, undef=void 0, escapeExpression=this.escapeExpression, blockHelperMissing=helpers.blockHelperMissing; function program1(depth0,data) { return " selected";} function program3(depth0,data) { return " selected";} function program5(depth0,data) { return "checked";} function program7(depth0,data) { return " ipsum";} function program9(depth0,data) { var buffer = "", stack1; buffer += "\n <span class=\"total\" unselectable=\"on\">("; foundHelper = helpers.total; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.total; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "total", { hash: {} }); } buffer += escapeExpression(stack1) + ")</span>\n "; return buffer;} function program11(depth0,data) { return "\n <span class=\"yes\">*</span>\n ";} function program13(depth0,data) { var stack1; foundHelper = helpers.text; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.text; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "text", { hash: {} }); } return escapeExpression(stack1);} buffer += "<div class=\"Foo"; foundHelper = helpers.isSelected; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.isSelected; stack2 = helpers['if']; tmp1 = self.program(1, program1, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } foundHelper = helpers.isActive; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.isActive; stack2 = helpers['if']; tmp1 = self.program(3, program3, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } buffer += "\">\n <label><input type=\"checkbox\" checked=\""; foundHelper = helpers.isSelected; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.isSelected; stack2 = helpers['if']; tmp1 = self.program(5, program5, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } buffer += "\"></label>\n <button class=\"button\" title=\"A title\">The button text</button>\n <a href=\""; foundHelper = helpers.href; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.href; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "href", { hash: {} }); } buffer += escapeExpression(stack1) + "\"><span class=\"lorem"; foundHelper = helpers.total; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.total; foundHelper = helpers.ifGreaterThanOne; stack2 = foundHelper || depth0.ifGreaterThanOne; tmp1 = self.program(7, program7, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; if(foundHelper && typeof stack2 === functionType) { stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); } else { stack1 = blockHelperMissing.call(depth0, stack2, stack1, tmp1); } if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } buffer += "\">\n <span class=\"dolores\" unselectable=\"on\">"; foundHelper = helpers.text; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.text; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "text", { hash: {} }); } buffer += escapeExpression(stack1) + "</span>\n "; foundHelper = helpers.total; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.total; foundHelper = helpers.ifGreaterThanOne; stack2 = foundHelper || depth0.ifGreaterThanOne; tmp1 = self.program(9, program9, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; if(foundHelper && typeof stack2 === functionType) { stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); } else { stack1 = blockHelperMissing.call(depth0, stack2, stack1, tmp1); } if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } buffer += "\n "; foundHelper = helpers.yes; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.yes; stack2 = helpers['if']; tmp1 = self.program(11, program11, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } buffer += "\n <span class=\"text\" unselectable=\"on\">\n "; foundHelper = helpers.total; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.total; foundHelper = helpers.ifGreaterThanOne; stack2 = foundHelper || depth0.ifGreaterThanOne; tmp1 = self.program(13, program13, data); tmp1.hash = {}; tmp1.fn = tmp1; tmp1.inverse = self.noop; if(foundHelper && typeof stack2 === functionType) { stack1 = stack2.call(depth0, stack1, tmp1); } else { stack1 = blockHelperMissing.call(depth0, stack2, stack1, tmp1); } if(stack1 || stack1 === 0) { buffer += stack1; } buffer += "\n </span>\n <time unselectable=\"on\" title=\""; foundHelper = helpers.displayDate; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.displayDate; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "displayDate", { hash: {} }); } buffer += escapeExpression(stack1) + "\">"; foundHelper = helpers.displayDate; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.displayDate; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "displayDate", { hash: {} }); } buffer += escapeExpression(stack1) + "</time>\n <span class=\"preview\" unselectable=\"on\">"; foundHelper = helpers.preview; stack1 = foundHelper || depth0.preview; if(typeof stack1 === functionType) { stack1 = stack1.call(depth0, { hash: {} }); } else if(stack1=== undef) { stack1 = helperMissing.call(depth0, "preview", { hash: {} }); } buffer += escapeExpression(stack1) + "</span>\n </a>\n</div>\n"; return buffer;}); var genHandlebarsTemplate = function ( data,target ) { target.innerHTML = template( data ); }; </script> Include JavaScript libraries as follows: <script src="//cdn.ext/library.js"></script> Define setup for all tests (variables, functions, arrays or other objects that will be used in the tests) (runs before each clocked test loop, outside of the timed code region) (e.g. define local test variables, reset global variables, clear canvas, etc.) (see FAQ) var targetDivNode = document.getElementById("targetEl"); while (targetDivNode.hasChildNodes()) targetDivNode.removeChild(targetDivNode.lastChild); Define teardown for all tests (runs after each clocked test loop, outside of the timed code region) (see FAQ) Code snippets to compare Test 1 Title Async (check if this is an asynchronous test) Code genDOMWithInnerHTML( data,targetDivNode ); Test 2 Title Async (check if this is an asynchronous test) Code genDOM( data ,targetDivNode ); Test 3 Title Async (check if this is an asynchronous test) Code genDOMWithSugar( data ,targetDivNode ); Test 4 Title Async (check if this is an asynchronous test) Code genHtmlFactory( data ,targetDivNode ); Test 5 Title Async (check if this is an asynchronous test) Code genHandlebarsTemplate( data ,targetDivNode );