jQuery Object Serialize

Question

What is the difference between this?

$("form").serialize();

and this?

var theForm = $("form");
$(theForm[0]).serialize();

How do you get the second sample to serialize like the first one?

Answer 1

try this:

var theForm = $("form");
theForm.eq(0).serialize();

Answer 2

First one selects all forms and serializes all form fields.

Second one selects form fields from FIRST form and serializes them

• user366735: the problem is the second one doesn't serialize the first form.

Answer 3

Or you could use in one line:

$("form:first").serialize();