Detect Pointer

JavaScript wrapper for pointer and any-pointer media queries.

Live detection test

Exports a reference to a singleton object (a micro state machine with an update function) with its state set to the results of the pointer and any-pointer media queries, as well as an update() function which re-runs the tests and updates the object's state.

Note that detect-pointer is one of the micro state machines used by detect-it to determine if a device is mouseOnly, touchOnly, or hybrid.

For more information on the pointer and any-pointer media queries, please see the W3C Media Queries Level 4 specification. For information on browser compatibility, please see Can I Use matchMedia.

detectPointer micro state machine

const detectPointer = {
  // mutually exclusive (only one will be true)
  fine: boolean,
  coarse: boolean,
  none: boolean,

  // not mutually exclusive
  anyFine: boolean,
  anyCoarse: boolean,
  anyNone: boolean,

  // re-run all the detection tests and update state
  update() {...},
}

Installing detect-pointer

$ npm install detect-pointer

Using detect-pointer

import detectPointer from 'detect-pointer';

// using the state
detectPointer.fine === true; // primary pointing device is accurate (e.g. mouse, stylus)
detectPointer.coarse === true; // primary pointing device has limited accuracy (e.g. touch, motion)
detectPointer.none === true; // primary input mechanism does not include a pointing device

/*
 * identical to the pointer media feature, but they correspond to the
 * union of capabilities of all the pointing devices available to the user -
 * more than one of their values can be true, if different input mechanisms have
 * different characteristics
 */
detectPointer.anyFine === true;
detectPointer.anyCoarse === true;
detectPointer.anyNone === true;


// updating the state - most apps won't need to use this at all
detectPointer.update();

/*
 * note that in the case of a legacy computer and browser, one that
 * doesn't support detect-pointer's detection tests, the default state will be:
 */
const detectPointer = {
  fine: undefined,
  coarse: undefined,
  none: undefined,
  anyFine: undefined,
  anyCoarse: undefined,
  anyNone: undefined,
}

Note that the update() function is run once at the time of import to set the object's initial state, and generally doesn't need to be run again. If it doesn't have access to the window or the browser doesn't support the matchMedia() function (all modern browser do), then the state will be undefined (detect-pointer will not throw an error). If detect-pointer doesn't have access to the window at the time of import, you will have to call the update() function manually at a later time to update its state.

Part of the detect-it family

• detect-it
  • detect-hover
  • detect-pointer
  • detect-touch-events
  • detect-passive-events