How can I minimize reflows when updating a large list in the DOM with JavaScript loops?

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How can I minimize reflows when updating a large list in the DOM with JavaScript loops?

Asked on Dec 18, 2025

Answer

Minimizing reflows when updating a large list in the DOM can be achieved by using a Document Fragment to batch updates before appending them to the DOM. This reduces the number of reflows and repaints.

<!-- BEGIN COPY / PASTE -->
        const items = ['Item 1', 'Item 2', 'Item 3']; // Example array
        const listElement = document.getElementById('myList'); // Target UL or OL element

        const fragment = document.createDocumentFragment();

        items.forEach(item => {
            const li = document.createElement('li');
            li.textContent = item;
            fragment.appendChild(li);
        });

        listElement.appendChild(fragment);
        <!-- END COPY / PASTE -->

Additional Comment:

Use "document.createDocumentFragment()" to create a temporary container for your new elements.
Loop through your data and create elements, appending them to the fragment instead of the DOM.
Finally, append the fragment to the DOM in one operation, minimizing reflows.
This approach is efficient for handling large lists or frequent updates.

✅ Answered with JavaScript best practices.

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How can I minimize reflows when updating a large list in the DOM with JavaScript loops?

Asked on Dec 18, 2025

Answer

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