--- layout: default nav: attributes > ic-target ---

## `ic-target` - The Target Attribute

### Summary

The `ic-target` attribute tells Intercooler the response from a request should be used to replace a different element than the current one. This is commonly used with action attributes, for example to make a button replace a div in the UI.

### Syntax

The value of the `ic-target` attribute can be:

- The string `this`, indicating that the element that the `ic-target` attribute is on is the target
- The string `closest` followed by a valid CSS selector, indicating that the closest parent to the element satisfying the given CSS selector is the target (e.g. `closest tr`)
- The string `find` followed by a valid CSS selector, indicating that the closest child satisfying the given CSS selector is the target (e.g. `find .indicator-elt`)
- A valid global CSS selector

This attribute may be placed on parent elements, allowing you to specify behavior across multiple elements.

### Dependencies

`ic-target` has no effect on dependencies.

### Button Example

Here is a simple button that updates a div on click:

      <div id="target">0 Clicks</div>
      <button ic-post-to="/update" ic-target="#target">Update Div</button>

Note that the response to the button click is the content to swap in for the div, not the button.

0 Clicks

### Input Example

Here is an example of an input that posts its input to the server to validate it, replacing the enclosing div (using standard Bootstrap error classes.)

      <div id="emailDiv">
        <div class="form-group">
          <label class="control-label">Enter Email:</label>
          <input type="text" class="form-control" name="email" ic-post-to="/verify_email" ic-target="#emailDiv">
        </div>
      </div>

Enter Email:
Tab out of the input to trigger a post...