Understanding the Difference Between v-html and v-text in Vue.js

One of the common scenarios where developers scratch their heads is discerning between the v-html and v-text directives in Vue.js. While both are used to manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM), there is a fundamental difference in terminology and application.

As per the quiz above, both statements "v-text sets the textContent of the node" and "v-html sets the innerHTML of the element" are correct.

Working with v-text

The v-text directive in Vue.js sets the textContent of the node. Basically, it updates the element's textContent to match the stringified value of the bound expression.

Let's understand this with a simple application:

<div id="app">
  {{ message }}
</div>

var vm = new Vue({
  el: '#app',
  data: {
    message: 'Hello Vue.js!'
  }
})

In the above example, the {{ message }} inside a text node will be replaced with the value of the message property from the Vue instance's data.

Working with v-html

On the other hand, the v-html directive sets the innerHTML of the element, which interprets the HTML code in the provided string. This is useful if you need to output HTML code from your Vue instance's data.

For example:

<div id="app">
  <p v-html="message"></p>
</div>

var vm = new Vue({
  el: '#app',
  data: {
    message: '<strong>Hello Vue.js!</strong>'
  }
})

Here, the <strong> tags in the message string will be interpreted as HTML markup, thus displaying the output as a bold "Hello Vue.js!" in the browser.

Note of Caution

While v-html can be a powerful tool, it may expose your application to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. So, you should only use v-html to insert HTML content that you're in control of, or HTML generated by trustworthy sources. Trusting HTML content that comes from the user is a common security vulnerability.

In conclusion, v-text and v-html directives in Vue.js may look similar, but they play different roles. Using the right directive for the right task can make your Vue.js applications more secure and efficient to run.