Question

I feel like $('.selector', myContext) and myContext.find('.selector') are two identical ways to get the same information. Is there a practical reason when you would use one over the other? Speed perhaps?

Answer 1

$('.selector', myContext) and $(myContext).find('.selector') are completely equivalent:

From the jQuery 1.4.2 source (core.js):

//...

// HANDLE: $(expr, context)
// (which is just equivalent to: $(context).find(expr)
} else {
    return jQuery( context ).find( selector );
}

//...