What is the serialize() method in jQuery?

Overview

The serialize() method is a built-in method in jQuery that creates a URL-encoded string by serializing the entire form data or specific form elements.

Syntax

$(selector).serialize();

Parameters

This method doesn’t accept any parameters.

Return value

This method returns a URL encoded string of the selected element. It will look something like this:

key1=value1&key2=value2...

Example

Let’s look at an example of the serialize() method in the code snippet below:

Console

Explanation

In the HTML tab:

  • Line 4: We import the jQuery script.
  • Line 7: We create a form.
  • Line 9: We create an input element of the text type.
  • Line 13: We create an input element of the number type.
  • Line 16: We create a submit button.

In the JavaScript tab:

  • Line 3: We attach the click() method on the submit button.
  • Line 5: We use the serialize() method to create a URL-encoded string of form data.
  • Lines 8: We print the serialized string on the console.

Output

  • When the submit button is clicked, the serialize() method is invoked, and the URL-encoded string is printed on the console.

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