TargetElement

TargetElement is a generic term used in software development to denote the element that is the object of a particular operation, event, or transformation. It is not a formal API name, but a common variable name and conceptual label found in code, documentation, and tutorials.

In web development and DOM programming, targetElement often refers to the element that an action affects. While the actual DOM properties for events are event.target or event.currentTarget, programmers frequently assign a reference to a variable named targetElement to clarify intent, for example in event handlers that need to inspect or modify the element that triggered an action. The concept can also apply to elements that a function or script is designed to modify or inspect.

In XML, HTML templates, or data processing contexts, a target element can denote the XML or HTML node that a transformation, query, or template applies to. XPath expressions or XSLT templates may select a target element to be processed or replaced during a transformation.

In test automation and user interface testing, targetElement is used in test scripts to represent the element under test or the element with which the test interacts, such as clicking or inputting data.

Related concepts include the general idea of a target in programming, the event target concept in web APIs, and selector targets in XML and HTML processing. While targetElement is not a standardized API name, it remains a common, descriptive label for the element at the focus of an operation.