# phpman > perldoc > XML::XPath::Node::Element

## NAME
    Element - an <element>

## API
  new ( name, prefix )
    Create a new Element node with name "name" and prefix "prefix". The name be "prefix:local" if
    prefix is defined. I know that sounds weird, but it works ;-)

  getName
    Returns the name (including "prefix:" if defined) of this element.

  getLocalName
    Returns just the local part of the name (the bit after "prefix:").

  getChildNodes
    Returns the children of this element. In list context returns a list. In scalar context returns
    an array ref.

  getChildNode ( pos )
    Returns the child at position pos.

  appendChild ( childnode )
    Appends the child node to the list of current child nodes.

  removeChild ( childnode )
    Removes the supplied child node from the list of current child nodes.

  getAttribute ( name )
    Returns the attribute node with key name.

  getAttributes / getAttributeNodes
    Returns the attribute nodes. In list context returns a list. In scalar context returns an array
    ref.

  appendAttribute ( attrib_node)
    Appends the attribute node to the list of attributes ([XML::XPath](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/XML%3A%3AXPath/markdown) stores attributes in order).

  getNamespace ( prefix )
    Returns the namespace node by the given prefix

  getNamespaces / getNamespaceNodes
    Returns the namespace nodes. In list context returns a list. In scalar context returns an array
    ref.

  appendNamespace ( ns_node )
    Appends the namespace node to the list of namespaces.

  getPrefix
    Returns the prefix of this element

  getExpandedName
    Returns the expanded name of this element (not yet implemented right).

  string_value
    For elements, the string_value is the concatenation of all string_values of all text-descendants
    of the element node in document order.

  toString ( [ norecurse ] )
    Output (and all children) the node to a string. Doesn't process children if the norecurse option
    is a true value.