What's wrong with the jQuery live method?

Question

The live() method was deprecated in jQuery 1.7. The jQuery docs now recommend

Use .on() to attach event handlers. Users of older versions of jQuery should use .delegate() in preference to .live().

I understand how on and delegate work, but I don't understand why they are better. live() is simpler and easier to use.

Is there a reason why live was deprecated? How are the other methods better? Will anything bad happen if I continue to use live?

Answer 1

See some of the explanations here:

http://www.ultimatewebtips.com/why-jquery-live-is-a-bad-option-to-use/ (Site appears to be down)

Quote:

1. You can’t use .live() for reusable widgets.

2. .stopPropagation() doesn’t work with live.

3. .live() is slower.

4. .live() is not chainable.

Further beauty of .on() is that it streamlines all events quite well: http://api.jquery.com/on/

D'uh you know about the api link and see how .on() works :)

Quote:

The .on() method attaches event handlers to the currently selected set of elements in the jQuery object. As of jQuery 1.7, the .on() method provides all functionality required for attaching event handlers. For help in converting from older jQuery event methods, see .bind(), .delegate(), and .live(). To remove events bound with .on(), see .off(). To attach an event that runs only once and then removes itself, see .one()