JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<input id="me" type="hidden" value="starting value" />

JavaScript

var $field = $('#me');
console.log($field.val());
console.log($field.prop('defaultValue'));
console.log($field.val('new value'));
console.log($field.val());
console.log($field.prop('defaultValue'));
console.log($field.attr('value'));
console.log($field.prop('value'));