Is there any way to load some text from another file into javascript, without server side code?

I was thinking to use another element to hold the text inside some comments, but I don't know how to read it's source code with javascript.

Something like:

<script src="myfile.js"></script>

<script> function readMyText() { ... }</script>

In myfile.js: /* some text */

Is there any way to load some text from another file into javascript, without server side code?

I was thinking to use another element to hold the text inside some comments, but I don't know how to read it's source code with javascript.

Something like:

<script src="myfile.js"></script>

<script> function readMyText() { ... }</script>

In myfile.js: /* some text */

• javascript
• import
• include
• inline

• Load text and do what with it? – Zirak Commented Sep 15, 2011 at 15:18

3 Answers 3

You can put anything you want into a script tag if you give it a "type" that's not something the browser understands as meaning "JavaScript":

<script id='Turtle' type='text/poem'>
  Turtle, turtle, on the ground;
  Pink and shiny - turn around.
</script>

You can get the contents via the "innerHTML" property:

var poemScript = document.getElementById('Turtle');
var poem = poemScript.innerHTML;

Here is a jsfiddle to demonstrate.

That trick is popular lately with people doing client-side page building via templates.

Without using ajax or any server code... sorry mate but you can't :(

Building on Pointy's answer, to import from local files do this:

<script src="foo.txt" id="text" type="text">
</script>

You could also use this to target an external file:

<script src="http://foo.txt"></script>