Intersection Observer API

This is an experimental technology
Because this technology's specification has not stabilized, check the compatibility table for usage in various browsers. Also note that the syntax and behavior of an experimental technology is subject to change in future versions of browsers as the specification changes.

The Intersection Observer API provides a way to asynchronously observe changes in the intersection of a target element with an ancestor element or with a top-level document's viewport.

Intersection observer concepts and usage

The Intersection Observer API allows you to configure a callback that is called whenever one item, called a target, intersects either the device viewport or a specified element called, for the purpose of this API, the root element. Create the intersection observer by calling its constructor and passing it a reference to the callback function.

JavaScript
var options = {
    root: document.querySelector('#scrollArea'), 
    rootMargin: '0px', 
    threshold: 1.0
}
var callback = function(entries, observer) { 
    /* Content excerpted, show below */ 
};
var observer = new IntersectionObserver(callback, options);

A threshold of 1.0 means that when 100 percent of target is visible within the root element, the callback is invoked.

Once you have the observer, give it a target.

JavaScript
var target = document.querySelector('#listItem');
observer.observe(target);

Whenever the target meets the threshold specified for the IntersectionObserver, the callback is invoked.

JavaScript
var callback = function(entries, observer) { 
    entries.forEach(entry => {
        entry.time;               // a DOMHightResTimeStamp indicating when the intersection occurred.
        entry.rootBounds;         // a DOMRectReadOnly for the intersection observer's root.
        entry.boundingClientRect; // a DOMRectReadOnly for the intersection observer's target.
        entry.intersectionRect;   // a DOMRectReadOnly for the visible portion of the intersection observer's target.
        entry.intersectionRatio;  // the number for the ratio of the intersectionRect to the boundingClientRect.
        entry.target;             // the Element whose intersection with the intersection root changed.
    });
};

Interfaces

IntersectionObserver
Provides a way to asynchronously observe changes in the intersection of a target element with an ancestor element or with a top-level document's viewport. The ancestor or viewport is referred to as the root.
IntersectionObserverEntry
Provides information about the intersection of a particular target with the observers root element at a particular time. Instances of this interface cannot be created, but a list of them is returned by IntersectionObserver.takeRecords().

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
Intersection Observer Editor's Draft Initial definition.

Browser Compatibility

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
Basic support

51.0

? ? ? ?
Feature Android Android Webview Firefox Mobile (Gecko) Firefox OS IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile Chrome for Android
Basic support No support 51.0 ? ? ? ? ? 51.0

See also

License

© 2016 Mozilla Contributors
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-us/docs/web/api/intersection_observer_api

API Intersection Observer API IntersectionObserver Landing Overview Reference