{
  "doc": {
    "id": "api/commands/children",
    "title": "children | Cypress Documentation",
    "description": "Get the children of each DOM element within a set of DOM elements in Cypress.",
    "section": "api",
    "source_path": "/llm/markdown/api/commands/children.md",
    "version": "7ada28c0cd90e81cf56fd3fc73de6e6d45c16de6",
    "updated_at": "2026-05-13T21:55:41.935Z",
    "headings": [
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#children",
        "text": "children",
        "level": 1
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#syntax",
        "text": "Syntax",
        "level": 2
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#usage",
        "text": "Usage",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#arguments",
        "text": "Arguments",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#yields-learn-about-subject-management",
        "text": "Yields Learn about subject management",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#examples",
        "text": "Examples",
        "level": 2
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#no-args",
        "text": "No Args",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#get-the-children-of-the-secondary-nav",
        "text": "Get the children of the .secondary-nav",
        "level": 4
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#selector",
        "text": "Selector",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#get-the-children-with-class-active",
        "text": "Get the children with class active",
        "level": 4
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#rules",
        "text": "Rules",
        "level": 2
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#requirements-learn-about-chaining-commands",
        "text": "Requirements Learn about chaining commands",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#assertions-learn-about-assertions",
        "text": "Assertions Learn about assertions",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#timeouts-learn-about-timeouts",
        "text": "Timeouts Learn about timeouts",
        "level": 3
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#command-log",
        "text": "Command Log",
        "level": 2
      },
      {
        "id": "api/commands/children#see-also",
        "text": "See also",
        "level": 2
      }
    ]
  },
  "content": {
    "type": "root",
    "children": [
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 1,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "children"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Get the children of each DOM element within a set of DOM elements."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "The querying behavior of this command matches exactly how "
          },
          {
            "type": "link",
            "title": null,
            "url": "http://api.jquery.com/children",
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "text",
                "value": "`.children()`"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": " works in jQuery."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 2,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Syntax"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": ".children().children(selector).children(options).children(selector, options)"
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Usage"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Correct Usage"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "cy.get('nav').children() // Yield children of nav"
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Incorrect Usage"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "cy.children() // Errors, cannot be chained off 'cy'cy.clock().children() // Errors, 'clock' does not yield DOM elements"
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Arguments"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "selector (String selector)"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "A selector used to filter matching DOM elements."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "options (Object)"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Pass in an options object to change the default behavior of `.children()`."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
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        ],
        "children": [
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                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "Option"
                  }
                ]
              },
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                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "Default"
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                ]
              },
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                "children": [
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                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "Description"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
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            "children": [
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                "children": [
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                    "value": "`log`"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
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                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`true`"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
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                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "Displays the command in the "
                  },
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                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/open-mode.md#Command-Log",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "Command log"
                      }
                    ]
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
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                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`timeout`"
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                ]
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              {
                "type": "tableCell",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/app/references/configuration.md#Timeouts",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "`defaultCommandTimeout`"
                      }
                    ]
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "type": "tableCell",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "Time to wait for `.children()` to resolve before "
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "#Timeouts",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "timing out"
                      }
                    ]
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Yields "
          },
          {
            "type": "link",
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            "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress.md#Subject-Management",
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "text",
                "value": "Learn about subject management"
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          }
        ]
      },
      {
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        "children": [
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            "type": "listItem",
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            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` yields the new DOM element(s) it found."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "type": "listItem",
            "spread": false,
            "checked": null,
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` is a query, and it is safe to chain further commands."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 2,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Examples"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "No Args"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 4,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Get the children of the `.secondary-nav`"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "<ul>  <li>About</li>  <li>    Services    <ul class=\"secondary-nav\">      <li class=\"services-1\">Web Design</li>      <li class=\"services-2\">Logo Design</li>      <li class=\"services-3\">        Print Design        <ul class=\"tertiary-nav\">          <li>Signage</li>          <li>T-Shirt</li>          <li>Business Cards</li>        </ul>      </li>    </ul>  </li>  <li>Contact</li></ul>"
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "// yields [//  <li class=\"services-1\">Web Design</li>,//  <li class=\"services-2\">Logo Design</li>,//  <li class=\"services-3\">Print Design</li>// ]cy.get('ul.secondary-nav').children()"
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Selector"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 4,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Get the children with class `active`"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "<div>  <ul>    <li class=\"active\">Unit Testing</li>    <li>Integration Testing</li>  </ul></div>"
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "// yields [//  <li class=\"active\">Unit Testing</li>// ]cy.get('ul').children('.active')"
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 2,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Rules"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Requirements "
          },
          {
            "type": "link",
            "title": null,
            "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress.md#Chains-of-Commands",
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "text",
                "value": "Learn about chaining commands"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "list",
        "ordered": false,
        "start": null,
        "spread": false,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "listItem",
            "spread": false,
            "checked": null,
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` requires being chained off a command that yields DOM element(s)."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Assertions "
          },
          {
            "type": "link",
            "title": null,
            "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress.md#Assertions",
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "text",
                "value": "Learn about assertions"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "list",
        "ordered": false,
        "start": null,
        "spread": false,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "listItem",
            "spread": false,
            "checked": null,
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` will automatically "
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/retry-ability.md",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "retry"
                      }
                    ]
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": " until the element(s) "
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress.md#Implicit-Assertions",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "exist in the DOM"
                      }
                    ]
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "type": "listItem",
            "spread": false,
            "checked": null,
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` will automatically "
                  },
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                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/retry-ability.md",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "retry"
                      }
                    ]
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": " until all chained assertions have passed."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 3,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Timeouts "
          },
          {
            "type": "link",
            "title": null,
            "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress.md#Timeouts",
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "text",
                "value": "Learn about timeouts"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "list",
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        "start": null,
        "spread": false,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "listItem",
            "spread": false,
            "checked": null,
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` can time out waiting for the element(s) to "
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/app/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress.md#Implicit-Assertions",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "exist in the DOM"
                      }
                    ]
                  },
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "type": "listItem",
            "spread": false,
            "checked": null,
            "children": [
              {
                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
                  {
                    "type": "text",
                    "value": "`.children()` can time out waiting for assertions you've added to pass."
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 2,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Command Log"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "Assert that there should be 8 children elements in a nav"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "code",
        "lang": null,
        "meta": null,
        "value": "cy.get('.left-nav>.nav').children().should('have.length', 8)"
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "The commands above will display in the Command Log as:"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "paragraph",
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "When clicking on the `children` command within the command log, the console outputs the following:"
          }
        ]
      },
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        "type": "heading",
        "depth": 2,
        "children": [
          {
            "type": "text",
            "value": "See also"
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                    "type": "link",
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                    "url": "/llm/markdown/api/commands/next.md",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "`.next()`"
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            "children": [
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                    "url": "/llm/markdown/api/commands/parent.md",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "`.parent()`"
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            "children": [
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                "children": [
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                    "url": "/llm/markdown/api/commands/parents.md",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "`.parents()`"
                      }
                    ]
                  }
                ]
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            ]
          },
          {
            "type": "listItem",
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            "checked": null,
            "children": [
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                "type": "paragraph",
                "children": [
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                    "type": "link",
                    "title": null,
                    "url": "/llm/markdown/api/commands/siblings.md",
                    "children": [
                      {
                        "type": "text",
                        "value": "`.siblings()`"
                      }
                    ]
                  }
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}