Why call $.getScript instead of using the <script> tag directly?

getscript, javascript, jquery, script-tag

Solution

The only reason I can think of is that you get the callback when the script is loaded. But you can get that callback using a `script` tag, too, by using the `load` event (or on really old IE, `onreadystatechange`).

In contrast, there are several negatives to doing it this way, not least that `getScript` is subject to the Same Origin Policy, whereas a `script` tag is not.

Even if you need to load a script dynamically (and there are several reasons you might need to do that), frankly unless you really need the callback, I'd say you're better off just loading the script by adding a `script` tag:

$('head:first').append("<script type='text/javascript' src='js/examplejs'><\/script>");

(Note: You need the otherwise-unnecessary `\` in the ending tag in the above to avoid prematurely ending the script tag this code exists within, if it's in an inline script tag.)

`script` tags added in this way are not subject to the Same Origin Policy. If you want the `load` callback, then:

$("<script type='text/javascript' src='js/examplejs'><\/script>")
    .on("load", function() {
        // loaded
    })
    .appendTo('head:first');

(As I said, for really old IE, you'd have to do more than that, but you shouldn't need to deal with them these days.)

Problem

I don't understand the reason for replacing this: ``` <script src="js/example.js"></script> ``` with this: ``` $.getScript('js/example.js', function() { alert('Load was performed.'); }); ``` Is there a particular reason to use the jQuery version?

Original source