Skip to main content

How do `<iframe>` on a page communicate?

TL;DR​

<iframe> elements on a page can communicate using the postMessage API. This allows for secure cross-origin communication between the parent page and the iframe. The postMessage method sends a message, and the message event listener receives it. Here's a simple example:

// In the parent page
const iframe = document.querySelector('iframe');
iframe.contentWindow.postMessage('Hello from parent', '*');

// In the iframe
window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
  console.log(event.data); // 'Hello from parent'
});

How do <iframe> on a page communicate?​

Using the postMessage API​

The postMessage API is the most common and secure way for iframes to communicate with each other or with their parent page. This method allows for cross-origin communication, which is essential for modern web applications.

Sending a message​

To send a message from the parent page to the iframe, you can use the postMessage method. Here’s an example:

// In the parent page
const iframe = document.querySelector('iframe');
iframe.contentWindow.postMessage('Hello from parent', '*');

In this example, the parent page selects the iframe and sends a message to it. The second parameter, '*', is the target origin. It specifies the origin of the target window. Using '*' means the message can be received by any origin, but for security reasons, it's better to specify the exact origin.

Receiving a message​

To receive a message in the iframe, you need to add an event listener for the message event:

// In the iframe
window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
  console.log(event.data); // 'Hello from parent'
});

The event object contains the data property, which holds the message sent by the parent page.

Security considerations​

When using postMessage, it's crucial to consider security:

  • Specify the target origin: Instead of using '*', specify the exact origin to ensure that only messages from trusted sources are received.
  • Validate the message: Always validate the message content to prevent malicious data from being processed.

Example with target origin​

Here’s an example with a specified target origin:

// In the parent page
const iframe = document.querySelector('iframe');
const targetOrigin = 'https://example.com';
iframe.contentWindow.postMessage('Hello from parent', targetOrigin);

// In the iframe
window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
  if (event.origin === 'https://parent.com') {
    console.log(event.data); // 'Hello from parent'
  }
});

In this example, the parent page sends a message only to https://example.com, and the iframe processes the message only if it comes from https://parent.com.

Further reading​

Source: greatfrontend/top-javascript-interview-questions