.prev()

Syntax

.prev([selector])

Parameters

selector (optional): A string containing a selector expression to match elements against

Return value

The new jQuery object.

Description

Get the immediately preceding sibling of each element in the set of matched elements, optionally filtered by a selector.

Examples

Get previous one

 
<html>
  <head>
    <script src="http://java2s.com/Book/JavaScriptDemo/jQuery/jquery-1.8.0.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(document).ready(function(){
             $("div").prev(".selected").css("background", "yellow");
        });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <body>
          <div class="selected">asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
  </body>
</html>

Click to view the demo

Get previous tag

 
<html>
  <head>
    <script src="http://java2s.com/Book/JavaScriptDemo/jQuery/jquery-1.8.0.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(document).ready(function(){
            var $curr = $("#start");
            $curr.css("color", "#f99");
            $("button").click(function () {
                 $curr = $curr.prev();
                 $("div").css("color", "");
                 $curr.css("color", "#f99");
            });
        });
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <body>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <div id="start">asdf</div>
          <div>asdf</div>
          <button>Go to Prev</button>
  </body>
</html>

Click to view the demo