jQuery & jQuery UI Documentation

jQuery & jQuery UI

.serializeArray()

.serializeArray() Returns: Array

Description: Encode a set of form elements as an array of names and values.

  • version added: 1.2.serializeArray()

The .serializeArray() method creates a JavaScript array of objects, ready to be encoded as a JSON string. It operates on a jQuery object representing a set of form elements. The form elements can be of several types:

<form>
  <div><input type="text" name="a" value="1" id="a" /></div>
  <div><input type="text" name="b" value="2" id="b" /></div>
  <div><input type="hidden" name="c" value="3" id="c" /></div>
  <div>
    <textarea name="d" rows="8" cols="40">4</textarea>
  </div>
  <div><select name="e">
    <option value="5" selected="selected">5</option>
    <option value="6">6</option>
    <option value="7">7</option>
  </select></div>
  <div>
    <input type="checkbox" name="f" value="8" id="f" />
  </div>
  <div>
    <input type="submit" name="g" value="Submit" id="g" />
  </div>
</form>

The .serializeArray() method uses the standard W3C rules for successful controls to determine which elements it should include; in particular the element cannot be disabled and must contain a name attribute. No submit button value is serialized since the form was not submitted using a button. Data from file select elements is not serialized.

This method can act on a jQuery object that has selected individual form elements, such as <input>, <textarea>, and <select>. However, it is typically easier to select the <form> tag itself for serialization:

$('form').submit(function() {
  console.log($(this).serializeArray());
  return false;
});

This produces the following data structure (provided that the browser supports console.log):

[
  {
    name: "a",
    value: "1"
  },
  {
    name: "b",
    value: "2"
  },
  {
    name: "c",
    value: "3"
  },
  {
    name: "d",
    value: "4"
  },
  {
    name: "e",
    value: "5"
  }
]

Example:

Get the values from a form, iterate through them, and append them to a results display.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  body, select { font-size:14px; }
  form { margin:5px; }
  p { color:red; margin:5px; }
  b { color:blue; }
  </style>
  <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.7rc2.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <p><b>Results:</b> <span id="results"></span></p>

  <form>
    <select name="single">
      <option>Single</option>
      <option>Single2</option>

    </select>
    <select name="multiple" multiple="multiple">
      <option selected="selected">Multiple</option>
      <option>Multiple2</option>

      <option selected="selected">Multiple3</option>
    </select><br/>
    <input type="checkbox" name="check" value="check1" id="ch1"/>

    <label for="ch1">check1</label>
    <input type="checkbox" name="check" value="check2" checked="checked" id="ch2"/>

    <label for="ch2">check2</label>
    <input type="radio" name="radio" value="radio1" checked="checked" id="r1"/>

    <label for="r1">radio1</label>
    <input type="radio" name="radio" value="radio2" id="r2"/>

    <label for="r2">radio2</label>
  </form>
<script>

    function showValues() {
      var fields = $(":input").serializeArray();
      $("#results").empty();
      jQuery.each(fields, function(i, field){
        $("#results").append(field.value + " ");
      });
    }

    $(":checkbox, :radio").click(showValues);
    $("select").change(showValues);
    showValues();
</script>

</body>
</html>