In this article I will explain with an example, how to dynamically create and insert Header Cell (TH element) in HTML Table using JavaScript.
JavaScript insertCell function can insert Cell (TD element) to an HTML Table but it does not work for Header Cell (TH element) and hence the Header Cell (TH element) is created using document.createElement function and then inserted to the Header Row of the HTML Table.
 
 
HTML Markup
The following HTML Markup consists of an HTML Button and an HTML DIV element. The HTML Button has been assigned an OnClick event handler which calls the GenerateTable JavaScript function.
<input type="button" value="Generate Table" onclick="GenerateTable()" />
<hr />
<div id="dvTable"></div>
 
 
JavaScript function to insert Header Cell (TH element) in HTML Table
Inside the GenerateTable JavaScript function, first a JSON Array is created. The JSON Array contains the Table Header and Cell values.
HTML Table
First a dynamic HTML Table is created using JavaScript createElement method.
 
Adding the Header Row
The Header Row will be built using the first element of the Array as it contains the Header column text values.
First a row is inserted into the Table and then using the count of columns a loop is executed and one by one Table TH element is created using the createElement method.
Table insertRow Method: This method adds a new row to a Table at the specified index. If the index is supplied as -1 then the row will be added at the last position.
 
Adding the Data Rows
A loop is executed over the array elements and one by one a Row is created in the HTML Table. Then inside each Row a Cell is added using the Table insertCell method.
Table Row insertCell Method: This method adds a new cell to a Table Row at the specified index. If the index is supplied as -1 then the row will be added at the last position.
 
Adding the dynamic Table to the Page
Finally the dynamically created table is added to the page by appending it to the HTML DIV using the appendChild method.
Note: You can also append an element to the body but then you won’t be able to set its placement on the page. Using a container such a DIV helps us add the dynamic element to the desired place.
 
<script type="text/javascript">
    function GenerateTable() {
        //Build an array containing Customer records.
        var customers = new Array();
        customers.push(["Customer Id", "Name", "Country"]);
        customers.push([1, "John Hammond", "United States"]);
        customers.push([2, "Mudassar Khan", "India"]);
        customers.push([3, "Suzanne Mathews", "France"]);
        customers.push([4, "Robert Schidner", "Russia"]);
 
        //Create a HTML Table element.
        var table = document.createElement("TABLE");
        table.border = "1";
 
        //Get the count of columns.
        var columnCount = customers[0].length;
 
        //Add the header row.
        var row = table.insertRow(-1);
        for (var i = 0; i < columnCount; i++) {
            var headerCell = document.createElement("TH");
            headerCell.innerHTML = customers[0][i];
            row.appendChild(headerCell);
        }
 
        //Add the data rows.
        for (var i = 1; i < customers.length; i++) {
            row = table.insertRow(-1);
            for (var j = 0; j < columnCount; j++) {
                var cell = row.insertCell(-1);
                cell.innerHTML = customers[i][j];
            }
        }
 
        var dvTable = document.getElementById("dvTable");
        dvTable.innerHTML = "";
        dvTable.appendChild(table);
    }
</script>
 
 
Screenshot
Insert Header Cell (TH element) in HTML Table using JavaScript
 
 
Browser Compatibility

The above code has been tested in the following browsers.

Internet Explorer  FireFox  Chrome  Safari  Opera 

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Demo
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Downloads
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