Javascript – DOM event precedence

In jQuery event.target always refers to the element that triggered the event, where event is the parameter passed to the function. http://api.jquery.com/category/events/event-object/

$(document).ready(function() {
    $("a").click(function(event) {
        alert(event.target.id);
    });
});

Note also that this will also work, but that it is not a jQuery object, so if you wish to use a jQuery function on it then you must refer to it as $(this), e.g.:

$(document).ready(function() {
    $("a").click(function(event) {
        // this.append wouldn't work
        $(this).append(" Clicked");
    });
});

As of jQuery 1.7 you should use jQuery.fn.on with the selector parameter filled:

$(staticAncestors).on(eventName, dynamicChild, function() {});

Explanation:

This is called event delegation and works as followed. The event is attached to a static parent (staticAncestors) of the element that should be handled. This jQuery handler is triggered every time the event triggers on this element or one of the descendant elements. The handler then checks if the element that triggered the event matches your selector (dynamicChild). When there is a match then your custom handler function is executed.

Prior to this, the recommended approach was to use live():

$(selector).live( eventName, function(){} );

However, live() was deprecated in 1.7 in favour of on(), and completely removed in 1.9. The live() signature:

$(selector).live( eventName, function(){} );

... can be replaced with the following on() signature:

$(document).on( eventName, selector, function(){} );

For example, if your page was dynamically creating elements with the class name dosomething you would bind the event to a parent which already exists (this is the nub of the problem here, you need something that exists to bind to, don't bind to the dynamic content), this can be (and the easiest option) is document. Though bear in mind document may not be the most efficient option.

$(document).on('mouseover mouseout', '.dosomething', function(){
    // what you want to happen when mouseover and mouseout 
    // occurs on elements that match '.dosomething'
});

Any parent that exists at the time the event is bound is fine. For example

$('.buttons').on('click', 'button', function(){
    // do something here
});

would apply to

<div class="buttons">
    <!-- <button>s that are generated dynamically and added here -->
</div>