Angular Interview Practice

Can changes to DOM properties reflect back into HTML attributes?

1. Yes, they update the attributes immediately

2. No, they do not always update the HTML attribute in the source code

3. Only if a method is invoked

4. Yes, including all custom attributes

The correct answer is: No, they do not always update the HTML attribute in the source code

The statement that changes to DOM properties do not always update the HTML attributes in the source code is accurate because of the way the Document Object Model (DOM) and HTML attributes interact. In web development, when you manipulate a DOM property through JavaScript or Angular, you're altering the representation of that element in the memory. However, this doesn't necessarily translate back to changing the original HTML attribute as it exists in the source code. For instance, if you change the value of a `select` element through the `value` property, that change will reflect in how the browser presents the element to the user, but it does not modify the `value` attribute in the original HTML markup unless specifically set. This distinction is crucial because it clarifies how the browser handles properties versus attributes. Properties are often considered the live, dynamic representation of an element's state, while attributes are static and represent how the element was originally defined in the HTML. Considering the implications of this behavior is important for developers, particularly when creating dynamic user interfaces where the current state needs to be consistent.