May 27, 2021 W3C Standard
The Document Object Model (DOM:Document Object Model) is a platform, a language-neutral application programming interface (API) that allows programs to access and change the content, structure, and style of documents.
To learn more about DOM, read our HTML DOM and XML DOM tutorials.
DOM level 0 is not a W3C specification. It is simply a definition of equivalent functionality in Netscape Navigator 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0.
Key players in the development of DOM are: ArborText, IBM, Inso EPS, JavaSoft, Microsoft, Netscape, Novell, Object Management Group, SoftQuad, Sun Microsystems, and Texcel.
DOM Level 1 of W3C is based on this functionality.
DOM Level 1 focuses on html and XML document models. It contains document navigation and processing capabilities.
DOM Level 1 became the W3C recommendation on October 1, 1998.
The second version of the draft work was published on September 29, 2000.
DOM Level 2 adds a style sheet object model to DOM Level 1 and defines the functionality of the style information that operates on the document.
DOM level 2 also defines an event model and provides support for XML namespaces.
As a W3C recommendation, the DOM Level 2 specification was released on November 13, 2000:
The DOM Level 2 core provides an API for accessing and changing the content and structure of documents, which also contains interfaces for XML.
DOM Level 2 HTML specifies the APIs that manipulate HTML document structure and content. (This part of the specification is still working on the draft)
DOM Level 2 specifies the APIs for accessing and changing document views. A view is a representation associated with the original document or some alternate representation.
DOM Level 2 Style defines the APIs for dynamic access and changes to content style sheets.
DOM Level 2 Events specifies the API for accessing document events.
DOM Level 2 Traversal-Range specifies APIs that dynamically traverse and identify the scope of content in a document.
DOM Level 3 defines the content model (DTD and Schemas) and document validation. D ocument loading and saving, document viewing, document formatting, and key events are also specified. DOM Level 3 is built on DOM Core Level 2.
The DOM Requirements document has been updated for Level 3 requirements and released as a draft work on April 12, 2000.
The following draft DOM Level 3 work was released on September 1, 2000:
DOM Level 3 Core provides an API for accessing and changing document content, structure, and style.
The DOM Level 3 Events API extends the capabilities of the Level 2 Event API by adding new interfaces and new event sets.
DOM Level 3 Content Model specifies APIs for content loading and saving, content modeling (DTD and Schemas), and document validation support.
DOM Level 3 Views specifies APIs for accessing and changing document views. A view is a representation associated with the original document or some alternate representation.
| specification | Draft / proposal | recommend |
|---|---|---|
| DOM Level 1 | 01. Oct 1998 | |
| DOM Level 1 (2.Ed) | 29. Sep 2000 | |
| DOM Level 2 Core | 13. Nov 2000 | |
| DOM Level 2 HTML | 09. Jan 2003 | |
| DOM Level 2 Views | 13. Nov 2000 | |
| DOM Level 2 Style | 13. Nov 2000 | |
| DOM Level 2 Events | 13. Nov 2000 | |
| DOM Level 2 Traversal-Range | 13. Nov 2000 | |
| DOM Level 3 Requirements | 26. Feb 2004 | |
| DOM Level 3 Core | 07. Apr 2004 | |
| DOM Level 3 Events | 31. May 2011 | |
| DOM Level 3 Load and Save | 07. Apr 2004 | |
| DOM Level 3 Validation | 27. Jan 2004 | |
| DOM Level 3 XPath | 26. Feb 2004 | |
| DOM Level 3 Views | 26. Feb 2004 |