XMLHttpRequest.responseText

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The read-only XMLHttpRequest property responseText returns the text received from a server following a request being sent.

Syntax

var resultText = XMLHttpRequest.responseText;

Value

A DOMString which contains either the textual data received using the XMLHttpRequest or null if the request failed or "" if the request has not yet been sent by calling send().

While handling an asynchronous request, the value of responseText always has the current content received from the server, even if it's incomplete because the data has not been completely received yet.

You know the entire content has been received when the value of readyState becomes XMLHttpRequest.DONE (4), and status becomes 200 ("OK").

Exceptions

InvalidStateError
The XMLHttpRequest.responseType is not set to either the empty string or "text". Since the responseText property is only valid for text content, any other value is an error condition.

Example

var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', '/server', true);

// If specified, responseType must be empty string or "text"
xhr.responseType = 'text';

xhr.onload = function () {
    if (xhr.readyState === xhr.DONE) {
        if (xhr.status === 200) {
            console.log(xhr.response);
            console.log(xhr.responseText);
        }
    }
};

xhr.send(null);

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
XMLHttpRequest Living Standard WHATWG living standard

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
responseTextChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 5
Notes
Full support 5
Notes
Notes Before Internet Explorer 10, the value of XMLHttpRequest.responseText could be read only once the request was complete.
Opera Full support 8Safari Full support 1.2WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0

Legend

Full support
Full support
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.