I got one begginer issue. I've got "menu", the menu is styled table and got code in jQuery that makes the menu moves. My question is, why I can't use $this varible in my code? I'm big begginer in jQuery so be patient with me. I will be happy for any answer.

$(document).ready(function(){
    $('.item').hover(function(){
        $($this).stop().animate({paddingLeft: '20px'}, "slow");
}, function(){
        $($this).stop().animate({paddingLeft: '0px'}, "slow");
    });
});

My code: jsFiddle

I got one begginer issue. I've got "menu", the menu is styled table and got code in jQuery that makes the menu moves. My question is, why I can't use $this varible in my code? I'm big begginer in jQuery so be patient with me. I will be happy for any answer.

$(document).ready(function(){
    $('.item').hover(function(){
        $($this).stop().animate({paddingLeft: '20px'}, "slow");
}, function(){
        $($this).stop().animate({paddingLeft: '0px'}, "slow");
    });
});

My code: jsFiddle

• javascript
• jquery
• html
• web

• 1 This was not the question... – Flo Schild Commented Apr 20, 2013 at 20:55
• Hum, what's this answer ? I'm just saying that the asker is not asking for something about PHP, but for something about jQuery, and has a doubt about $this ! – Flo Schild Commented Apr 20, 2013 at 21:02
• He was making a joke because in PHP variables are declared like $this. There, not it's been spelled out for you. – Willem Ellis Commented Apr 20, 2013 at 21:53
• I'm learning both jQuery and PHP, sometimes it's too much for me. :-D – albru123 Commented Apr 21, 2013 at 9:41

5 Answers 5

It's just supposed to be $(this)

The $ prefix (in Javascript/jQuery code) before a variable is typically a convention used to indicate that the variable is a jQuery object (as opposed to a plain Javascript one). If you've seen it before, it's just like any regular variable.

You should use $(this) instead, which 'wraps' this in a jQuery object.

often people use $this to cache $(this) so that they don't have to repeatedly initiate the jQuery object, which is expensive.

$this = $(this)
$this.stop()
$this.animate()
// etc...

This is done by convention, and the $ character in javascript has no special meaning. Thought I would mention, as nobody else seems to have mentioned the reason.

use this

$(document).ready(function(){
    $('.item').hover(function(){
        $(this).stop().animate({paddingLeft: '20px'}, "slow");
    }, function(){
        $(this).stop().animate({paddingLeft: '0px'}, "slow");
    });
});

$this and this are not same. In development when we write as var $this = $(this) than It bee's a jQuery object. $this denote that in this currently we have a jQuery object.It is only for a refrence you can use any other variable for that $this is not necessary.you can write vat $that = $(this) and use that It will behave same.