jQuery & jQuery UI Documentation

jQuery & jQuery UI

:only-child Selector

only-child selector

version added: 1.1.4jQuery(':only-child')

Description: Selects all elements that are the only child of their parent.

If the parent has other child elements, nothing is matched.

Example:

Change the text and add a border for each button that is the only child of its parent.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  div { width:100px; height:80px; margin:5px; float:left; background:#b9e }
</style>
  <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.7rc2.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <div>
  <button>Sibling!</button>
  <button>Sibling!</button>
</div>

<div>
  <button>Sibling!</button>
</div>
<div>
  None
</div>

<div>
  <button>Sibling!</button>
  <button>Sibling!</button>
  <button>Sibling!</button>

</div>
<div>
  <button>Sibling!</button>
</div>
<script>
  $("div button:only-child").text("Alone").css("border", "2px blue solid");
</script>

</body>
</html>