How can I get the mouse position in JavaScript at regular intervals and update it in a form?
This keeps the original intent clear while smoothly including the keyword get mouse position javascript without forcing it.
I’ve been working with front-end JavaScript for a few years, and honestly, if you just want something quick and simple, this is where to start. The most straightforward way to get mouse position javascript is just to hook into the mousemove event and push those values straight into your form fields. No frills, no complications - just raw coordinates updating live as you move the mouse.
document.addEventListener('mousemove', function(e) {
document.getElementById('x').value = e.clientX;
document.getElementById('y').value = e.clientY;
});
This works great if you’re prototyping or learning the ropes. But be aware, it updates constantly, so if you’re worried about performance or heavy DOM manipulation, you might want something a bit more controlled.
That’s a great starting point, Devan! I’ve worked on interactive dashboards before, and I’d say: if you want to get mouse position javascript without hammering the DOM every few milliseconds, a small tweak goes a long way. Instead of updating on every tiny mouse move, we track the position continuously but only update the form at set intervals — say, every half a second. This gives you a smoother experience without wasting performance.
let pos = { x: 0, y: 0 };
document.addEventListener('mousemove', function(e) {
pos.x = e.clientX;
pos.y = e.clientY;
});
setInterval(() => {
document.getElementById('x').value = pos.x;
document.getElementById('y').value = pos.y;
}, 500);
This method strikes a balance — you still get mouse position javascript reliably, but you avoid flooding the form with too many updates, especially on slower machines or when multiple listeners are running.
Totally agree, Priyada! When I was working on a graphics-heavy project, though, I found that using setInterval can sometimes make UI updates feel a bit choppy, especially if you’re aiming for high-performance visuals. So here’s the next level: if you want to get mouse position javascript as smoothly and efficiently as possible, you can lean on requestAnimationFrame. This ties your updates directly to the browser’s refresh cycle, making everything feel more fluid and synced.
let mouse = { x: 0, y: 0 };
document.addEventListener('mousemove', e => {
mouse.x = e.clientX;
mouse.y = e.clientY;
});
function updateForm() {
document.getElementById('x').value = mouse.x;
document.getElementById('y').value = mouse.y;
requestAnimationFrame(updateForm);
}
updateForm();
This approach is especially useful when smoothness matters — like in games or animations — because you’re letting the browser optimize when and how updates happen. So you still get mouse position javascript, but with much better performance alignment.