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JavaScript › DOM & Events

What's the difference between event.target and event.currentTarget?

Intermediate

Answer

event.target is the actual element that originated the event (e.g., the specific <li> clicked); event.currentTarget is the element the listener is currently attached to and executing on (e.g., the parent <ul> during bubbling).
list.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
  console.log(e.target);        // the <li> clicked
  console.log(e.currentTarget); // the <ul> the listener is on
});
Real-world example Using target to identify which specific button in a toolbar was clicked, while currentTarget stays constant.

Common follow-ups: Does currentTarget change value during the bubbling phase?

Design Patterns in JavaScript
All 10 DOM & Events questions