How to make JavaScript execute after page load?

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I'm executing an external script, using a <script> inside <head>.

Now since the script executes before the page has loaded, I can't access the <body>, among other things. I'd like to execute some JavaScript after the document has been "loaded" (HTML fully downloaded and in-RAM). Are there any events that I can hook onto when my script executes, that will get triggered on page load?

25 Answers

These solutions will work:

As mentioned in comments use defer:

<script src="deferMe.js" defer></script>

or

<body onload="script();">

or

document.onload = function ...

or even

window.onload = function ...

Note that the last option is a better way to go since it is unobstrusive and is considered more standard.

Reasonably portable, non-framework way of having your script set a function to run at load time:

if(window.attachEvent) {
    window.attachEvent('onload', yourFunctionName);
} else {
    if(window.onload) {
        var curronload = window.onload;
        var newonload = function(evt) {
            curronload(evt);
            yourFunctionName(evt);
        };
        window.onload = newonload;
    } else {
        window.onload = yourFunctionName;
    }
}

You can put a "onload" attribute inside the body

...<body onload="myFunction()">...

Or if you are using jQuery, you can do

$(document).ready(function(){ /*code here*/ }) 

or 

$(window).load(function(){ /*code here*/ })

I hope it answer your question.

Note that the $(window).load will execute after the document is rendered on your page.

Look at hooking document.onload or in jQuery $(document).load(...).

JavaScript

document.addEventListener('readystatechange', event => { 

    // When HTML/DOM elements are ready:
    if (event.target.readyState === "interactive") {   //does same as:  ..addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded"..
        alert("hi 1");
    }

    // When window loaded ( external resources are loaded too- `css`,`src`, etc...) 
    if (event.target.readyState === "complete") {
        alert("hi 2");
    }
});

same for jQuery:

$(document).ready(function() {   //same as: $(function() { 
     alert("hi 1");
});

$(window).load(function() {
     alert("hi 2");
});





NOTE: - Don't use the below markup ( because it overwrites other same-kind declarations ) :

document.onreadystatechange = ...

Just define <body onload="aFunction()"> that will be called after the page has been loaded. Your code in the script is than enclosed by aFunction() { }.

Comparison

In below snippet I collect choosen methods and show their sequence. Remarks

  • the document.onload (X) is not supported by any modern browser (event is never fired)
  • if you use <body onload="bodyOnLoad()"> (F) and at the same time window.onload (E) then only first one will be executed (because it override second one)
  • event handler given in <body onload="..."> (F) is wrapped by additional onload function
  • document.onreadystatechange (D) not override document .addEventListener('readystatechange'...) (C) probably cecasue onXYZevent-like methods are independent than addEventListener queues (which allows add multiple listeners). Probably nothing happens between execution this two handlers.
  • all scripts write their timestamp in console - but scripts which also have access to div write their timestamps also in body (click "Full Page" link after script execution to see it).
  • solutions readystatechange (C,D) are executed multiple times by browser but for different document states:
    • loading - the document is loading (no fired in snippet)
    • interactive - the document is parsed, fired before DOMContentLoaded
    • complete - the document and resources are loaded, fired before body/window onload

<html>

<head>
  <script>
    // solution A
    console.log(`[timestamp: ${Date.now()}] A: Head script`);
    
    // solution B
    document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
      print(`[timestamp: ${Date.now()}] B: DOMContentLoaded`);
    });

    // solution C
    document.addEventListener('readystatechange', () => {
      print(`[timestamp: ${Date.now()}] C: ReadyState: ${document.readyState}`);
    });
   
    // solution D
    document.onreadystatechange = s=> {print(`[timestamp: ${Date.now()}] D: document.onreadystatechange ReadyState: ${document.readyState}`)};
    
    // solution E (never executed)
    window.onload = () => {
      print(`E: <body onload="..."> override this handler`);
    };

    // solution F
    function bodyOnLoad() {
      print(`[timestamp: ${Date.now()}] F: <body onload='...'>`);      
      infoAboutOnLoad(); // additional info
    }
    
    // solution X
    document.onload = () => {print(`document.onload is never fired`)};



    // HELPERS

    function print(txt) { 
      console.log(txt);
      if(mydiv) mydiv.innerHTML += txt.replace('<','&lt;').replace('>','&gt;') + '<br>';
    }
    
    function infoAboutOnLoad() {
      console.log("window.onload (after  override):", (''+document.body.onload).replace(/\s+/g,' '));
      console.log(`body.onload==window.onload --> ${document.body.onload==window.onload}`);
    }
            
    console.log("window.onload (before override):", (''+document.body.onload).replace(/\s+/g,' '));

  </script>
</head>

<body onload="bodyOnLoad()">
  <div id="mydiv"></div>

  <!-- this script must te at the bottom of <body> -->
  <script>
    // solution G
    print(`[timestamp: ${Date.now()}] G: <body> bottom script`);
  </script>
</body>

</html>

You can write a function on a specific script file and call it in to your body element using onload attribute.

Exemple:

<script>
  afterPageLoad() {
   //your code here
}
</script>

Now call your script into your html page using script tag:

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

into your body element; add onload attribute like this:

<body onload="afterPageLoad();">

As Daniel says, you could use document.onload.

The various javascript frameworks hwoever (jQuery, Mootools, etc.) use a custom event 'domready', which I guess must be more effective. If you're developing with javascript, I'd highly recommend exploiting a framework, they massively increase your productivity.

Using the YUI library (I love it):

YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function(){
    //your code
});

Portable and beautiful! However, if you don't use YUI for other stuff (see its doc) I would say that it's not worth to use it.

N.B. : to use this code you need to import 2 scripts

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://yui.yahooapis.com/2.7.0/build/yahoo/yahoo-min.js" ></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://yui.yahooapis.com/2.7.0/build/event/event-min.js" ></script>

i can catch page load by this code

<script>
console.log("logger saber");

window.onload = (event) => {
  console.log('page is fully loaded');
document.getElementById("tafahomNameId_78ec7c44-beab-40de-9326-095f474519f4_$LookupField").value = 1;;
};

</script>
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