Utilizing JavaScript async over setInterval for improved efficiency

Let's say I want to execute the function update() every second.

I have two options to achieve this:

async function interval() {
  await new Promise((resolve, reject) => { 
    setTimeout(resolve, 1000)
  })
  update()
  interval()
}

or

setInterval(update, 1000)

Is there any difference in functionality between the two approaches?

Answer №1

When comparing the use of settimeout and setinterval for achieving repetition, it seems that async/await is brought into the equation without much relevance. It appears to be mainly used as a way to prevent repeatedly calling the same function in setTimeout.

One could argue that async/await serves the purpose of what setTimeout accomplishes, but unlike setTimeout, there is no built-in option to cancel the loop with async/await, as mentioned by Ayush.

If you're curious about this topic, the following link may help shed some light on any questions you have:
setTimeout or setInterval?

Thanks

Answer №2

The main distinction lies in the fact that your interval function returns a promise to signal when it has completed its task. It is imperative to include a return statement to ensure proper functionality:

async function interval() {
  await new Promise((resolve, reject) => { 
    setTimeout(resolve, 1000)
  })
  update()
  return interval()
//^^^^^^
}

With this setup, when an error occurs while executing the update function, the promise will be rejected and you can handle the error using .catch(). Additionally, the recursive calls within the interval function would cease, unlike with setInterval which would continue indefinitely.

Another advantage of using the async/await syntax is that it eliminates the need for recursion to create loops:

async function interval() {
  while (true) {
    await new Promise((resolve, reject) => { 
      setTimeout(resolve, 1000)
    })
    update()
  }
}

Similar questions

If you have not found the answer to your question or you are interested in this topic, then look at other similar questions below or use the search

What is the best way to integrate Express JS with Google Charts?

I'm currently working on an Express application and I need to integrate Google charts into it. I found this helpful article here for guidance. Additionally, I would like to know how to replace manual data with data from a MySQL database. ...

Incorporate HTML into a webpage using JavaScript along with variables

So, I need to dynamically add and remove content to an HTML page with complex styling and data sets that will change based on the clicked element. An example scenario could be like this... <li class="foo"> <div class="slider" data-one="foo" d ...

Ionic ng-change not triggering after initial change is made

Looking to develop a currency converter using the angular ng-change directive and Ionic Framework. Currently, I am able to input data into one textbox and see the expected changes in the other two textboxes. However, the issue arises when I try to switch ...

Display a specific section of an image as the background in a div, with the image scaled and positioned perfectly

Utilizing a 1900 x 1080 image within a div as the background <!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title></title> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <style> html,body { height:100%; } #imageHolder{ ...

What is the best way to move the Grid upward when the above content is not visible?

Let me demonstrate what I have been working on. Currently, I am creating a weather application to explore the functionalities of https://material-ui.com/. I am attempting to prototype an animation inspired by Google Flights, which can be seen here: https: ...

Utilize external modules in factory by employing Object.assign for encapsulation

In my factory function, I have the following setup: import moduleA from'./modulea' import moduleB from'./moduleb' import { componentA, componentB } from './components' module.exports = () => { //DECLARE VARIABLES SHAR ...

Is it possible to include array elements in a dropdown menu using React?

Imagine you have an array called const places = [" a1", "a2", "a3"]; and <FormControl variant="outlined" className={classes.formControl}> <InputLabel id="dropdown_label">Testing</InputL ...

Nodejs/Express: The view "error" could not be found in the views directory

I recently made the switch from Jade to EJS as my template engine for my Node.js application. However, when I try to run my app.js file with the EJS template, I am encountering a series of error messages that say "Failed to lookup view 'error' in ...

A guide on accessing information from a post form using an express.js server

Issue: Whenever the client submits a form using a post request to the server, the express server receives an empty body (req.body = {}). Objective: My goal is to retrieve req.body.username and req.body.password on a post request from the client (using the ...

Is there a way to verify the authenticity of a survey depending on the types of form elements used

Creating a form in PHP with various dynamic form elements like radio buttons, text fields, and dropdowns. Seeking to validate this form using JQuery based on the question type, which is identified by the names q1, q2, etc. $(function(){ if ($(&apo ...

What is causing myInterval to not be cleared properly?

const homeButton = document.getElementById('home'); window.myInterval = 0; const showHome = () => { console.log('showHome'); window.myInterval = setInterval(wait, 400) } const wait = () => { console.log('wait'); ...

What steps can be taken to resolve the issue of "Uncaught TypeError: undefined is not a function"?

Check out the JSfiddle link for reference: http://jsfiddle.net/mostthingsweb/cRayJ/1/ Including my code below along with an explanation of what's going wrong: This is a snippet from the HTML header, showing all the necessary links: <head> ...

Is there a way to access comprehensive data pertaining to an ID through Ajax?

I need help with an Ajax call. Below is the code I currently have: $.ajax({ async: true, url: 'test/', type: 'POST', datatype: 'text json', data: { id: id, }, success: function(data) { // Retrieve the da ...

What is the best way to utilize AJAX to upload several images in PHP?

I have a UI that looks like this: https://i.sstatic.net/BAbwP.jpg I am trying to upload multiple videos using ajax in PHP. I attempted to use FormData() in jQuery for this purpose. However, it seems to only upload one image and not more than that. Her ...

Tips for displaying a div briefly before loading the second page

Incorporating a div named ADD, I aim to successfully load a second page within the current one using ajaxload. The challenge lies in displaying a div for 4 seconds before loading the second page. How can this be achieved? Following the wait period, the sec ...

Execute a separate function when clicking on certain buttons without interfering with the buttons' original onclick function (which has already been assigned) - JavaScript

While I am still relatively new to JavaScript and learning, I have developed a webpage with multiple buttons that trigger different functions on click events. However, I would like to additionally call another function when any of these buttons are clicked ...

Guide on how to retrieve the vertex information once an object is loaded using the ObjLoader in Three.js

When using ObjLoader in Three.js to load a *.obj file into my scene, everything works fine. However, I'm uncertain on how to manipulate the object's vertices and indices individually. How can I access the vertices of the loaded *.obj model? Atte ...

Exploring the functionality of test code within an rxjs subscription by utilizing the powerful technique of jasmine

My goal is to test the code within an observable subscription: function bar(someStream$: Observable<number>) { someStream$.pipe( map((x) => x + 3), ).subscribe((result) => { SomeService.someMethod(result) }) } I want to ensure t ...

Ways to forward a webpage once validation has been completed

I have a login form that is being validated using jQuery/Ajax to receive a JSON response. The form calls a PHP page called add-data.php. Upon successful validation, I want to redirect to another page after displaying the message Successfully logged!: if ...

JavaScript's multiple inheritance concept

In the realm of JavaScript, there exists a class that seeks to 'inherit' various objects and their methods. var A = function (a,c){}; var N = { properties1: function(){}; }; var M1 = { properties2: function(){}; }; var M2 = { ...