Difference between show() and css({'display':'block'})
Assuming you have this at the beginning:
<span id="thisElement" style="display: none;">Foo</span>
when you call:
$('#thisElement').show();
you will get:
<span id="thisElement" style="">Foo</span>
while:
$('#thisElement').css({'display':'block'});
does:
<span id="thisElement" style="display: block;">Foo</span>
so, yes there's a difference.
Difference between hide() and css({'display':'none'})
same as above but change these into hide() and display':'none'......
Another difference
When .hide() is called the value of the display property is saved in jQuery's data cache, so when .show() is called, the initial display value is restored!