Strikethrough Text in JavaScript: Ditching string.strike and Modern Solutions

What it is

In JavaScript, there used to be a method called string.strike() that supposedly transformed a string into a format that would display it with a strikethrough effect, similar to what the HTML <strike> tag does.

Why it's not recommended

More importantly, the HTML <strike> element itself has been removed from the HTML specification. Browsers may still render it with a strikethrough, but it's not guaranteed and can lead to inconsistency across different browsers.
However, it's important to understand that string.strike() is a deprecated method. This means it's an older way of doing things that is no longer considered the best practice.

Alternatives for Strikethrough Text

To achieve strikethrough text in modern JavaScript, you have better options:
1. - The <del> element is the recommended way to indicate content that has been deleted from a document. Browsers typically render it with a strikethrough.
```
<p>This is the original text. <del>This part has been deleted.</del></p>
```
2. CSS text-decoration Property
  - You can use the CSS text-decoration property to apply a strikethrough style directly to an element's text content. This approach offers more flexibility in terms of styling.
```
<p id="myText">This is some text</p>
```
```
#myText {
    text-decoration: line-through;
}
```

In summary

Use the <del> element or the text-decoration property for strikethrough text in modern JavaScript development.
Avoid using string.strike() as it's deprecated and relies on outdated HTML elements.

Using the <del> HTML Element

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Strikethrough Example</title>
</head>
<body>

<p>This is the original text. <del>This part has been deleted.</del></p>

</body>
</html>

This code creates a paragraph element containing both regular text and text wrapped in a <del> element. Browsers will typically display the deleted text with a strikethrough.

Using CSS text-decoration Property

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Strikethrough Example</title>
<style>
  #strikethroughText {
    text-decoration: line-through;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<p id="strikethroughText">This text has a strikethrough applied with CSS.</p>

</body>
</html>

This code defines a paragraph element with an ID "strikethroughText". It also includes a <style> section that defines a CSS rule for the element with that ID. The rule sets the text-decoration property to line-through, which will display the text with a strikethrough line.

Using the <del> HTML Element

This is the preferred way to indicate content that has been deleted from a document. Browsers typically render it with a strikethrough line.

Example

<p>This is the original text. <del>This part has been deleted.</del></p>

Using CSS text-decoration Property

This approach offers more control over styling the strikethrough effect. You can adjust the line style, thickness, and color using CSS properties.

Example

<p id="strikethroughText">This text has a strikethrough applied with CSS.</p>

<style>
  #strikethroughText {
    text-decoration: line-through; /* Applies a single line */
    text-decoration-style: dashed; /* Change line style (e.g., dashed, dotted) */
    text-decoration-color: red; /* Change line color */
  }
</style>

Choosing the Right Approach

If you want more control over the visual appearance of the strikethrough text, CSS styling is the way to go.
If you need to modify the HTML structure dynamically in JavaScript (e.g., creating a list of deleted items), using <del> elements might be more suitable.

Choose the method that best aligns with your content's meaning and desired functionality.
While both methods achieve a similar visual effect, the semantic meaning differs slightly:
- <del> indicates deleted content.
- CSS text-decoration primarily focuses on visual presentation.