HTMLElement.offsetParent

The HTMLElement.offsetParent read-only property returns a reference to the object which is the closest (nearest in the containment hierarchy) positioned containing element. If the element is non-positioned, the nearest table cell or root element (html in standards compliant mode; body in quirks rendering mode) is the offsetParent. offsetParent returns null when the element has style.display set to "none". The offsetParent is useful because offsetTop and offsetLeft are relative to its padding edge.

SyntaxEdit

parentObj = element.offsetParent;
  • parentObj is an object reference to the element in which the current element is offset.

SpecificationEdit

Specification Status Comment
CSS Object Model (CSSOM) View Module
The definition of 'offsetParent' in that specification.
Working Draft  

Browser compatibilityEdit

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
Basic support (Yes) ? ? ? ?

In compliance with the specification, this property will return null on Webkit if the element is hidden (the style.display of this element or any ancestor is "none") or if the style.position of the element itself is set to "fixed".

This property will return null on Internet Explorer (9) if the style.position of the element itself is set to "fixed". (Having display:none does not affect this browser.) 

See alsoEdit