Event reference

Events are fired to notify code of "interesting changes" that may affect code execution. These can arise from user interactions such as using a mouse or resizing a window, changes in the state of the underlying environment (e.g. low battery or media events from the operating system), and other causes.

Each event is represented by an object that is based on the Event interface, and may have additional custom fields and/or functions to provide information about what happened. The documentation for every event has a table (near the top) that includes a link to the associated event interface, and other relevant information. A full list of the different event types is given in Event > Interfaces based on Event.

This topic provides an index to the main sorts of events you might be interested in (animation, clipboard, workers etc.) along with the main classes that implement those sorts of events.

Event index

Event type	Description	Documentation
Animation	Events related to the Web Animation API. Used to respond to changes in animation status (e.g. when an animation starts or ends).	Animation events fired on `Document`, `Window`, `HTMLElement`.
Asynchronous data fetching	Events related to the fetching data.	Events fired on `AbortSignal`, `XMLHttpRequest`, `FileReader`.
Clipboard	Events related to the Clipboard API. Used to notify when content is cut, copied, or pasted.	Events fired on `Document`, `Element`, `Window`.
Composition	Events related to composition; entering text "indirectly" (rather than using normal keyboard presses). For example, text entered via a speech to text engine, or using special key combinations that modify keyboard presses to represent new characters in another language.	Events fired on `Element`.
CSS transition	Events related to CSS Transitions. Provides notification events when CSS transitions start, stop, are cancelled, etc.	Events fired on `Document`, `HTMLElement`, `Window`.
Database	Events related to database operations: opening, closing, transactions, errors, etc.	Events fired on `IDBDatabase`, `IDBOpenDBRequest`, `IDBRequest`, `IDBTransaction`.
DOM mutation	Events related to modifications to the Document Object Model (DOM) hierarchy and nodes.	Warning: Mutation Events are deprecated. Mutation Observers should be used instead.
Drag'n'drop, Wheel	Events related to using the HTML Drag and Drop API and wheel events. Drag and Wheel events are derived from mouse events. While they are fired when using mouse wheel or drag/drop, they may also be used with other appropriate hardware.	Drag events fired on `Document` Wheel events fired on `Element`
Focus	Events related to elements gaining and losing focus.	Events fired on `Element`, `Window`.
Form	Events related to forms being constructed, reset and submitted.	Events fired on `HTMLFormElement`.
Fullscreen	Events related to the Fullscreen API. Used to notify when the transitioning between full screen and windowed modes, and also of errors occurring during this transition.	Events fired on `Document`, `Element`.
Gamepad	Events related to the Gamepad API.	Events fired on `Window`.
Gestures	Touch events are recommended for implementing gestures.	Events fired on `Document`, `Element`. In addition there are a number of non-standard gesture events: Non-standard WebKit specific events on `Element`: `gesturestart` event, `gesturechange` event, `gestureend` event.
History	Events related to the History API.	Events fired on `Window`.
HTML element content display management	Events related to changing the state of a display or textual element.	Events fired on `HTMLDetailsElement`, `HTMLDialogElement`, `HTMLSlotElement`.
Inputs	Events related to HTML input elements e.g. `<input>`, `<select>`, or `<textarea>`.	Events fired on `HTMLElement`, `HTMLInputElement`.
Keyboard	Events related to using a keyboard. Used to notify when keys are moved up, down, or just pressed.	Events fired on `Document`, `Element`.
Loading/unloading documents	Events related to loading and unloading documents.	Events fired on `Document` and `Window`.
Manifests	Events related to installation of progressive web app manifests.	Events fired on `Window`.
Media	Events related to media usage (including the Media Capture and Streams API, Web Audio API, Picture-in-Picture API, etc.).	Events fired on `ScriptProcessorNode`, `HTMLMediaElement`, `AudioTrackList`, `AudioScheduledSourceNode`, `MediaRecorder`, `MediaStream`, `MediaStreamTrack`, `VideoTrackList`, `HTMLTrackElement`, `OfflineAudioContext`, `TextTrack`, `TextTrackList`, Element/audio, Element/video.
Messaging	Events related to a window receiving a message from another browsing context.	Events fired on `Window`.
Mouse	Events related to using a computer mouse. Used to notify when the mouse is clicked, double-clicked, up and down events, right-click, movement in and out of an element, text selection, etc. Pointer events provide a hardware-agnostic alternative to mouse events. Drag and Wheel events are derived from mouse events.	Mouse events fired on `Element`
Network/Connection	Events related to gaining and losing network connection.	Events fired on `Window`. Events fired on `NetworkInformation` (Network Information API).
Payments	Events related to the Payment Request API.	Events fired on `PaymentRequest`, `PaymentResponse`.
Performance	Events related to any performance-related spec grouped into Performance APIs.	Events fired on `Performance`.
Pointer	Events related to the Pointer Events API. Provides hardware-agnostic notification from pointing devices including Mouse, Touch, pen/stylus.	Events fired on `Document`, `HTMLElement`.
Print	Events related to printing.	Events fired on `Window`.
Promise rejection	Events sent to the global script context when any JavaScript promise is rejected.	Events fired on `Window`.
Sockets	Events related to the WebSockets API.	Events fired on `Websocket`.
SVG	Events related to SVG images.	Events fired on `SVGElement`, `SVGAnimationElement`, `SVGGraphicsElement`.
Text selection	Selection API events related to selecting text.	Event (`selectionchange`) fired on `HTMLTextAreaElement`, `HTMLInputElement`.
Touch	Events related to the Touch Events API. Provides notification events from interacting with a touch sensitive screen (i.e. using a finger or stylus). Not related to the Force Touch API.	Events fired on `Document`, `Element`.
Virtual reality	Events related to the WebXR Device API. Warning: The WebVR API (and associated `Window` events) are deprecated.	Events fired on `XRSystem`, `XRSession`, `XRReferenceSpace`.
RTC (real time communication)	Events related to the WebRTC API.	Events fired on `RTCDataChannel`, `RTCDTMFSender`, `RTCIceTransport`, `RTCPeerConnection`.
Server-sent events	Events related to the server sent events API.	Events fired on `EventSource`.
Speech	Events related to the Web Speech API.	Events fired on `SpeechSynthesisUtterance`.
Workers	Events related to the Web Workers API, Service Worker API, Broadcast Channel API, and Channel Messaging API. Used to respond to new messages and message sending errors. Service workers can also be notified of other events, including push notifications, users clicking on displayed notifications, that push subscription has been invalidated, deletion of items from the content index, etc.	Events fired on `ServiceWorkerGlobalScope`, `DedicatedWorkerGlobalScope`, `SharedWorkerGlobalScope`, `WorkerGlobalScope`, `Worker`, `BroadcastChannel`, `MessagePort`.

Specifications

Specification
HTML Standard # events-2