- `callback`

- : A function which will be called on each DOM change that qualifies given the

observed node or subtree and options.

The `callback` function takes as input two parameters:

1. An array of {{domxref("MutationRecord")}} objects, describing each change that

occurred.

2. The {{domxref("MutationObserver")}} which invoked the

`callback`. This is most often used to disconnect the observer using {{domxref("MutationObserver.disconnect()")}}.

See the [examples](#examples) below for more details.

A new {{domxref("MutationObserver")}} object, configured to call the specified

`callback` when DOM mutations occur.

This example has buttons to add an {{htmlelement("li")}} element to a list, and to remove the first `<li>` element from the list.

We use a `MutationObserver` to be notified about changes to the list. In the callback, we log additions and removals, and as soon as the list is empty, we disconnect the observer.

The "Reset example" button resets the example to its original state.

<button id="add">Add child</button>

<button id="remove">Remove child</button>

<button id="reset">Reset example</button>

<ul id="container"></ul>

<pre id="log"></pre>

#container,

#log {

height: 150px;

overflow: scroll;

}

#container li {

background-color: paleturquoise;

margin: 0.5rem;

}

const add = document.querySelector("#add");

const remove = document.querySelector("#remove");

const reset = document.querySelector("#reset");

const container = document.querySelector("#container");

const log = document.querySelector("#log");

let namePrefix = 0;

add.addEventListener("click", () => {

const newItem = document.createElement("li");

newItem.textContent = `item ${namePrefix}`;

container.appendChild(newItem);

namePrefix++;

});

remove.addEventListener("click", () => {

const itemToRemove = document.querySelector("li");

if (itemToRemove) {

itemToRemove.parentNode.removeChild(itemToRemove);

}

});

reset.addEventListener("click", () => {

document.location.reload();

});

function logChanges(records, observer) {

for (const record of records) {

for (const addedNode of record.addedNodes) {

log.textContent = `Added: ${addedNode.textContent}\n${log.textContent}`;

}

for (const removedNode of record.removedNodes) {

log.textContent = `Removed: ${removedNode.textContent}\n${log.textContent}`;

}

if (record.target.childNodes.length === 0) {

log.textContent = `Disconnected\n${log.textContent}`;

observer.disconnect();

}

console.log(record.target.childNodes.length);

}

}

const observerOptions = {

childList: true,

subtree: true,

};

const observer = new MutationObserver(logChanges);

observer.observe(container, observerOptions);

Try clicking "Add child" to add list items, and "Remove child" to remove them. The observer callback logs additions and removals. As soon as the list is empty, the observer logs a "Disconnected" message and disconnects the observer.

The "Reset example" button reloads the example so you can try it again.

{{EmbedLiveSample("Observing child elements", 0, 400)}}

{{Specifications}}