Components of a binding handler

Binding handlers are defined by adding objects to the ko.bindingHandlers object, just like extenders. They are composed of an init and an update function.

The init function runs when the binding is first applied to the element either when ko.applyBindings is called or when the element is created by a control flow binding, such as template or foreach. It should be used for all one-time work such as attaching event handlers or disposal callbacks to the element.

The update function runs just after init does, when the binding is first applied. It runs again anytime when any observable dependencies are changed. The update function determines its dependencies just like a computed observable does. If an observable is accessed when an update runs, it subscribes to that observable. The update function should be used to keep the UI in sync with changes from the viewmodel:

ko.bindingHandlers.yourBindingName = {
    init: function(element, valueAccessor, allBindings, viewModel...