.data() Optionally Update HTML5 Attribute

.data() Optionally Update HTML5 Attribute

As it is now, the .data() function retrieves the data from HTML5 data-* attributes when the page loads. When data is set using the function, the DOM attribute is not updated, for efficiency. If you want the attribute to be updated as well, you have to then pass the same data to .attr() .

.data( key, value, updateAttr )

What I am proposing is an optional third argument (second in the .data( obj ) signature), updateAttr . It would be a Boolean (defaulting to false ). When true , .data() would also update the corresponding data-* attribute.

In a web page I'm working on, a data-* element is used for both JavaScript and for styling with CSS, which is what prompted this idea.