elementdataset

An elementdataset is a data structure or pattern used to organize information about a collection of elements, typically drawn from a document object model (DOM), XML, or other hierarchical data sources. In an elementdataset, each element is represented as a record with fields capturing its identifying features, attributes, and measured properties.

Its representation can be row-oriented, where each row is an element and columns store tagName, id, class, textContent, and attribute maps, or columnar, depending on access patterns. Element datasets may also include derived fields such as computed styles, visibility, or position metrics.

Creation and manipulation usually involve selecting elements with selectors or traversal, then exporting the results into the dataset. Common operations include filtering by attribute values, mapping elements to new forms, joining with other datasets, and performing aggregations (for example, counting elements by tag).

Common use cases include web scraping, automated UI testing, accessibility auditing, content analysis, and performance instrumentation. Elementdatasets enable uniform analysis of elements across documents and environments, supporting reproducible checks and reporting.

Relation to other concepts: it is similar to a data frame or relational table but specialized for element-centric data. It can be implemented over JSON, CSV, or in-memory arrays and may leverage existing querying engines or DOM parsing libraries. Limitations include memory cost for large trees, variability in attribute schemas, and privacy considerations.

See also: DOM, XPath, CSS selectors, data frame, dataset.