Question

What is the difference between $(this) and this in jQuery ? Here are two different usage :

 $(document).ready(function() {
   $("#orderedlist").find("li").each(function(i) {
     $(this).append( " BAM! " + i );
   });
 });


 $(document).ready(function() {
   // use this to reset several forms at once
   $("#reset").click(function() {
     $("form").each(function() {
       this.reset();
     });
   });
 });

Answer 1

The “this” variable refers (in such cases as the event handlers you’ve supplied) to a DOM element. Thus $(this) is a jQuery object containing just that one DOM element.

You should use plain “this” when the native DOM APIs suffice, and $(this) when you need the help of jQuery. Your second example is a good illustration; another might be when you just need the “id” or “name” of an element.