jQuery & jQuery UI Documentation

jQuery & jQuery UI

.position()

.position() Returns: Object

Description: Get the current coordinates of the first element in the set of matched elements, relative to the offset parent.

  • version added: 1.2.position()

The .position() method allows us to retrieve the current position of an element relative to the offset parent. Contrast this with .offset(), which retrieves the current position relative to the document. When positioning a new element near another one and within the same containing DOM element, .position() is the more useful.

Returns an object containing the properties top and left.

Example:

Access the position of the second paragraph:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>

  div { padding: 15px;}
  p { margin-left:10px; }
  </style>
  <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.7rc2.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  
<div>
  <p>Hello</p>
</div>
<p></p>

<script>
var p = $("p:first");
var position = p.position();
$("p:last").text( "left: " + position.left + ", top: " + position.top );
</script>

</body>
</html>