Both jQuery append() and appendTo() methods are doing the same task, add a text or html content after the content of the matched elements. The major difference is in the syntax.

For example,

<div class="box">I'm a big box</div>
<div class="box">I'm a big box 2</div>

1. $(‘selector’).append(‘new text’);

$('.box').append("<div class='newbox'>I'm new box by prepend</div>");

2. $(‘new text’).appendTo(‘selector’);

$("<div class='newbox'>I'm new box by appendTo</div>").appendTo('.box');

Result

Both methods above are doing the same task, but with different syntax, the new contents after append() or appendTo() will become

<div class="box">
   I'm a big box
   <div class='newbox'>I'm new box by prepend</div>
</div>
 
<div class="box">
   I'm a big box 2
   <div class='newbox'>I'm new box by prepend</div>
</div>

Try it yourself

<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript" src="jquery-1.3.2.min.js"></script>
 
<style type="text/css">
	.box{
		padding:8px;
		border:1px solid blue;
		margin-bottom:8px;
		width:300px;
		height:100px;
	}
	.newbox{
		padding:8px;
		border:1px solid red;
		margin-bottom:8px;
		width:200px;
		height:50px;
	}
</style>
 
</head>
<body>
  <h1>jQuery append() and appendTo example</h1>
 
  <div class="box">I'm a big box</div>
 
  <div class="box">I'm a big box 2</div>
 
  <p>
  <button id="append">append()</button>
  <button id="appendTo">appendTo()</button>
  <button id="reset">reset</button>
  </p>
 
<script type="text/javascript">
 
    $("#append").click(function () {
 
	  $('.box').append("<div class='newbox'>I'm new box by append</div>");
 
    });
 
	$("#appendTo").click(function () {
 
	  $("<div class='newbox'>I'm new box by appendTo</div>").appendTo('.box');
 
    });
 
	$("#reset").click(function () {
	  location.reload();
    });
 
</script>
</body>
</html>
Try Demo
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