Module java.xml
Package org.w3c.dom

## Interface ElementTraversal

-     public interface ElementTraversal

  The `ElementTraversal` interface is a set of read-only attributes which allow an author to easily navigate between elements in a document.

  In conforming implementations of Element Traversal, all objects that implement `Element` must also implement the `ElementTraversal` interface. Four of the methods, `getFirstElementChild()`, `getLastElementChild()`, `getPreviousElementSibling()`, and `getNextElementSibling()`, each provides a live reference to another element with the defined relationship to the current element, if the related element exists. The fifth method, `getChildElementCount()`, exposes the number of child elements of an element, for preprocessing before navigation.

  Since:
    9
  See Also:
    Element Traversal Specification

- - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `int` | `getChildElementCount()` | Returns the current number of child nodes of the element which are of the `Element` type.
    `Element` | `getFirstElementChild()` | Returns a reference to the first child node of the element which is of the `Element` type.
    `Element` | `getLastElementChild()` | Returns a reference to the last child node of the element which is of the `Element` type.
    `Element` | `getNextElementSibling()` | Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately follows the element in document order, and which is of the `Element` type.
    `Element` | `getPreviousElementSibling()` | Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately precedes the element in document order, and which is of the `Element` type.

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### getFirstElementChild

          Element getFirstElementChild()

      Returns a reference to the first child node of the element which is of the `Element` type.
      Returns:
        a reference to an element child, `null` if the element has no child of the `Element` type.

    - #### getLastElementChild

          Element getLastElementChild()

      Returns a reference to the last child node of the element which is of the `Element` type.
      Returns:
        a reference to an element child, `null` if the element has no child of the `Element` type.

    - #### getPreviousElementSibling

          Element getPreviousElementSibling()

      Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately precedes the element in document order, and which is of the `Element` type.
      Returns:
        a reference to an element child, `null` if the element has no sibling node of the `Element` type that comes before this one.

    - #### getNextElementSibling

          Element getNextElementSibling()

      Returns a reference to the sibling node of the element which most immediately follows the element in document order, and which is of the `Element` type.
      Returns:
        a reference to an element child, `null` if the element has no sibling node of the `Element` type that comes after this one.

    - #### getChildElementCount

          int getChildElementCount()

      Returns the current number of child nodes of the element which are of the `Element` type.
      Returns:
        the number of element children, or `0` if the element has no element children.